The carriage ride would have been faster if the rain did not pour, muffling the road with a vengeful downpour. "We could have ridden on horseback," Ellise muttered, biting the inside of her cheek as she glared at the blurry twilit sight of the woods outside.

"And risk both of us getting on an accident?" Dior asked beside her.

She shook her head and turned to him with a frown. "She could have explained how the child escaped."

"Or abducted," Dior clarified.

"You should tell her that," she pointed out. As the rain dampened the sound of the wheels against the road, Ellise crossed her leg over the other. She was back in her buckskins and shirt, her hair tied high behind her head. "I do not believe she was abducted."

Dior was fixing the cuff of his coat. "We should go straight to my villa first," he murmured. "Sheridan cannot see you."

"You are depositing me in your villa?"

"Yes, because I have men there who can guard you."

"I do not need your guards."

"It is where I will go home after my talk with Sheridan. It will be questionable if I go to Sinclair in the middle of the night."

"Very well," she droned. "And do not forget to tell her to be more elaborate in the future."

"Of course," he said, facing her. The corner of his mouth curled.

"What?" she asked, leaning away with a frown.

He chased and cupped her face, drawing her back to plant a soft kiss on her mouth. Then, just as easily, he let her go and straightened in his seat. "Have I ever told you I find you attractive whenever you are thinking?"

She blinked as the carriage vaulted, sending splashes to the side of the road. "Is it my thinking you find attractive or the way I look when I am thinking?"

He shrugged, throwing her a glance. "It is you."

"Make me understand your reason by being specific—" He stopped her by grabbing her hand. He squeezed. "I am trying to be romantic," he murmured.

"Now is not the perfect time," she said, shifting so she faced the empty seat before them. "We have a missing subject. And romantic does not suit you, Dior." When he just scoffed, she added, "Although you can try harder."

The two-hour ride to Coulway took longer. By the time they rolled into Dior's villa, his butler was already waiting for them.

"My lord," Warren said almost immediately, "The child is here."

Ellise blinked in surprise and she stormed right into the hall, followed closely by Dior. "Where?" he asked the butler who quickly ushered them upstairs to where Leila had been staying before they transferred her to Blackwood's villa.

"She walked all the way here in the rain," Warren explained before opening the door. The moment he did, Ellise allowed Dior to enter first while she gave the butler a nod. The man walked off and Ellise stayed in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest.

"That was not clever, Leila," Dior said, walking over to the bed where the child lay, dressed in an oversized nightgown, her wet, dirty blond hair almost dark. "Arabella is worried about you. She thought you were abducted."

"Then she should have watched me closely," said the child. Ellise frowned, studying the child in silence.

"Why did you run away?"

"I did not like it there."

"Why?"

Leila remained quiet, her head bent.

"Why?" Dior repeated, hands on his hips.

The child lifted her head, and when she did, she saw Ellise standing in the doorway. Their eyes met. She offered the child an awkward smile, but the little devil only glared at her. "Why is she here?" she asked Dior.

"I should ask the same question," Ellise said. "Why are you here?"

Ignoring her, the child stared at Dior. "You have not visited me," Leila said to him, tone almost accusing.

Ellise sighed and walked into the room. "Are you certain you are here because Robert has not visited you?" She stopped beside Dior and tilted her head to the side, eyes narrowed with curious amusement at Leila. "Or are you here because this is where you have to be?"

Leila's face tightened. "I am here because this is where I feel the safest."

"Walking around Coulway with a broken leg in the rain does not sound like someone who cares for her safety, child," she retorted.

"You came to me because you wanted to be safe," Dior said to Leila, voice disappointed. "I took you to a safe place and the first thing you do is run away."

The child's face filled with tears, and she quickly wiped it away with the back of her hand. "I was scared. I cannot trust Arabella."

"Arabella is under my employ. I trust her along with Jarvis."

"But I do not want—"

"You cannot always have what you want, Leila. You came to me for help. Unless you no longer want it, you will have to follow my rules," Dior sternly said. "I am disappointed tonight."

The child's nostrils flared as she glared at Ellise. "You were with her, were you?"

"Of course, he was," Ellise said.

"Where?"

"Somewhere with friends," she retorted.

"Rest tonight, Leila. You are going back to the villa on the morrow," said Dior, leaving the room without another word.

When Ellise stayed, Leila slumped in her bed and said, "I want to be alone."

"I would not suggest you disappoint Robert. He easily gives up, you know. And once he does, you may find yourself back in Belcourt."

The child snapped her head at her. "Why are you always with him?"

"We are friends."

"Bella said he is marrying you."

"Yes, Bella is correct." Ellise smiled and started to walk backwards toward the door. "Expect to see me often, child."

"I do not like you."

"You do not have to. And I do not have to." The child glared at her until she reached the door. "Have a good night, Leila," she said before closing the door.

Dior was standing against the opposite wall of the corridor, waiting for her. He dropped his hands to his side and walked with her back downstairs in the hall. "Are you not staying the night?" he asked.

"No," she said. "I should go home to Sinclair."

"To think."

"To make plans." She turned to him and added, "This is her way to manipulate you. To make you pity her. Do not fall for it."

"I know."

"And go talk to Garmont. Tell her—"

"To give more elaborate reports."

"Precisely. And I need to visit Shaw."

"But Shaw is—"

"It is time we tell him more secrets about his family," she murmured, accepting the coat Warren handed her. "I need your carriage."

He sighed. "It is already outside."

She paused at the door, looked at him, and sighed. Walking back, she raised to her toes and planted a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Monday," she murmured as she turned away.

He scoffed. "Monday."

*****

"This is a surprise," Sasha said as she approached Reginald standing alone by the railings of the upper deck. Not far were the three guards, eyes watchful. "Who allowed you to go out of your prison?"

He did not offer an immediate reply. His eyes were at the distant flock of birds flying in the direction they were taking. "Your husband is more pitiful," he finally said, a hint of a smile on his lips.

Sasha wrapped her Kashmir shawl around her shoulders and wrapped her arms around her as the wind blew her thick, dark brown hair to one side. "If you are thinking of jumping overboard, I should let you know that there are two women from Belcourt aboard this ship who could do the job better," she said, eyes on the endless horizon up ahead.

The old man stole her a look, one that bordered on irritation and amusement. "By the number of men we have, we should have already captured them."

"Not until we are certain they are not working alone. For all we know, the rest of the ship is from Belcourt."

Reginald turned to look at her. "Are you always this calculative, child?"

"I enjoy making choices if that is what you are asking."

"Hopefully, the good ones."

"The more time I spend with you, the more I realize I may have chosen more bad ones than good."

The man finally chuckled. "Whoever your father is, he should be proud."

Sasha's smile disappeared. "He should. He killed himself when I chose myself."

Reginald turned to her, wrinkled face filled with surprise—almost horror. She turned to the guards and nodded. "It is time you return to your cabin, Your Highness. It is not safe out here."

*****

Aliya arrived the very next morning in Sinclair with a glittering dress.

"What is that?" Ellise asked as her sister-in-law laid the mauve dress on the bed.

Aliya's light brown eyes glimmered with amusement, obviously enjoying the slight panic in her question. "Your dress for tonight's dinner."

"Dinner?"

"The Diors are hosting tonight."

"For what?"

"For you and Robert, of course."

"You mean because we are engaged."

"Yes."

"I do not want to wear that horrible dress, Aliya. It glitters."

"It will be wonderful on you."

"She will look like a bloody fruit, darling—a glittering one at that," Oliver's voice said in the doorway. He was carrying Alannah in his arms, his face contorted with disgust at the sight of the dress. Transferring his gaze on Ellise, he said, "I need to talk to you in private."

"Do not listen to him," Aliya murmured before she turned to get her daughter from her husband and retreated into the office outside, leaving Ellise alone with Oliver.

Her brother approached her, hands in his pockets. "Has Dior compromised you?"

Oliver had not locked the door and Ellise could see Aliya pacing outside with her daughter in her arms, signaling to Ellise to not answer the question.

"You mean to ask if we are enjoying sexual relations."

"Yes."

"No, not yet."

"Good," said Oliver. "You may only do so after the wedding."

Aliya was scowling at the back of Oliver's head while Alannah tugged at her auburn hair.

"Did you do that?" Ellise asked her brother.

"With Aliya, yes, of course!" Oliver said proudly. His wife silently scoffed, shaking her head. "And the wedding night was worth it."

"Why?"

"Why what? Wait?"

"Yes."

"Because as I have said, it is worth it."

"Worth it because of the great relief after a long time of depriving yourself of release?" She could see Aliya nodding her head.

Her brother blinked, considering her question. "Hmm. Interesting. You might be right."

"Of course, I am right. You conditioned yourself by depriving your needs. Of course your mind told you the delayed gratification was worth it."

Oliver appeared thoughtful while Aliya finally gave up and walked away. Ellise knew he was lost in his own mind at that point. He turned and said, "That behavior is worthy of an experiment."

As her brother left the room, Ellise heard Aliya ask, "You are done?"

"Darling, I need you to be utterly objective. Why do you think you felt overly gratified when—" Ellise closed the door, blocking the rest of her brother's words.

She turned to face her bed and glared at the dress before she walked over to the small table in the room and picked up a note from Tanner Macmier.

The Maiden made contact.

Ellise smiled. Suddenly, the mauve dress looked more appealing.

The players in the game were all coming back.

*****

Ruby smiled at Sheridan Garmont from across the table. This time, she was more at ease.

"Have you made up your mind?" she asked the woman.

Jumping to her feet, Sheridan walked around the table and stood close to where she sat, hitching her hips on the edge of the table. "Answer a few questions for me first, Ruby."

"Of course. I shall try."

"Why did you come to me?"

"I told you," she said with a shrug. "I do not want to work with the Circus."

"Why?"

"They make me uncomfortable. Their game is too big for me."

The woman tilted her head. "And yours is something smaller?"

"Yes."

"Belcourt?"

Ruby nodded.

"If you wish to ruin Belcourt, you can definitely use the help of the Circus."

"The Circus is already doing that from the outside."

Sheridan's lips slowly stretched into a beautiful smile, a glint of mischief in her gray eyes. "You plan to ruin it from the inside."

Ruby liked that the woman was smart enough. "As I said, Sherry, I have a plan."

*****

Sasha heard her husband's footsteps before the door opened. She closed her book as he turned the lock. Soon after, his arms wrapped around hers from behind.

"I cannot wait to be alone with you in Everleigh," he murmured in her shoulder, kissing the edge of her neckline.

She smiled. He rested his hand over her abdomen, caressing the bulge. "Are you not worried?" she asked.

"I worry all the time, darling," he groaned, turning her around to cup her face, running his thumb over her cheek. "I worry the Soldiers will creep into this bloody cabin and get to you. And I worry about the bloody plan you made with Darcy back home."

She kissed his mouth and murmured, "Sometimes I dream about coming home to a war. Everything is burning, people displaced."

His response was a deep kiss. "But you do not truly think so."

"No, of course not. Darcy will know what to do."

"You barely know her."

"She saved my life, West. Alone. On a boat filled with Soldiers. I trust her. And she knows everything I know. She should be fine."

Her husband started to unbutton her dress, and they swayed their way to the bed. "Rider thinks we should capture the two Soldiers onboard a week before we reach Sutherland. He is getting tired of spying on spies."

"One of them is Gabrielle, West. She has to be handled as planned."

His mouth was on hers as he guided her down onto the bed, where their bodies instinctively fitted.

"Does it not scare you? That we are in a vessel in the middle of nowhere, trapped with enemies and an arrogant old king?" she asked, pulling his shirt over his head.

"Why do you think I make certain I have you in sight all the time?" he rasped in her neck.

"We should have ridden the Witch."

"Vanessa Lyndon was quite busy."

"You mean disappointed. She did not get Christopher Hayhurst."

He chuckled. "I never thought she truly wanted to abduct an unwilling victim."

"I was unwilling," she teased, kicking her dress off the bed as he did the same with his trousers.

"You wanted me."

"No, not immediately. You frightened me."

He groaned, his hands slipping between them and lower. She arched against his touch. "I was trying to manipulate you."

"We both did," she gasped in his mouth.

"The best blunder of our lives," he murmured with a smile.

"I could not agree more, Your Grace."

And as he continued to make love to her, Sasha brushed aside the fears—for their fate here on this ship and what awaited at home.

She allowed herself a moment of freedom.

Just for a while.

A small respite in a very slow game.

*****

Leila struggled down the short flight of stairs with her crutches. The sun was bright outside, sifting through the leaves of the birch trees that lined both sides of the street. The cobblestone path walk was a little slippery after another day of rain yesterday.

Somehow, Robert Dior had not taken her back to the villa, but Arabella, the maid was coming today to get her.

The path to her right was empty, save for two women crossing the street. To her left, another girl was playing with her doll on the steps of her villa. Leila approached her and the girl looked up at her, phoenix light brown eyes filled with curiosity.

"Does it hurt?" the girl asked, looking at her leg.

"A little," Leila said, eyeing the doll in the girl's hand. Her eyes raised to the open doorway of the villa. "Why are you alone?"

"I was waiting for you," Venus said with a smile, handing her the doll.

Leila took it and turned to face the street. "They are taking me back to that villa."

"They do not trust you yet."

She nodded. "The St. Vincent lady is odd."

"I heard," Venus said, sitting on the bottom step, resting her chin on her palms.

"Tell Arielle to go ahead with the Kinsley Ball," she ordered, studying her old doll. "And I want my maid Arabella followed."