Page 9 of Within the Hollow Heart

She frowned then glanced toward the chancellor’s office herself. Toward Gideon, she made a gesture that, like his own, might have been a wave of acknowledgment or of warning him off. She brushed a lock of hair back from her temple. “Fine. That sounds… fine.”

He put out his arm. “Rarely do I receive such an enthusiastic response. Come, let us walk.”

She took his arm and did not glance again at those in the chancery, but her posture did not ease, even when they stepped from the outer corridor and into the warm sun.

“Is this your preferred garden?” he asked. “I quite like the gardens on the east walk. My favorites, though, are just outside, past the Baker cottage and bordering the trees. It is a bit overgrown, to be certain, but I hold that is part of the charm.”

She stopped and peered up at him. “Why did you come here?”

“Oh. Precisely.” He drew a finely penned invitation from an inside pocket of his coat. “Your introduction to Lord Beckett.”

She tugged the card from between his two fingers, the tiniest line forming in the center of her brow as she scanned the words. “This is an invitation to a ball.”

“A masked ball,” he said with only a hint of smugness. “Where we might appear in plain sight with no one the wiser to our ruse.”

Her dark eyes rose to his. “You only moments ago strode into the chancery for all to see.”

“Well, I’m an important lord. Perhaps I had documents to file.”

Her answering look said that was doubtful.

He ignored the insinuation. He wasn’t concerned about agents of the kingdom seeing him. He was concerned about his mother and her society connections, and they didn’t bother with matters such as being seen before noon. “This ball will be perfect. Just the thing. And all that’s left is a visit to the library. How’s tomorrow for that? Or do you have a particular day that you prefer?”

She blinked. “I—yes, tomorrow is well enough. Thank you.”

Nickolas straightened. “Prime. Then the matter is practically resolved. By the end of next week, you’ll be entirely free of me.”

Something in her expression shifted, making Nickolas wish he could steal back the words. But he wasn’t certain precisely what he’d said wrong. He had been too flippant, perhaps. She had said she was facing a danger. Maybe the cliff she was standing before was steeper than his own.

“I apologize,” he told her. “Etta always says I’m a mule. I meant no offense. I’m sure your situation is not something you find humor in, and even now, as I offer my regret, I sound impossibly glib.”

“No, I—” She shook her head. “I was only thinking.”

“Ah.” He held out his arm. “Shall we walk, then, while you think?”

Her hand slid inside the crook of his elbow as if automatically, and Nickolas led them at a sedate pace, unspeaking, over the garden path. It was a good garden, boasting lilies and violets and a curving stream that connected several small pools stocked with pike and trout. The far wall was lined with fruit trees, their leaves providing shade to a row of stone benches that sat bookended by sculpted lions at rest.

Jules glanced sidelong at Nickolas.

“Go on. Ask me,” he said.

“I don’t—”

“Oh, please. We’re betrothed. If there are no secrets between lovers, then there certainly shall not be between us as fellow conspirators.” He gave her a playful frown, his tone chagrined. “Saints know you’ve seen about the worst of my character already.”

Her lips twitched.

He groaned. “It’s worse, then. Not only have you witnessed my latest downfall, but you’ve heard something even more reprehensible.” He closed his eyes and lifted his face toward the sky. “Don’t tell me. Lady Asha? The incident with the pig?”

When she didn’t answer, he opened one eye to peer at her. “No? Something older, then. Does it have anything to do with a kerchief and three bread rolls?”

She laughed. “Be assured, I’ve no interest in the details.”

He pressed a palm to his chest in a gesture of thanks, and she added, “But you’ll recall I did bunk with Lady Ostwind, if only temporarily.”

His step faltered. “You—that was you? This whole time?”

“I will admit that I feel flattered not at all. Your reputation was one of unrestrained charm, my lord, yet you did not even recall my name.”

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