out of my way.”
“What are you going to do?” She imagined all sorts of violent things this man could accomplish with nothing more than his own strength.
“Don’t worry, Miss Grey. I won’t harm anyone. Go back inside and play your part. By the time your first dance is bought, I’ll be far away from here and you won’t hear from me again.”
“You never answered my question.”
“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.” A chuckle. “Or so they used to say in the Old World.”
“That isn’t an answer,” Charlie hissed.
“It’s all the answer I’m willing to give. But, like I said, I won’t hurt anyone.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Trust is a virtue you are sorely lacking, Miss Grey. Unfortunately, in this situation, it is a necessity.”
“I—”
“Charlotte? Are you out here?” Cornelia squinted from the doorway, searching the dark balcony. “The auction is starting.”
“I’m coming.” She shot one more glance in Nemo’s direction. He’d put out the cigarette, making it impossible for her to place him in the shadows. She lowered her voice, careful to keep Cornelia from overhearing. “You have until the first dance is over. After that, I can’t promise you anything.” She started backing toward the door, but a hand clamped around her wrist.
“Play your part well, Miss Grey.” With a little squeeze, he released her.
Charlie didn’t waste any time in hurrying back inside.
Cornelia stood in the hall, her arms crossed under her breasts. “You said you were going to powder your nose,” she accused as they strode back to the ballroom.
“I needed some air. Anyway, it’s not a big deal. I’ll be back in time for the auction. No harm done.”
“It is a—”
“There you are.” Ruth exclaimed as she exited the bathroom. “Your mother looks like she’s about to explode. You need to get back to the party. Come on.” She grabbed Charlie, pulling her down the stairs. Charlie looked back at Cornelia. She stood at the top of the landing, watching them, but not following.
“Aren’t you coming?” Charlie called.
Cornelia shook her head. “You’re in good hands. I’ll be in when the dancing starts.”
Charlie narrowed her eyes, but followed Ruth as they rounded a corner. “Cornelia is acting weird,” she told Ruth. She couldn’t help wondering if it had to do with Nemo, but kept the thought to herself.
“I’m sure she’s fine. I have something more important to talk to you about.” Ruth’s face flushed with excitement.
“What is it?”
Entering the ballroom, Charlie glanced at her mother. Margaret really did look seconds away from a complete meltdown.
“He’s here.”
Charlie’s head snapped around, her eyes zeroed in on Ruth. “Who?” She sounded nervous and breathy.
A look of confusion passed over Ruth’s face. “The guy I was telling you about when we met for lunch. Who did you think I was talking about?”
“No one.” She almost smiled. The whole Nemo encounter had set her on edge. She needed to calm down.
“Well, do you want to know who he is or not?”
Charlie took a deep breath, hoping her heart would stop racing. “Of course I want to know. Where is he?”
“There, he’s standing with his brother. He’s the taller of the two.”
Charlie followed Ruth’s gaze across the room. The man’s broad shoulders and straight posture struck Charlie as militaristic. He wore his dark brown hair short and brushed loosely back. He smiled and his whole face lit up.
“I can see why you like him.” As Charlie watched the two brothers, she noted the family resemblance in their faces.
“He has an amazing body.” Ruth’s eyes traveled over the taller brother like she was trying to memorize every detail before devouring him whole.
“I was talking about his smile.”
“Oh, that’s nice too.” Ruth winked.
“They look familiar.” Charlie observed, still watching the two brothers.
“Their father is Councilman McLean from the
“What are you going to do?” She imagined all sorts of violent things this man could accomplish with nothing more than his own strength.
“Don’t worry, Miss Grey. I won’t harm anyone. Go back inside and play your part. By the time your first dance is bought, I’ll be far away from here and you won’t hear from me again.”
“You never answered my question.”
“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.” A chuckle. “Or so they used to say in the Old World.”
“That isn’t an answer,” Charlie hissed.
“It’s all the answer I’m willing to give. But, like I said, I won’t hurt anyone.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Trust is a virtue you are sorely lacking, Miss Grey. Unfortunately, in this situation, it is a necessity.”
“I—”
“Charlotte? Are you out here?” Cornelia squinted from the doorway, searching the dark balcony. “The auction is starting.”
“I’m coming.” She shot one more glance in Nemo’s direction. He’d put out the cigarette, making it impossible for her to place him in the shadows. She lowered her voice, careful to keep Cornelia from overhearing. “You have until the first dance is over. After that, I can’t promise you anything.” She started backing toward the door, but a hand clamped around her wrist.
“Play your part well, Miss Grey.” With a little squeeze, he released her.
Charlie didn’t waste any time in hurrying back inside.
Cornelia stood in the hall, her arms crossed under her breasts. “You said you were going to powder your nose,” she accused as they strode back to the ballroom.
“I needed some air. Anyway, it’s not a big deal. I’ll be back in time for the auction. No harm done.”
“It is a—”
“There you are.” Ruth exclaimed as she exited the bathroom. “Your mother looks like she’s about to explode. You need to get back to the party. Come on.” She grabbed Charlie, pulling her down the stairs. Charlie looked back at Cornelia. She stood at the top of the landing, watching them, but not following.
“Aren’t you coming?” Charlie called.
Cornelia shook her head. “You’re in good hands. I’ll be in when the dancing starts.”
Charlie narrowed her eyes, but followed Ruth as they rounded a corner. “Cornelia is acting weird,” she told Ruth. She couldn’t help wondering if it had to do with Nemo, but kept the thought to herself.
“I’m sure she’s fine. I have something more important to talk to you about.” Ruth’s face flushed with excitement.
“What is it?”
Entering the ballroom, Charlie glanced at her mother. Margaret really did look seconds away from a complete meltdown.
“He’s here.”
Charlie’s head snapped around, her eyes zeroed in on Ruth. “Who?” She sounded nervous and breathy.
A look of confusion passed over Ruth’s face. “The guy I was telling you about when we met for lunch. Who did you think I was talking about?”
“No one.” She almost smiled. The whole Nemo encounter had set her on edge. She needed to calm down.
“Well, do you want to know who he is or not?”
Charlie took a deep breath, hoping her heart would stop racing. “Of course I want to know. Where is he?”
“There, he’s standing with his brother. He’s the taller of the two.”
Charlie followed Ruth’s gaze across the room. The man’s broad shoulders and straight posture struck Charlie as militaristic. He wore his dark brown hair short and brushed loosely back. He smiled and his whole face lit up.
“I can see why you like him.” As Charlie watched the two brothers, she noted the family resemblance in their faces.
“He has an amazing body.” Ruth’s eyes traveled over the taller brother like she was trying to memorize every detail before devouring him whole.
“I was talking about his smile.”
“Oh, that’s nice too.” Ruth winked.
“They look familiar.” Charlie observed, still watching the two brothers.
“Their father is Councilman McLean from the
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