“Come,” said Warren. “At the very least, let’s have a celebratory dance—even if it’s only the two of us celebrating.”
There was no escape for me here. No allies. Only a sea of masked dancers, chattering and laughing about springtime and the renewal of life. I felt like darkness was closing in over me.
“Of course,” I said stiffly. “I’d love to.”
We danced for most of the rest of the night. A couple of bold suitors took a turn, but Warren moved in such a confident, almost proprietary way that most men simply steered clear of us. When Aiana told me our group was leaving, I barely even heard his words of farewell and promise to stop by tomorrow. I gave a polite nod and then rushed out to join the others. The night was fair and warm, and I needed air to think clearly. Before I could scarcely draw breath, I was led into a coach and then taken straight home to Wisteria Hollow.
I threw open the window when I reached my bedroom and sat there gulping in deep breaths, trying to steady myself. It wasn’t enough. That trapped feeling I’d had at the ball wouldn’t leave me. I needed to be out of this room, out of this house—out of this life. I felt like I had back in Osfro, locked in a glittering cage that so many admired, little knowing it was suffocating me. Not caring what trouble I got in, I left the room still in my gala clothes, pausing only then to realize Mira should have joined me. All the other girls were back in their rooms. I kept moving. Mira was out making her own choices, whatever they might be. I couldn’t fault her for that.
I headed down the hall to the small closet that led to the back staircase. I took it up to the attic level, nearly tripping over my long skirts in my haste. When I reached the landing, I flung open the window and was fully ready to climb down when a voice behind me said my name. I spun around and cringed when a masked figure stepped forward. Half a second later, just as he removed the mask, I realized it was Cedric.
“What are you doing?” he asked. “I was hoping to sneak into your room and talk, when I saw you go through this door.”
“I’m getting out. I have to think . . . I can’t think here. I can’t breathe here. I have to get out for a while. Somewhere. Anywhere but here.” I started to lift my foot up onto the window seat, and he grabbed hold of my arm, shutting the window behind me.
“Calm down. You can’t climb down that damned trellis in those shoes.” He urged me down to the window seat. “Sit, and tell me what’s wrong.”
I turned to him in amazement. “What’s wrong? How can you ask what’s wrong? Everything is wrong! I just more or less agreed to marry Warren Doyle tonight!”
“More or less?”
I found myself rambling, scarcely drawing breath. “His mother—Viola—she forced my hand. I couldn’t say no. All I could do was delay. Told them I would but that nothing was official until it had been settled here. Paperwork and all that. I don’t know what it bought me. Maybe a couple of days? But you know they’ll be vicious; they aren’t going to—”
“Okay, okay,” said Cedric, lacing his fingers through mine. “It’s okay. Nothing’s settled yet. They don’t have you, not yet. And you don’t need to stall a couple of days. You only need to stall until tomorrow morning.”
His words jolted me out of my near-hysterical state. “What do you mean?”
“Nicholas Adelton is willing—you must know that already after talking to him. The trick was making it legal, but I found a magistrate who’ll marry you tomorrow morning in a private ceremony. Most, knowing your involvement with the Glittering Court, wouldn’t have done it. He doesn’t care so long as you’re eighteen and a free citizen of Osfrid. I’ll draw up all the paperwork tonight, log the payment, and you’ll be married in the morning.”
I was dumbfounded. “In the morning.”
He squeezed my hands. “Yes. It’s going to create a lot of upset . . . to put it mildly. My father and Uncle Charles. The Doyles—especially if they’re clinging to this soft promise you made them. But we’ll have the law on our side. We’ll even have the Glittering Court’s technicalities on our side. No matter how much the others complain, they won’t be able to do anything about it.”
I had a feeling that “complaining” would be putting it mildly. “You’ll be lucky if your father lets you stay on and collect any commissions. Whether it’s enough for Westhaven will be irrelevant.”
“Let me worry about Westhaven,” Cedric said adamantly. He leaned into me, his presence steady and secure. “All you have to do is get to your wedding in the morning. I know it’s not the luxury arrangement you imagined, but he’ll be good to you. You’ll be safe.”
“I don’t need luxury.” My response came as fiercely as his. “I can be a mistress of a modest household. I can be a charming companion on his arm at social gatherings. I can be his friend. I can go to his bed and—”
The words caught in my throat, and I couldn’t finish. Everything else I could do with Nicholas Adelton—but not that last one. Maybe I could have once—before Cedric—but not anymore. I couldn’t even give voice to it.
Cedric turned me so that I faced him and gently lifted the glittering mask off my face. I’d been in such a frenzy upon leaving the gala that I’d never noticed I was still wearing it. It had hidden the tears welling up in my eyes. He wiped them away and cupped my face in his hands, leaning close so that our foreheads touched. Gone was the satisfaction of his victory with Nicholas. Now there was only melancholy left—and a longing that matched my own.