Leo couldn’t help but smile as he imagined the scene between brother and sister. The Hawkes were the only bright spot in this strange new world he’d created for himself.

He’d sent his favorable reply. He was ready to attend and free Rasa.

He was, however, unusually anxious, given that his previous attempts to free the maids had not gone smoothly. Part of him wished that he could enjoy the ball as he might have a year ago—with an abundance of wine, dancing, perhaps a card game or two.

A larger part of him was relieved those days were behind him.

He had one thing to do before he arrived at the Hawke household. Much to Freddar’s dismay, he insisted on a large overcoat to cover his formal clothing and a dreadful hat with a brim so wide one would have to dip down to see his face. He needed to make a pair of calls on the way to Upper Brook Street.

The first was to Cressidian’s house. It was time to think about that scoundrel.

Mr. Cressidian looked surprised to see him. He looked a little bleary-eyed. Leo knew that look—it was the look of a debauched lifestyle. He guessed Cressidian would rouse himself with some food and drink and have another go this evening.

“Your Highness,” the scoundrel said uncertainly when Leo was shown into his study. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I suspect not. I won’t keep you. But I’m curious, sir—how much did they pay you to slander me?”

One of Cressidian’s brows rose. “I beg your pardon?”

Leo sighed with impatience. “Come now, Mr. Cressidian. You are a master at lining your own pocket. When you told the men who are in the despicable business of selling Weslorian women that I knew about the scheme, how much did they pay you to slander me?”

The blood drained from Cressidian’s face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said coolly.

“Bloody hell, you don’t.”

“I will thank you to take your leave,” he said, and sort of lurched toward the door, throwing it open, then looking into the hallway, where he probably suspected Alucian men were standing, waiting to take him. They would come later for him, Leo would see to that.

Leo slowly walked to the door, but he paused before the man. He could smell the sour stench of fear and drink on him. “One day, Mr. Cressidian, you will be called to account for your crimes. If I were you, I’d get on my knees and beg for mercy.”

“Fine advice coming from a royal wastrel. Get on your own knees.”

“What makes you think I haven’t?” Leo asked with a wry smile. And then, with speed and strength he hadn’t known he possessed, he punched Cressidian squarely in the jaw and sent him tumbling backward. He gave a laugh of surprise as he went out—he wouldn’t have thought himself capable of such a stunning blow.

The next call he made was to the home of Hollis Honeycutt. He needed to see that his wards were comfortable and prepared to leave at a moment’s notice. He arrived at the address where he’d sent the ladies and knocked on the door. The man who opened the door to him in shirtsleeves and an apron was as tall as he was, and a bit broader. He might have been the most handsome man Leo had ever seen.

He must have been staring in confusion, because the man said, “Aye?”

“Pardon. Is Mrs. Honeycutt at home?”

“She is,” he said, looking Leo up and down. He didn’t move from filling the door.

“Who’s there, Donovan?”

Hollis Honeycutt appeared at the door, ducking under the arm the man had propped against the door frame. She was dressed for the ball. “Oh! Your Highness!”

The man arched a brow.

“I beg your pardon, but I had a moment of opportunity and I thought I might see after your guests?”

“Come in,” she said, smiling. “They’re dining just now. My cook has gone away for the weekend and Donovan made a lamb shank. He’s an excellent cook.”

Leo squeezed by the man and into the foyer. He was instantly struck by the smell of something delicious and something even more amazing—the sound of laughter.


AN HOUR LATER, Leo arrived at Upper Brook Street with Hollis, who would also accompany the Hawkes to the ball. He shed the overcoat and hat and straightened the cuffs of his sleeves. He was wearing his finest formal wear, and for the first time since perhaps his brother’s wedding, he had cared what he looked like. He wore a blue silk sash with his royal medals and had Freddar tie an Alucian knot in his neckcloth. He wore the formal Alucian coat and combed his hair neatly behind his ears, also in the Alucian style. If he was going to leave England in disgrace, he would do it with his head held high.

Garrett showed him into the family drawing room. Beck was impatiently pacing the hearth. “I’ve been waiting for Caro a half hour,” he said impatiently. “What is it that women do in their boudoir? It seems fairly straightforward, does it not? A petticoat, a few pins in the hair,” he said, fluttering his fingers at his head.

“Are you complaining again, Beck?”

“Caro!” Hollis exclaimed as Leo and Beck turned toward the door. “Your gown is gorgeous!”

“Thank you, Hollis! And you are beautiful in blue, darling. You should wear it always.”

Leo’s breath was snatched from his lungs—Caroline looked beautiful. She always looked beautiful—but tonight there was something about her that sparkled. She wore a headdress made of gold and sparkling crystals that looked a bit like a crown, and from which three gold feathers rose up on one side. Her dress was a brilliant shade of gold, so light that it looked a bit like stardust. The skirt, a diaphanous layer of silk over another layer of heavier silk, was embellished with tiny seed pearls. She wore a choker of pearls around her neck, and another, larger pearl brooch pinned to her bodice. A wrap of the same material as her dress was draped loosely around her arms.

She was elegant, resplendent—he felt like a crow, and she the shiniest of objects. He couldn’t look away.

“It was well worth the wait, then, darling,” Beck said. “You and Hollis will outshine all the other ladies.”

“That’s an unexpectedly kind thing for you to say, Beck,” Caroline said with a curtsy. She turned her smile to Leo and he felt it sink into his bones and lodge there. He hoped he never forgot that smile. “Your Highness! How do you do this glorious evening? The weather is so fine, I think they will have the doors open, won’t they?”

“I am...ah.” He felt a little tongue-tied. “I’m very well, thank you.” He smiled. He was speechless. Utterly bewitched. In love.

Her smile deepened, too, as if she understood what he was thinking.

Beck said, “If the two of you will stop gawking at each other, we might be on our way.” Beck and Hollis had already moved to the door and Leo hadn’t noticed.

The ride to the Pennybacker mansion was quick, as it was only a few blocks away, but the wait on the street to disembark was interminable. When at last they pulled in front of the house, Beck stepped out first, then helped Hollis and Caroline down. Leo brought up the rear. Hollis took Beck’s arm, and Leo escorted Caroline inside. It was the first opportunity he had to speak to her privately. “You are a vision,” he murmured. “A lovelier sight I have not seen.”

She smiled with delight. “And so are you very dashing, Your Highness. A true prince. I shall be the envy of everyone here on your arm and I don’t know how we’ll go about the business of finding a maid—I can’t imagine anyone will look away from us.” She smiled and nodded at a pair of acquaintances, then whispered, “I have an idea of how to find her, the maid.”

“I don’t want you to involve yourself tonight, Caroline. It’s too risky.”

“Really?” she said as they climbed the steps. “And how on earth do you think you will manage without me? This place is too large for you to go wandering about. She’s probably a retiring room attendant, poor thing.”

She had a point. The ball would be so crowded, it would be impossible to ferret out one maid. He hadn’t really thought how, but he suddenly had an image of him wandering around in his princely attire, asking after Rasa.

“I’ve a surprise for you.”

He glanced at her. “Well. My curiosity knows no bounds.”

She giggled. “I’ll tell you all when no one is about. Perhaps when we dance.” She glanced up at him with sparkling eyes. “You meant to invite me to stand up with you, didn’t you?”

He looked at her, at the shimmering green eyes, the full lips. The smooth, porcelain skin. She was the stuff of men’s dreams. “I meant to invite you.”

They stepped into a receiving line, and inched along with the throng waiting to greet the earl and his wife. Hollis and Beck were engaged in a lively and somewhat heated discussion, which, curiously, seemed to do with eggs. Caroline spoke to several people as they moved, greeting friends, pausing occasionally to introduce someone to him. But as they neared the earl and his wife, and Caroline had run out of acquaintances to greet, she leaned into him and whispered, “My surprise for you is that I’ve found another one.”

“Another what?” he asked. He glanced around them, expecting another officer of the foreign secretary to step up and accost him.

“Another Weslorian!”

Leo’s heart slowed. Then rapidly began to beat. “What? Here? Where?”

“The Farringtons’.” She smiled, pleased with herself. “It was quite by accident! I had gone to see my friend Lady Farrington and convince her to invite you to dine, because, of course, if she had you to dine, then Lady Pennybacker would have you to the ball. And there she was.”

“What?” he asked, confused.

“My lord!” Caroline suddenly slipped into a curtsy. Leo realized only then that they had reached the Pennybackers. This was the second time this evening people and space and time moved around him while he’d stood still, captivated by Caroline.