Page 46 of An Offer for a Spinster
“L. Sterling is my favourite,” she continued, for all the world as if she were not holding up two sides of the conversation. “I’m not entirely sure which of their books I like the best. I think… I think perhaps the most recent one,Rosalie’s Trials.”
This was not entirely true, but Katherine often grew tired of explaining her real favourite,Jeremiah’s Heart. After all, that was not a household name, and the plot was so tragic that she had often seen eyebrows lift when she explained it.
Apollo paused, glancing down at her. If it hadn’t been for the mask, she would have thought he was frowning.
“I thoughtJeremiah’s Heartwas your favourite, Katherine.”
Goosebumps broke out all over Katherine’s body. That voice – of course she knew him. It seemed ridiculous now, thoroughly ridiculous, that she’d been standing by this man for so long and had not known him. Wasn’t that his hair, curling above the mask, his lips twisting into that lopsided grin? Shouldn’t she have known him from the second he stepped in front of her and Mr. Burles?
Apollo’s eyes widened behind the mask, obviously knowing that he had betrayed himself. He dropped his arm, and she couldhave sworn that he was blushing. He did blush, though, she remembered that much. No cool and collected gentleman was this, and Katherine knew without a drop of uncertainty that she wouldn’t want him any other way.
“Thank you for dancing with me,” he mumbled, the confident masked Apollo gone at once. “I am sorry to take up so much of your time. I… I’ll go. I should have just told you…”
He turned, meaning to stride off into the crowd, but Katherine snatched at his sleeve, pulling him back.
“Timothy, wait!”
Chapter Fifteen
Timothy felt like a prize fool. He’d been so careful, not revealing himself, notspeaking, and now he’d let her name and his voice slip out at once.
She must think I’m the most pompous fool to ever walk the planet,Timothy thought, turning away.
Then he felt cool fingers on his sleeve, brushing his skin.
“Timothy, wait!”
He stopped. Of course he stopped. He could not deny Katherine anything. He never could. Timothy turned, glancing back at her.
She was looking up at him, her expression distant and strangely intent.
“I didn’t mean to deceive you,” he heard himself say. “I saw you with Mr. Burles, and I…”
“You don’t need to apologise,” she said, smiling wryly. “It’s a masquerade, after all. Half the fun is guessing who is who. Although, you knew who I was at once, didn’t you?”
“Of course I did. I’d always know you.”
Too much, Timothy, too much.
She removed her hand from his sleeve, now that it was clear he wasn’t about to flee into the crowd. Timothy missed its comforting pressure. He longed to dance with her again, to hold her hand in his, see her focused on him above all else. It would be shocking to dance again with a woman so soon, but since they were both masked… well, perhaps tonight was the only night they could get away with it. She lifted her hand, slowly and tentatively, as if she expected him to slip his wrist away at any moment. He felt her fingertips brush the side of his jaw, lifting the mask and gently lifting it away.
“Apollo revealed,” she said, so quietly that he almost did not hear it. You said you know me, eh? So, who am I?”
“I beg your pardon?” Timothy managed, not quite able to get enough air into his lungs. “You’re Katherine, Lady Katherine Willoughby.”
“Ah, but whoamI?” Katherine said, holding out her arms to indicate the robes, laughing.
“I see. Well, let me think…” he pinched his chin, pretending to consider. “Grecian, of course. A goddess, naturally. I will say… Athena. Am I correct?”
“Yes, perfectly,” she laughed. “Athena and Apollo. What a pair!”
“And you really don’t mind that I didn’t tell you who I was?”
“Not at all. I can’t believe you remembered thatJeremiah’s Heartwas my favourite novel. Have you read it yet, by the way?”
He had not. At least, he hadn’t read the copy Katherine had lent him. Every word of the novel, however, was burned into his brain.
“Yes,” Timothy said, both lying and telling the truth. “I liked it very much. I… I’ve been thinking about our conversation in the Library, when you said you’d want to meet L. Sterling.”
