I smiled at her, but it felt strained. These could be very dangerous people to know. Lord Henry might have had Ideas, but I doubted he’d want someone associated with the rebels teaching his wards, and it was entirely possible that he was within earshot, crawling through the bushes on a search for insect specimens.

Suddenly uncomfortable with my companions and the conversation, I checked my watch without really looking at it and said, “I should get back to the house. It was a pleasure meeting you properly, Mr. Emfinger.”

Lizzie shot him a glare, to which he responded with a slight shrug. He turned to me and touched the brim of his hat. “Likewise. I’m sure I’ll see you around town, Verity.”

“Thank you again for saving my life. And for the lemonade.”

“Don’t mention it at all,” Alec said, standing and offering me a hand up. He gave my hand a lingering squeeze, adding with a smile, “On second thought, feel free to mention my heroics as often as you like.”

Lizzie shook her head and sighed with long-suffering patience as she stood and took my glass from me. “Don’t encourage him, or he’ll be quite impossible.”

“Have you ever considered that she might like impossible?” he asked her, smiling and winking at me. He was almost as dashing as the masked bandit had been—and possibly even more dangerous.

Before I could do anything impulsive and improper, I stammered another goodbye and hurried away. Despite wanting to, I forced myself not to look over my shoulder at Alec. If I had been the sort of girl who kept a diary that was more than a list of books I’d read and my thoughts on them, I’d have run home to record this encounter. I was crossing the street to the Lyndon home when I realized I still clutched Alec’s handkerchief. I tucked it carefully into my pocket before climbing the front steps.

I entered the house to the sound of a piano. Flora must have been having her lesson. Her lush, passionate music perfectly suited my mood. I couldn’t hold back a wistful sigh as I remembered the feeling of Alec’s arms around me, the lightning bolt that had struck when I looked into his eyes. I jumped guiltily when I sensed someone behind me and turned just in time to step out of the way before Lord Henry stumbled into me. He was intent on the net he held with a large, vividly colored butterfly caught in it and didn’t seem to see me. He also didn’t seem to see the statue in his path.