The dance could not end soon enough. He longed to return to Scarlet. Perhaps they would now have time to work through whatever coldness had come between them. His eyes searched the room for her, and his teeth clamped shut when he saw her dancing with Lord Panning, whose hands fell lower down her waist than they should and pulled her closer to his chest than they ought. She leaned away from him and searched the crowd, obviously discomfited.

Lady Pinckney asked, “What is it?” She turned her head to see what had attracted his gaze. “Hmm. You must go to her.”

Matteo did not wait but stormed through the couples, across the room. In a particularly intricate weaving pattern in the dance, he slipped in at her side, wrapped one arm around her waist, held her other arm across his body, and led her away as if he was her partner. He felt Scarlet’s body relaxed into his own.

She breathed out a sigh and said, “Thank you.”

Checking a clock on the mantle, he had fifteen minutes until his meeting with the Pimpernel, a precious fifteen minutes. He continued guiding her out the side doors and onto a terrace. Blessedly alone, he whirled her in a circle before bringing her up close to him in an embrace.

She giggled and then leaned into him. “Impeccable timing, as always. You are the only one to successfully keep him at bay.”

His chin resting on the top of Scarlet’s head, he said, “I will take care of this. He won’t bother you again after tonight.”

She leaned back to search his face. “That sounds ominous. What do you have in mind?”

“I’ll start with embarrassment, blackmail, and end with threat of his complete emasculation.”

“Matteo!” She tried to appear shocked, but he saw the humor in her eyes.

“I can think of no better deterrent. Some humans don’t deserve to be men, but rest easy. He requires nothing so drastic.”

Although Scarlet still eyed him with curiosity, she asked for no more details. Sadness crossed her face, and Matteo knew the blank look of indifference was coming before he saw it there.

A disturbing, screechy laugh interrupted them as the very man, Lord Panning, led Éléonore out onto the terrace with them. She swayed and teetered on her feet, falling onto the weak arm of her escort. When her eyes found them, she called out overly loud, “Oh, Matteo, darling! I need you, love. There’s a tightness right here.” She reached her arm around to her back, her finger trying to point to some unseen discomfort. Matteo almost laughed at the ridiculous request until he saw Scarlet’s mouth open and felt her absence as she stepped back from him.

“Absurd, Miss Duplay. I would no sooner help you with such a request as I would kiss a snake.”

Éléonore’s eyes narrowed into slits.