“I’m terrified of them,” Sarah said. It wasn’t quite true, but almost so. She certainly did not like them.

“Well, I don’t see it now.”

“Should I go find someone?” she blurted, thinking that a trip across the house, perhaps all the way to the servants quarters, might not be such a bad idea. If she could not see Hugh Prentice, this madness would have to end, wouldn’t it? “You know,” she went on, making it all up as she went along, “to search it out. And kill it. Good heavens, there could be a nest.”

“I am sure the maids of Fensmore would never allow such a thing to come to pass.”

“Nevertheless,” she squeaked. And then she winced, because the squeak had been awful.

“Perhaps it would be easier to ring for a footman?” He motioned to the drawing room, which was just a few feet away.

She nodded, because of course he was correct, and already she felt herself returning to normal. Her heartbeat was slowing, and as long as she did not look at his mouth, the urge to kiss him was gone. Mostly.

She straightened her shoulders. She could do this. “Thank you for your kind escort,” she said, and stepped into the drawing room.

It was empty.

“Well, this is very strange,” she said.

Hugh’s lips pressed together. “Indeed.”

“I’m not sure . . . ,” Sarah began, but she didn’t have to figure out what to say next, because Lord Hugh had turned to her with slightly narrowed eyes. “Your cousin,” he began. “She wouldn’t—”

“No!” Sarah exclaimed. “I mean, no,” she said in a much more appropriate voice. “Iris maybe, but not Hon—” She cut herself off. The last thing she wanted was for him to think any of the Smythe-Smiths were trying to throw them together.

“Look!” she said, her voice coming out overbright and loud. She flittered her hand toward a table to the left. “Empty plates. There were people here. They’re just gone now.”

He didn’t say anything.

“Should we sit down?” she asked awkwardly.

He still didn’t say anything. He did turn his head, though, to more directly face her.

“And wait?” she offered. “Since we said we would?” She felt ridiculous. And uncommonly fidgety. But now she felt as if she had to prove something to herself, that she could be in the same room as him and feel perfectly normal.

“Frances will be expecting us to be here,” she added, since Lord Hugh had seemingly gone mute. She supposed he was just thinking, but really, couldn’t he think and make idle conversation at the same time? She did it all the time.

“After you, Lady Sarah,” he said. Finally.