CHAPTER 19: DANCING WITH SHADOWS

Lucian’s POV

​The carriage ride to the Highmoor estate was long, quiet, and filled with a lingering sense of urgency.

​Sitting across from me, Leo was casually tossing a brass coin between his knuckles, unbothered by the dust kicking up against the window glass. On the seat beside me lay my pocketbook, open to the remaining two names from the Sterling guest list: Lady Beatrice of Highmoor and Lady Laura of the Eastern Isles.

​If Lady Beatrice was the woman from the summer ball, this nightmare with Genevieve could finally end.

​Ten minutes later, we were ushered into a grand, velvet-draped parlor. Lady Beatrice sat on a plush settee beside her mother, the Dowager Lady Highmoor. Beatrice wore a sweeping lavender gown, holding a lace fan against her collarbone while her mother eyed us with sharp, calculating interest.

​"Lord Lucian," Beatrice cooed, setting her fan in her lap as both women offered practiced capital smiles. "And Lord Leo. To what do we owe the absolute pleasure of an unannounced visit?"

​"My apologies for the intrusion, Lady Beatrice," I said smoothly, taking the armchair opposite them while Leo leaned against the fireplace mantle. "I will be brief. I am looking for the woman I shared a waltz with at the Sterlings' summer ball three weeks ago."

​Beatrice’s mother sat up straighter, nudging her daughter’s arm subtly. A quick, sharp glint of ambition flashed across Beatrice's face—the unmistakable look of a noblewoman seizing a golden opportunity.

​"The summer ball?" Beatrice sighed, placing a delicate hand over her heart. "Oh, Lucian... I was wondering when you would finally come looking for me. I wore a bright yellow dress specifically for the occasion. I thought you had forgotten our dance entirely."

​My posture went rigid. A yellow dress.

​It was a staggering coincidence, but the desperate hunger in her mother's eyes made my guard go up instantly. I leaned forward, resting my forearms on my knees, locking my gaze onto Beatrice's.

​"If it was truly our waltz," I said, my tone dropping into a low, testing register, "then tell me... what did we discuss while we were on the floor?"

​Beatrice smiled proudly, glancing at her mother before fluttering her fan. "Why, we spoke of the capital court, of course! We talked about the music, the marvelous grand decor, and how lovely the summer evening was."

​A cold, sharp certainty settled in my chest.

​A complete lie.

​The woman in yellow hadn't bragged about the capital or praised the decor. In fact, we hadn't discussed the court at all. She had stepped onto the floor flushed with nerves, whispering softly that she didn't even know how to dance properly. And when I had leaned down to ask for her name, she had gone completely silent, slipping away into the garden the second the music ended.

​I looked over at the mantle, catching Leo's eye. I gave him a subtle, single shake of my head.

​Not her.

​Leo caught the signal instantly, a small, knowing smirk playing on his lips.

​"Ah, what a tragic shame," Leo interjected smoothly, stepping into the center of the room. "My brother's memory is notoriously terrible when it comes to ballroom conversations, Lady Beatrice. We must be getting back to Valenridge before the roads darken."

​"So soon?" Beatrice’s mother asked, her face falling in clear disappointment.

​"Regrettably, yes," I said, standing up and offering a brief, formal bow. "Thank you for your time, My Ladies."

​As I turned toward the door, Leo lingered behind for two extra seconds, stepping closer to Beatrice’s settee with his hands tucked casually into his pockets.

​"However," Leo said, his voice dropping into a smooth, velvet tone, "my memory for lovely faces is exceptional. Perhaps I could call on you some evening next week, Lady Beatrice?"

​Beatrice flushed, her eyes darting to Leo with sudden, flattered interest. "I would be delighted, Lord Leo."

​I reached out, grabbed Leo by the back of his coat collar, and dragged him out into the stone hallway before he could say another word.

​"Ow! Watch the wool, Lucian!" Leo complained, swatting my hand away as we stepped out onto the front porch toward our carriage.

​I smacked the back of his head with my leather gloves. "Are you out of your mind? Are you seriously trying to flirt with a woman who just tried to claim my dance?"

​Leo rubbed the back of his head, bursting into a bright, unbothered laugh as he climbed into the carriage cabin after me. "You just said she wasn't the one! She lied through her teeth about the conversation! So if she's gorgeous, why shouldn't I take my chances?"

​"Because she's a terrible liar," I muttered, sinking into the velvet seat and rubbing my temples. "She and her mother took one look at my title and guessed a dress color."

​Leo leaned back against his cushions, crossing his boots over each other. "Well, that leaves us with one last name on your list. Lady Clara."

​I looked out the carriage window as the horses began to trot down the gravel driveway. "She better be the woman in that dress, Leo. Time is running out."

​Leo tilted his head, watching me with a rare, observant quiet in his hazel eyes. "So that's really the grand plan? You find this mystery girl, present her to Mother, and marry her just to escape Genevieve?"

​"Yes," I said firmly, staring straight ahead. "That is the plan."

​Leo let out a quiet, lingering hum, looking out his own window as the trees passed us by in a blur. "Right. The lady in yellow. Let's just hope she's actually a noble lady... and not someone sitting right under your nose."