Page 52 of An Offer for a Spinster
She frowned. “You had better dance with other ladies after me. If I’m the only one you dance with, people will talk.”
“I don’t mind.”
“Perhaps I do.”
That silenced him. The dance ended, entirely too soon, which was an unusual thing for William to feel. They bowedand curtseyed to each other, and the dancers exploded in the usual breathless chatter, leaving the dance floor in search of refreshments.
The mystery woman seemed a little on edge now. She had her hands clasped tightly in front of her, and was glancing around, gaze darting here and there but landing on nothing. Gone was the easy confidence she’d shown on the balcony. She seemed smaller, almost.
“Would you like some refreshments?” he asked, inching closer. Somebody in the party would know who she was, and they might come up to introduce themselves.
She flinched, blinking up at him as if she’d almost forgotten he was there.
“I can’t, I’m sorry,” she said, gaze flicking around again. “I really must go.”
“Go? Go where?”
“Leave, what else do you think I mean?” she said, entirely too sharply for a person addressing a duke.
“Let me at least escort you out. Perhaps…”
“No. I am sorry. Thank you for dancing with me, your Grace.”
She turned on her heel, diving into the crowd. He heard little outraged exclamations as she pushed her way through, saw people turn, offended, to glare at her, but then she was gone, lost in the sea of people.
He moved to go after her, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Flinching, he turned around to see a man wearing long Grecian robes and a large mask.
“It’s me, Will,” Timothy said, taking off the mask. “I’ve been looking for you.”
Biting his lip, William turned to follow the woman. It was too late, of course. There was no sign of her, as if she’d never been there at all. He sighed, turning back to his friend.
“Timothy, do you know a young woman in a blue domino? Red hair, blue dress, small.”
He frowned, shaking his head. “I don’t, I’m afraid. What’s her name?”
“If I knew her name, I wouldn’t be… oh, never mind. I just danced with her, that’s all, but I didn’t get her name.”
“Aren’t you meant to be introduced before you… oh, look, William, was that her locket?”
Timothy pointed, and William spotted the glint of silver at once. He dived to collect it, recognizing at once the silver locket the mystery woman had worn around her neck. The clasp on the delicate chain had broken, and she likely hadn’t even noticed that her locket was gone.
“I’ll have to find out who she is to return it,” he murmured. Almost without thinking, William opened the locket.
Inside, there was a single miniature, carefully tucked in. The miniature was of a little boy, curls falling over his forehead, large eyes staring seriously out at the viewer. William frowned down at it.
Timothy was still standing there, looking uncomfortable. “Will? Are you alright? You look ill.”
“I feel ill,” William mumbled. “I think I want to go home.”
“I… I wanted to talk to you about something.”
He passed a hand over his face. “Can’t it wait, Tim? I really don’t feel well.”
Timothy swallowed hard, pressing his lips together. “Of course, of course. It can wait.”
Nodding absently, William tucked the locket carefully into his pocket, and turned to leave.
Chapter Seventeen
