“You are seeing her grace at her best.”
“The duke’s wife?
“No, Wolfe has not fallen into the parson’s trap yet. His mother lives to entertain, and this is all her doing. You aren’t from town, are you?” Even the half mask couldn’t hide his questioning glance.
Miranda wanted to scream then remembered she wore a mask as well and he couldn’t possibly recognize who she was. Ignoring the question, she asked, “Is that a hedge maze?”
“It is. Do you want to go in?”
Oh yes, she loved them. She had been through the one on his grounds several times while visiting them years before. “Is it as difficult as the one at your country estate?”
Andrew stopped to gaze upon her. Really look at her, before cocking his head as if trying to determine her identity. “You’ve made me.”
“Yes, I know who you are.” Years of training had made her the expert on the man, yet standing while he investigated every inch of her exposed face made her nervous.
“And you’ve been to my family estate?”
“It’s been a while, but yes.”
“Were you a guest at one of my house parties?”
Grinding her teeth, she prayed for strength to prevent her anger from surfacing. “I have never been invited to one of your house parties, but I was invited to many of your celebrations.”
While his mother had still been alive, she’d hosted elaborate all-day celebrations each summer, which everyone from town and the estate would be invited to enjoy. The grounds would be filled with people laughing and eating. Jugglers and puppeteers entertained the children, while the adults played croquet or sailed on the lake. The countess, though warm and welcoming, had always been cold and unapproving of Miranda. She’d never understood exactly why, but, in her soul she’d worried she hadn’t measured up, which pushed her to work with her tutors until she did everything without fault.
“It’s been a great many years since we hosted one of those,” he said thoughtfully.
“Yes.” Then, wishing to divert him, she asked, “So about this maze?”
“Hmm—oh yes, the maze. This one is more complicated than the one at my family estate, but I used to do it blindfolded. Anything to keep life exciting, I guess.” He pulled her behind him into the hedges, which stood two feet above Andrew’s head on either side. Meticulously trimmed bushes rose high on either side of them as they progressed farther into the maze. The lights from the lanterns faded, leaving only the moonlight to help them find their way. The darker it became, the closer she pressed against him, as he led her deeper.
“Almost there,” he said, his steps never faltering or pausing at any turn. In fact, with every navigation, his confident pace increased. Arriving at the center, the destination of their walk, she heard conversation.
Soft, feminine words floated through the hedge. “You’re smiling.”
A man responded, his words gruff and deep, “I’m happy, for more reasons than you can imagine. Shall we announce our impending wedding?”
“No, let’s surprise everyone,” the woman replied.
Andrew put a finger to his lips. “It appears we were about to interrupt a marriage proposal.”
“Shouldn’t we leave them be?” Miranda asked in a hushed voice, barely silencing a giggle.
Andrew paused. “Oh hell, I recognize that voice.” Releasing her hand, he headed for the opening, with Miranda following.
The couple started at the interruption, and the gentleman stepped forward to protect his apparent fiancée. “Andrew?”
Andrew led Miranda around the hedge, out of site of the clandestine couple. “Stay here, please,” he whispered, before heading back to speak with his friends.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” Miranda heard Andrew ask.
“Looking for some privacy,” his acquaintance, clearly put out, replied, seemingly unaware of Miranda’s presence as she peeked through leaves to watch.
“So I see.” Andrew motioned to the couple. “Good evening, Mrs. Mallory.”
“Lord Windenshire.” The seductive voice of the woman almost purred.
“You two know each other?” his friend demanded, and Miranda didn’t wait to hear Andrew’s answer.
She headed back in the direction they’d come, unwilling to eavesdrop, and, for some reason, afraid to ascertain how well he knew that Mrs. Mallory. It only took a few turns before Miranda became hopelessly lost however.
Ripping off her hood, but leaving the mask on, she sat on the ground. Voices mumbled in the distance, and she stared up at the sky. The stars twinkled far less in London than at home. How she wished to be there.