A Secret Love (Cynster 5)

"Yes, very well." With one last disgusted glance about the packed room, Alathea picked up her skirts, turned-and spied Chillingworth talking with a group of other guests in the lee of the stairs. "One moment."

She left the footman and plunged into the crowd. With a laugh and a bow, Chillingworth turned away from his friends as she pushed nearer. He saw her instantly.

He started to smile, then he took in her expression. He searched her eyes. "What's wrong?"

Alathea caught the hand he held out to her and pressed the note she held into it. "Please-see this gets to Gabriel. It's important. I have to leave."

"Where are you going?" Chillingworth closed his hand about both the note and her fingers. He glanced at the footman on the stairs as another liveried servant hurried down to whisper in the first's ear.

Alathea followed his gaze. "I have to go with someone-that's a message. Gabriel will understand." With a skill honed through years of wrestling with Cynsters, she twisted free of Chillingworth's grasp. "Just make sure he gets it as soon as possible."

The first footman had pushed through to her side. "My lady, the sailors are growing restive."

"Sailors!" Chillingworth grabbed for her arm.

Alathea eluded him. Pushing past the footman, she hurried to the stairs. "I haven't time to explain." She threw the words back at Chillingworth, following as fast as he could in her wake. "Just get that note to Gabriel."

Reaching the less-crowded stairs, she lifted her skirts and hurried up.

"Alathea! Stop!"

She didn't. She kept doggedly on to the top, then rushed through the archway and on out of the house.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Chillingworth stared after her. An influx of guests swept down, making it impossible for him to follow her. Other guests who'd heard him bellow cast him odd looks. His lips setting grimly, he ignored them. "Damn!" He looked at the note crumpled in his fist, then he turned and surveyed the throng. "Serve Cynster bloody well right."

He found Gabriel in the card room, shoulders propped against the wall, idly watching a game of whist.

"This"-Chillingworth thrust the note at him-"is for you."

"Oh?" Gabriel straightened. His tickle of presentiment changed to a full-blown punch. He took the note. "From whom?"

"I don't know. Alathea Morwellan charged me to see it to you, but I doubt it's from her. She's left the house."

Gabriel was busy scanning the note; reaching the end, he swore. He looked at Chillingworth. "She's gone?"

Chillingworth nodded. "And yes, I did try to stop her, but you haven't trained her very well. She doesn't respond to voice commands."

"She doesn't respond to any commands." Gabriel's attention was on the note. "Damn! This doesn't look good." His expression hardened. He hesitated, then handed the note to Chillingworth. "What's your reading of it?"

Chillingworth read the letter, then grimaced. "He's effectively told her to 'come immediately' three times. Not good."

"My feelings exactly." Retaking the note, Gabriel stuffed it into his pocket and pushed past Chillingworth. "Now all I have to do is figure out where the hell she's gone."

"Sailors." Chillingworth followed in Gabriel's wake. "The footman said the men waiting for her were sailors."

"The docks. Wonderful."

They were nearing the stairs when Chillingworth, still behind Gabriel, said, "I'll come with you-we can take my carriage."

Gabriel threw him a look over his shoulder. "I'm not going to feel that grateful, you know."

"My only interest in this," Chillingworth replied as they went quickly up the stairs, "is in getting the damned woman back so she can plague you for the rest of your life."

Reaching the top of the stairs, they made their way through the gallery, then descended the grand staircase and strode across the front foyer. They swept up to the main door, shoulder to shoulder-

Looking back over his shoulder, down the steps to the forecourt, Charlie Morwellan collided with them on the threshold. He fell back. "Sorry." He started to bow then recognized Gabriel. "I say-do you know where Alathea's gone?" He looked toward the road leading to the City. "I can't understand why she had to go with that rough lot-"

Gabriel grabbed him by the shoulders. "Where did they go? Did you get any idea?"