could be where I belonged .”
Feeling oddly drained, she slid the spoon back into her
reticule and made her way into the center of the maze, blinking away tears. Perching
on the tiny bench there, she sighed. Never mind. She would get through the
evening. Somehow.
Marissa pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes as
a sudden wave of dizziness overcame her. Closing her eyes, she reached out to
steady herself. Her hand brushed stone.
With a frown, she opened her eyes. Surely Harriet and the
janitor hadn’t carried an entire fountain into the courtyard? But there
it was before her eyes, burbling merrily away, water spilling down its sides
and into a large basin, where several fish swam. She blinked. Well, perhaps the
club had allowed more money for the party than expected.
“Good evening.” The voice came from behind her. Clipped and
cultured, it was an amazingly well-done approximation of an upper-class British
accent. She turned, ready to see blue jeans.
Instead, she saw a costume even more elaborate than her own.
Dressed in a silk cravat, fine waistcoat, expensive-looking dinner jacket, top
hat and gloves, the newcomer regarded her curiously. His piercing cobalt eyes
seemed to burn right through her dress to the skin underneath, regarding her
almost possessively.
He looked on the older side for a student; perhaps he was an
already graduated companion of another student. Marissa straightened, suddenly
realizing she had not replied to him. She wondered how long he would stay in
character.
“Good evening,” she said cautiously.
“I hardly expected to find someone in the middle of my hedge
maze. Did you not find it difficult to get to the center?” Again that
penetrating gaze.
“Of course not, I simply walked through.” Was he
role-playing? He had to be. She was beginning to warm to him.
Dark eyebrows rose fractionally. “You must be skilled indeed
to have solved the maze without help, my lady. Was the party not to your taste?”
“I wanted to escape all the gossip,” Marissa said
truthfully.
The man’s eyes gleamed in appreciation. “A worthy reason for
wandering. Are you warm enough with just that shawl on?”
Her dark-brown eyes met his gaze. “I’m afraid I could not
find a suitable overcoat for the evening. I do feel the cold, I must admit.”
“Then you must come inside at once. The evening is growing darker,
and we are without chaperone.”
Marissa stood up. It was cold, far colder than it had
been earlier. There was even a hint of snow in the air. Strange…when she’d left
home, it had been a mild evening.
Well, it was no matter. She would be inside within a matter
of moments. Although she did very much appreciate the stranger’s apparent
knowledge of Victorian mores. She was willing to bet half the students present
at the party wouldn’t have a clue as to what a chaperone was.
Smoothing her dress absently, Marissa turned left down the
hedge path—and stopped immediately. “Oh!” she cried. “It’s a dead end!”
“Indeed.” The man behind her seemed amused.
She spun around, fixing him with a stern glare. “Someone
must have come in and changed the maze while I wasn’t looking.” Marissa turned
and hurried past him, ignoring his infuriating chuckle.
Silently she berated herself. She should have known he was
too good to be true with his in-character attitude and period-accurate costume.
He must have shifted the hedges, closing them in. He was probably dating one of
the girls inside, colluding with her to humiliate Marissa.
Was he waiting for her to beg him to move the heavy plants
aside? Marissa refused to give him the victory.
Yet how had the maze gotten so big? She stopped uncertainly
at a crossroads, peering left and right. The footsteps behind her paused as
well. Marissa whirled on him. “Did you change the maze somehow?”
The man shrugged one elegant shoulder. “As far as I know,
this maze hasn’t been altered in years. I find it impressive that you were
Feeling oddly drained, she slid the spoon back into her
reticule and made her way into the center of the maze, blinking away tears. Perching
on the tiny bench there, she sighed. Never mind. She would get through the
evening. Somehow.
Marissa pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes as
a sudden wave of dizziness overcame her. Closing her eyes, she reached out to
steady herself. Her hand brushed stone.
With a frown, she opened her eyes. Surely Harriet and the
janitor hadn’t carried an entire fountain into the courtyard? But there
it was before her eyes, burbling merrily away, water spilling down its sides
and into a large basin, where several fish swam. She blinked. Well, perhaps the
club had allowed more money for the party than expected.
“Good evening.” The voice came from behind her. Clipped and
cultured, it was an amazingly well-done approximation of an upper-class British
accent. She turned, ready to see blue jeans.
Instead, she saw a costume even more elaborate than her own.
Dressed in a silk cravat, fine waistcoat, expensive-looking dinner jacket, top
hat and gloves, the newcomer regarded her curiously. His piercing cobalt eyes
seemed to burn right through her dress to the skin underneath, regarding her
almost possessively.
He looked on the older side for a student; perhaps he was an
already graduated companion of another student. Marissa straightened, suddenly
realizing she had not replied to him. She wondered how long he would stay in
character.
“Good evening,” she said cautiously.
“I hardly expected to find someone in the middle of my hedge
maze. Did you not find it difficult to get to the center?” Again that
penetrating gaze.
“Of course not, I simply walked through.” Was he
role-playing? He had to be. She was beginning to warm to him.
Dark eyebrows rose fractionally. “You must be skilled indeed
to have solved the maze without help, my lady. Was the party not to your taste?”
“I wanted to escape all the gossip,” Marissa said
truthfully.
The man’s eyes gleamed in appreciation. “A worthy reason for
wandering. Are you warm enough with just that shawl on?”
Her dark-brown eyes met his gaze. “I’m afraid I could not
find a suitable overcoat for the evening. I do feel the cold, I must admit.”
“Then you must come inside at once. The evening is growing darker,
and we are without chaperone.”
Marissa stood up. It was cold, far colder than it had
been earlier. There was even a hint of snow in the air. Strange…when she’d left
home, it had been a mild evening.
Well, it was no matter. She would be inside within a matter
of moments. Although she did very much appreciate the stranger’s apparent
knowledge of Victorian mores. She was willing to bet half the students present
at the party wouldn’t have a clue as to what a chaperone was.
Smoothing her dress absently, Marissa turned left down the
hedge path—and stopped immediately. “Oh!” she cried. “It’s a dead end!”
“Indeed.” The man behind her seemed amused.
She spun around, fixing him with a stern glare. “Someone
must have come in and changed the maze while I wasn’t looking.” Marissa turned
and hurried past him, ignoring his infuriating chuckle.
Silently she berated herself. She should have known he was
too good to be true with his in-character attitude and period-accurate costume.
He must have shifted the hedges, closing them in. He was probably dating one of
the girls inside, colluding with her to humiliate Marissa.
Was he waiting for her to beg him to move the heavy plants
aside? Marissa refused to give him the victory.
Yet how had the maze gotten so big? She stopped uncertainly
at a crossroads, peering left and right. The footsteps behind her paused as
well. Marissa whirled on him. “Did you change the maze somehow?”
The man shrugged one elegant shoulder. “As far as I know,
this maze hasn’t been altered in years. I find it impressive that you were
Similar Books
