Page 104 of Red Masquerade

“Yes, ma’am. She says she’s a friend.”

Flora.

I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the clock on the wall, ticking toward eleven in the morning. “Sure. Yes. I’ll be right down.”

After I hung up, I changed into a minty day dress with fluttering sleeves of gossamer. I hadn’t been able to decide between the hundreds of dresses in the closet, so I just reached and grabbed one, finding a pair of white low heels. I brushed through my hair and deemed it good enough.

I could not tell what clothing Vince had pulled from the closet for the day. Every shirt was folded immaculately, jackets hung in a neat line, shoes shined and presented on low shelves. It was like a department store, except it was all his, allours. Endless options to choose from every day, and I didn’t think I’d be able to get through my half before it all went out of style. I could hear Séra laughing,More the reason to wear something new, morning and night!

I wasn’t sure where exactly Flora had been taken. As I left the bedroom, my steps echoed in the halls, and I made my way toward the front of the house, the bottom level, where I’d met Sinclair and Séra and Veronica. I did not have to wander too far before a well-dressed older man, standing at a corner, gestured for me to follow him. “This way, ma’am.”

I was used to deference growing up, but being called “ma’am”, as though I owned the house, didn’t feel right.

“Is Vince… occupied?” I asked. A small part of me wanted him to join, because I knew Flora had questions—and I didn’t know how to answer them.

He paused, as though surprised I’d spoken to him. “Yes, ma’am.” He led me to a small tearoom, down the hall from the dining room. Gesturing for me to enter, he stepped aside to reveal a door ajar.

As soon as I pushed it open, Flora stood from her seat, setting down her tea. “There you are!”

I couldn’t help but smile at seeing her. “You woke me up, so this better be important,” I joked, wrapping my arms around her.

“Is sleeping more important than seeing your best friend?” She pressed her cheek to mine. The warmth of her skin was a small shock, and she smelled of lavender and citrus and everything good. “You’ve been hiding from us, holed up in here.”

“Not fromyou,” I said, squeezing her tight.

“I know,” she conceded, holding me at arm’s length. “I just miss you.”

We took opposite seats, a full tray of tea and cakes and sandwiches between us. I could see she’d already begun to nibble at the food.

“Dixon doesn’t know I’m here,” she said, reaching for her teacup.

I rolled my eyes. “Then should I expect him to come crashing through the window?”

She giggled. “Maybe,” bringing the teacup to her lips. She wore her usual soft red lipstick, her light hair curled for the day in even waves.

I poured myself a cup and dropped in a cube of sugar. “How are you two?” I had not really gotten a chance to ask when I’d seen them last, being a bit too drunk, and Dixon too preoccupied with glaring at me.

“We’re fabulous,” she said. “But what aboutyou?”

I took a nonchalant sip. “Better than ever, I suppose.” I was good.Reallygood. I leaned back with a sigh. “I feel I can finally breathe.”

I hadn’t heard anything else from Lucas or Mother or Wright since that lousy letter in the papers. No other announcements in the news, no ransom letters in the mail. As though I had disappeared from the face of the planet and they’d gone on with their lives.

Flora just beamed at me, her hands clasped in her lap, and I saw it clear on her face that she was bursting at the seams.

I rolled my eyes. “Alright, out with it. What do you want to know?”

“Everything!” She leaned forward, eyes sparkling. “One moment you were there, the next, you’re gone, and Lucas is brooding even more than usual. What happened?”

I sighed. “Lord Highsmith arrived—”

She gasped. “Isthatwho that was? I stopped by the house to see you a few days ago, and Lucas just grumbled that you were away for a week or so. There was some guy with him—that was Lord Highsmith?”

I nodded.

“Who Lucas wants to marry you off to?”

I nodded again.