Page 12 of To Have & To Hold

But as sincere as he seemed, Emilia knew from experience that not every well-seeming man was to be trusted.

“I am cold,” Emilia said, doing her best to force her voice into a false confidence to match his own. There was an art to making people believe that you were stronger than you felt while still keeping yourself small enough as to not threaten their own sense of superiority.

“But if you would be so kind as to allow me to return to the party, that would be quickly remedied.”

“Allow you?” The man took a slight step back, his brow raising as he turned to glance at the warm lights glowing behind him. “You speak as though I am the one responsible for you running outside, in the middle of winter, without a coat.”

Emilia narrowed her gaze at him. “In a way you are.”

“Really?” He crossed his arms across his chest, his coat still dangling from his hand. “I suppose I am also to blame for youthrowing yourself into the river at dawn when you had no notion of how to get back to shore.” His tone was amused, but Emilia was anything but. He was making fun of her.

“Actually…” She began.

“Shhh…” He raised a hand, cutting her off.

“I beg your pardon?” Emilia looked up at him in shock. She should have assumed he wasn’t a gentleman—a real gentleman would have escorted her back to the ballroom by now—but she hadn’t thought him to be completely devoid of manners.

The light was becoming increasingly dim, but she could still see the color drain from his face.

“Weare not alone.”

Chapter Five

The sound of whispered voices floated through the maze, and once again, Emilia had the overwhelming urge to flee. But the fact that her hand was being held firmly by another kept her from charging towards yet another disaster.

The mystery man led her back further into the maze. She had tried to protest, but he continued to shush her.

“If we step out into the open, we are sure to be seen,” he whispered. “Our best chance at not being discovered is to hide and wait until the other couple has left.”

Emilia scoffed. “So your plan to avoid scandal is to completely seclude yourself in a compromising position with a young woman?”

He looked at her, his gaze narrowing slightly in frustration.

“I apologize if my presence here has interfered with any plans that you had for the evening.”

“What are you insinuating?”

He looked her over, and Emilia felt her entire body go warm, though she suddenly wished she had taken his coat when he had offered it.

He forced his eyes back to hers, as his voice dropped low. “Nothing good ever happens in a hedge maze after dark.”

“In that case,” she challenged, “Would you care to explain what you are doing out here?”

His shoulders heaved with a sigh, a flicker of embarrassment shown across his features, but he schooled it quickly.

“I was looking for my sister,” he murmured.

“Your sister?” Emilia felt her stomach drop to the ground. Her gaze lowered to her dress, and slowly all of the little pieces began to fall together, creating a picture as clear and devastating as the sky-blue eyes that watched her as she backed away from him. Another chill ran through her.

“You are freezing,” he exhaled in frustration, holding his coat out to her once more. “Please put this on.”

Emilia accepted it without protest, wrapping the thick fabric around her shoulders. A spicy citrus scent enveloped her senses, and the warmth was immediate, but it did nothing to stop her trembling.

“Who is your sister?” she whispered, though she feared she already knew what his answer would be.

He drew breath to answer, but voices drifted through the hedges again, much closer than they had been before. There was no time for them to run.

Before Emilia could form another thought, she found herself pressed firmly against his chest once again. He gripped the lapels of his coat where it lay around her shoulders and drew her tight against him. Branches scraped and rustled as he pushed both of their bodies into the tall hedges that had stood behind them.