Page 146 of Dukes Are Forever
Adele surfaced from the Thames with a gasp, filthy water streaming down her face, her skirts threatening to suck her under.
There was a boat nearby, and she kicked toward it, going under a couple more times before her hand finally caught in the mooring rope.
It took an enormous amount of effort to draw herself onto the banks of the Thames, and she collapsed there, shivering with cold.
Fire raged and bloomed in the distance. She was somewhere near the base of Waterloo Bridge. Slowly she sat up, staring at the opera house. It was on fire... or what was left of it was. It struck her then. How close she'd come to being inside that building when the explosion occurred....
A wave of trembling broke over her. Somehow she forced herself to her feet, her teeth chattering.
This was the third time the Opera House burned.
She could barely remember escaping. All the doors had been locked, and she'd returned to the stage, somehow managing to open one of the trapdoors by pulling on several of the ropes. Then she was working her way through the bowels of the building, ending up in a tunnel below it.
And from there, the river.
She took a step toward the opera house, and then paused.
Devoncourt had put her inside it for a reason.
Perhaps she would find help there, but who knew if the perpetrator lingered behind?
She couldn't go to the opera house. She couldn't go home to Malloryn Court, just in case it was being watched.
There was really only one place left for her.
* * *
Shivering with cold,Adele pushed her way inside Hardcastle Lane without bothering to knock. Some man by the river had given her his cloak and a ride to Hardcastle Lane in exchange for one of her rings.
The house was oddly silent.
Subdued almost.
She'd expected Herbert to pop out of nowhere to offer her a "spot of hot tea," but even he was nowhere to be seen.
"Hello?" Adele called softly, swinging the damp cloak from her shoulders.
Had something happened?
Where was everybody?
Sharp heels rapped on the floors to her left, and then Gemma burst out of the parlor in a hurry. She slammed to a halt, her mouth falling open as she clapped a hand to her lips. "Adele?"
"Alive," Adele managed, her smile trembling.
Gemma became a blur of movement and then her arms were around Adele and she was gasping softly. "Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. You're alive. He's going to— He's— Oh, you have to see him!"
"Malloryn's here?"
"He thought you were dead." Gemma looked like she wanted to cry. "I've never seen him like this before. He arrived at the opera house too late. And it was burning, and.... Oh, my goodness."
"Wait." Adele tried to capture the other woman's hands, tried to make sense of what she was saying. "Malloryn thinks I'm dead?"
"I sent the others away for the night. All except Obsidian. He's distraught—"
"Obsidian's distraught?"
"No! Malloryn." Gemma suddenly examined her. "He's in his study. Just go to him, please. I'll pour a bath and fetch some tea, and.... Well. They'll be ready when you are."
