Georgie’s breath caught, but before she could remind him that there would be no kissing, or anything else for that matter, he said, “Actually, you make a good argument. O’Meara only lives a few streets away from the Westons. And you’ll be masked, so there’s no chance of you being recognized. It shouldn’t be too risky. All right, you can come.”

She quelled a little crow of elation. She hadn’t really imagined she’d be able to persuade him, but here, suddenly, was her chance for an adventure!

Her heart thudded against her ribs as she saw the challenge in his eyes, and she had a sudden vision of what he must have been like in the war. Flashing that devil-may-care grin, sneaking off to do something dangerous that might just get him killed. She had no doubt his men would have followed him anywhere, even into hell itself. His charisma was magnetic, irresistible.

He smiled. “I’ll take my leave. I’ve had quite enough bad poetry for one day.”

“Shall we arrange to meet somewhere specific at the Westons’?”

His gaze roved over her face as if committing it to memory. “No. I’ll find you.”

Georgie wasn’t sure if that was a promise or a threat, but her heart took a long time to regain its normal rhythm after he left.

Chapter 19.

Her eyes glittered with excitement through the holes of her black half mask. Georgie took one last satisfied glance in the cheval mirror then swept her floor-length domino over her shoulders and descended the stairs to find Mama and Juliet already in the hall, and Pieter, in his coachman’s livery, waiting by the door.

Juliet appeared equally pleased to be going to the Westons’. She’d arranged to meet Pettigrew—who would sneak in without an invitation—and take advantage of the opportunity to dance more than the permitted two dances together. Or to steal a kiss somewhere private.

It took fifteen minutes of queuing just to reach the front steps of the Westons’ mansion, and Georgie smiled in relief. It was a perfect crush; it would be easy to slip away in such a crowd. Hopefully Mother would be too busy trying to keep track of Juliet to notice her eldest daughter had gone missing.

Her heart pounded. She felt deliciously naughty, sneaking off to experience an entirely different side of life. This might be just another work assignment for Wylde—he probably spent half his life unearthing incriminating evidence in exciting places—but for her, it promised a night of unparalleled adventure.

She slipped away from Juliet and Mother in the crowded entrance hall and entered the main ballroom. The heat and press of warm bodies was stifling and the hum of excited chatter almost overwhelmed the orchestra, but her spirits lifted. The whole place buzzed with energy, with people determined to enjoy the night to the fullest.