Chapter 5

Chapter Five

" S ister! There you are!" Isabella's voice, breathless with excitement, shattered the charged atmosphere of the small study.

Adeline whirled around, her heart still pounding from her encounter with the mysterious stranger. Relief and anger warred within her as she took in the sight of her younger sister, flushed and bright-eyed, and a tall gentleman in an elaborate mask hovering just behind her.

Adeline rushed to her sister's side. "Where on earth have you been? I've been searching everywhere for you!"

Isabella's smile faltered slightly. "Oh, don't be cross. Lord Ra— I mean, this kind gentleman was just showing me the most fascinating collection of exotic plants in the conservatory."

The man beside Isabella bowed with a flourish. "Indeed, I was merely acting as a humble guide to your charming sister. No harm done, I assure you."

Adeline regarded him, her eyes narrowing. There was something in his easy manner, the rakish tilt of his smile, that set her nerves on edge.

"I'm sure you believe that, Sir, but I'll thank you to remember that reputations are fragile things, easily tarnished by even the appearance of impropriety."

The man's companion—the one Adeline had been conversing with moments earlier—stepped forward, his voice low and authoritative. "She's right, Daniel. You should know better."

Daniel. So the rake had a name. Adeline filed that information away, even as she marveled at the commanding presence of the other man. Who was he to speak with such assurance?

"Come, Sister." She took her sister's arm. "We should be going. It's late, and we've imposed on our hosts' hospitality long enough."

Isabella's face fell. "But the night is still young! Surely we can stay a little longer?"

"No," Adeline replied firmly, already steering them towards the door. "We're leaving. Now."

As they moved to exit, Adeline felt the weight of the stranger's gaze upon her. She glanced back, meeting those stormy gray eyes one last time.

For a moment, she allowed herself to imagine a different world—one where she wasn't scarred, where she wasn't being sent away in disgrace. A world where she might have a chance with a man like him.

But that world didn't exist. With a small nod of farewell, Adeline turned away, ushering Isabella out into the corridor and towards the grand staircase.

They made their way swiftly through the crowded ballroom, Adeline's grip on Isabella's arm never loosening. The music and laughter that had seemed so magical earlier now grated on her nerves, a stark reminder of all she was about to leave behind.

As they emerged into the cool night air, Adeline breathed a sigh of relief. Their carriage waited at the bottom of the steps, Thomas, their father's coachman, was standing nearby, ready. He'd been with the family since the girls were children, and Adeline knew he could be trusted to keep their secret excursion to himself.

"Home, Lady Adeline?" Thomas asked as he helped them into the carriage, his weathered face creased with concern.

"Yes, Thomas. And quickly, if you please."

As the carriage lurched into motion, Adeline finally allowed herself to relax, slumping back against the plush seat. The events of the evening swirled in her mind—the thrill of anonymity, the cutting remarks she'd overheard, and most of all, her encounter with the mysterious stranger in the study.

"Adeline?" Isabella's voice, small and uncertain, broke through her reverie. "Are you very angry with me?"

Adeline sighed, turning to face her sister. In the dim light of the carriage, Isabella looked young and vulnerable, her elaborate mask now clutched in her hands like a shield.

"I'm not angry, Isabella. I'm… disappointed. And worried. What were you thinking, wandering off with a stranger? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"

Isabella lifted her chin defiantly. "He wasn't dangerous, Adeline. He was a gentleman. We were just talking."

"A gentleman?" Adeline shook her head. "Isabella, any man who lures a young, unmarried woman away from a crowded ballroom is no gentleman, regardless of his title or his charming smiles."

"But—"

"No buts." Adeline held up a hand to stop her sister's protest. "What if I hadn't found you? What if someone else had discovered you alone with him? Your reputation would have been in tatters before your debut!"

Isabella's lower lip trembled. "I just wanted us to have some fun. One last adventure before you… before you have to leave."

The words hung heavy in the air between them. Adeline felt a pang of guilt, remembering her own moment of weakness in the study. Hadn't she, too, been swept away by the magic of the masquerade?

"Oh, Bella," she sighed, saying the childhood nickname she rarely used anymore. "I know you meant well, but you must understand. Life for ladies of the ton isn't about fun or adventure. It's about duty, about making the right connections and securing advantageous matches."

"That sounds dreadfully dull," Isabella muttered.

Adeline couldn't help but smile at that. "Perhaps. But it's the way things are. And you, my dear sister, will soon be expected to navigate those treacherous waters on your own."

Isabella's head snapped up, her eyes wide with sudden fear. "Adeline… I'm terrified," she whispered. "How am I supposed to do this without you? You've always been there, always known what to say and do. I don't know if I can?—"

"Hush," Adeline said gently, reaching out to take her sister's hands in her own. "Of course you can. You're clever and charming, and you'll have Grandmama to guide you. This is for the best, truly."

Even as she spoke the words, she felt a knot of worry form in her stomach. Would Isabella truly be all right without her? Her sister was so young, so impulsive. Who would rein her in when Adeline was hundreds of miles away in Scotland?

The thought of leaving Isabella to face the cutthroat world of the ton alone filled Adeline with dread. She had always been her sister's protector, her guide through the treacherous waters of Society. How would Isabella navigate the complex web of Society's expectations without her? And what if their father, in his obsession with appearances, pushed Isabella into an unsuitable match?

Adeline's mind raced with scenarios, each more worrying than the last. She thought of the rakish man at the masquerade, how easily he had lured Isabella away. What if next time there was no one to intervene? The weight of responsibility pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe.

Yet, what choice did she have? Her father had decided. In a matter of weeks, she would be sent away, powerless to protect her sister from the dangers that lurked behind polite smiles and elegant ballrooms.

As the carriage rattled through the dark London streets, Adeline held her sister close, silently vowing to do everything in her power to prepare Isabella for the challenges ahead.

It was all she could do now, and it would have to be enough.

Edmund watched as the two women disappeared into the night, the memory of stormy green eyes and quick wit lingering in his mind. He turned back to the ballroom, his friend Daniel already launching into an enthusiastic recount of his encounter with the younger sister.

"I tell you, Edmund, she is absolutely enchanting! Such spirit, such vivacity! And her eyes—I swear they sparkle like the finest diamonds when she laughs."

Edmund nodded absently, his thoughts still on the mysterious woman in blue. What was her name? Where had she come from?

"Daniel," he said, his voice stern, "did you even consider the consequences of your actions? Luring a young, unmarried woman away from the ballroom—you could have ruined her reputation entirely."

Daniel's jovial expression faltered for a moment before he let out a bark of laughter. "Good God, man! Since when did you become such a stickler for propriety? The Edmund I knew would have applauded my daring, not lectured me like some fusty old dowager."

Edmund's jaw tightened.

Since war and the burdens of a dukedom forced change upon me , he thought bitterly.

Aloud, he said, "Things change, Daniel. We're not carefree young bucks anymore. Our actions have consequences, not just for ourselves but for others as well."

"Well, well," Daniel mused, eyeing his friend speculatively. "It seems the Duke of Holbrook has developed a conscience. Or perhaps…" A sly grin spread across his face. "Perhaps it's not my young lady you're concerned about at all, but her sister?"

Edmund stiffened. "I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, come now, Edmund. I saw the way you looked at her. I haven't seen you that intrigued by a woman since… well, since before Joanna."

The name sent a familiar pang through Edmund's chest, but to his surprise, it was duller than usual. Instead, his mind filled with the image of flashing green eyes and a quick, sardonic smile.

"That's beside the point. Tell me, did your young lady mention anything about her sister? Her name, perhaps? Or where they're from?"

Daniel's eyebrows rose. "My, my. You are interested. I'm afraid I didn't catch many details. She was rather reticent about personal matters refusing to even divulge her name despite me sharing mine. Though she mentioned something about her sister leaving soon. For Scotland, I believe?"

Scotland .

The word echoed in Edmund's mind, connecting with the mysterious woman's words about never attending another social gathering. What could it mean?

"Anything else?" he pressed. "Surely, in all your talk of exotic plants and butterflies, she must have let something slip."

Daniel shrugged. "Not really. Though she seemed rather concerned about secrecy. Kept adjusting her mask, making sure it was secure. I got the impression they weren't supposed to be here."

Edmund frowned. A clandestine outing, then. But why? And who were these women who risked so much for one night of freedom?

He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd missed something important, some crucial detail that would unlock the mystery of the woman in blue.

Her wit, her fire, the underlying sadness in her voice when she spoke of the future—all of it combined to create a puzzle that Edmund found himself eager to unravel.

It had been years since he'd felt this… intrigued. But he had to stifle that interest, for the last time he had pursued such an interest, it ended in disaster.

And yet… he couldn't stop thinking about the lady in blue, unable to stop himself from wondering if he'd ever see her again.