Sasha never had the chance to see Everleigh for what it was.

The last time she was there, she had not been to anywhere but the parlor, West's bedchamber, and the study. She was gone as fast as she came.

But that afternoon, after she woke up in the bedchamber provided for her, her body still tired despite the long hours of slumber, she felt the heat of the sun. Her body felt heavy, drained of energy, but she forced herself out of bed and padded to the window.

Outside, she saw the vast gardens beginning to bloom. And beyond that, the woods.

Looking about, Sasha found Seven sleeping just under her bed, his head poking out. She smiled and softly walked to the washbasin.

As she discarded her nightdress, intending to get into the fresh light muslin dress laid out for her, a knock on the door came.

"Sasha?"

"Just a moment," she replied, hurrying to get into the dress, pulling the sleeves up her shoulders. "Please, come in." West entered the room and she turned around to face the mirror. "Would you help me, please?"

He walked toward her and buttoned her back. She watched him through the mirror and hid a smile. His brows were furrowed with concentration as his hands worked.

"You must be famished," he said, his timbre collected and controlled.

"Very much," she admitted, turning to face him. "I do remember your kitchen serves one of the best meals."

"It is amongst the best." He rang for a meal be delivered to her bedchamber and they both waited in silence, hesitant to break the calmness they shared.

He was patient as she ate, declining her invitation to join her. Seven had woken and was now on her lap, smelling her dress and growling at West's hand when he attempted to free Sasha of his weight.

"He misses you," West dryly said, glowering at the dog.

"And I miss him as much," she said, scratching Seven's head, but her eyes were locked on West's.

She thought she saw his lips twitch into a smile.

They spent more minutes just sitting there by the window while she ate, their gaze flickering back and forth to each other in such calmness she had never experienced before whenever she was with him. It was tranquil, a soothing caress.

If this was a compromise, then mayhap she was doing something right.

"It is a fine afternoon." His eyes were equally soothing as his voice. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

Sasha did not have to think twice.

She needed fresh air.

And even though her body felt tired, the walk seemed to be giving her back the physical strength.

They walked side by side, him with his arms at his back and her hands filled with wildflowers.

"When do you intend to return my father's journal?" he asked, his tone light and innocent, a contrast to his chosen subject.

"When I am certain I can trust you enough."

"I hope you kept it in a safe place."

"It is in a safe place," she said. "It is in Belcourt."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Tell me you are jesting, Sasha."

She shook her head. "The best place to hide it from Belcourt is right under its nose. And the best place to keep it safe from you is placing it where you can never gain entrance."

He frowned. "You hid it in the bloody Library."

She pasted a proud smile on her lips. "You are indeed wise."

Sasha fell quiet after that, finally taking the time to look around them.

They had reached a clearing in the woods. The light streamed through the leaves, shining patches of bright light on the field of wildflowers. "I do hope you do not touch this place," she said, blinking away tears. "I have not seen anything so wonderful."

West watched her with interest. "I would have thought that Belcourt has many beautiful things to offer."

"Yes, but nothing so... beautifully chaotic."

He looked around. "That is the beauty of nature. You allow it to flow the way it was designed to be." He grabbed the bunch of wildflowers from her hand and studied them. "There are many beautiful things outside Belcourt, Sasha. You simply have to know where to settle to stare."

Sasha blinked away a tear. Why was she even crying? With a swift motion, she wiped her cheek with the back of her hand and squared her shoulders. Since last night, she was a mess, really. She must get a grip on her faculties because they were all she had left.

"We have to find a way to get to Gabrielle," she said after a while, changing the subject. "It cannot be in Belcourt or my villa. It has to be somewhere else. Once we have her, we need to find a way to make her talk."

"Do you think it is the best approach? You believe she is working with the prince, but you have no proof of the matter."

"I believe in my deductive skills. Why? Do you have anything else to suggest?" When he did not reply, she continued, "Gabrielle is the only chance we have to more answers. At the moment, we are stuck. Your sister's records are missing. We can no longer even say she is still in Belcourt. And if she is, she is most likely to be in the Palace. And I could be wrong about Gabrielle, which will be the worst of all. But if I am not, then we may just find answers. It is either her or the prince. I am certain we both know the prince is untouchable," she finished, thinking about Prince Albert. She had access to the man, but she was not stupid enough to directly confront him. "We simply need to find a weapon to use against her."

"We can have her followed."

She shook her head. "No, we have to get to her. We do not have the luxury of time for a game of chase."

He looked up at the sky. "It is high time we return to the manor. I see rain clouds in the distance."

*****

After supper was served, Sasha and Seven had a fight.

West smiled as Sasha lifted her legs unto the settee and gathered her muslin skirts away from the whimpering dog.

"Do not display those adorable eyes at me, sir," Sasha chided in an angry tone, gazing down at Seven with a scowl. "Look what you did!" she added, waving her tattered skirt. "You play on your own. I do not condone such behavior, sir."

Seven dropped to the floor beside her seat, eyes skyward at Sasha, and whimpered.

"You go to that corner," Sasha indignantly ordered, pointing to the other side of the room.

"The other corner," West murmured under his breath.

Sasha moved her arm to the other corner of the room. "Go to your corner." Seven blinked and raised ever so slowly on his front legs. He turned to West and purred.

West assumed a bewildered look at the dog. Lifting his shoulders with his palms facing up, he said, "I did try to stop you, my friend. You did not listen."

Seven returned his beseeching eyes to Sasha. "Should I give in?" she asked through pursed lips.

"No."

"But he looks so wretched."

"Well then, yes, but do not make another fuss if he repeats the same action on another dress."

Sasha moistened her lips and closed her eyes. "No, Seven, you stay to that corner."

Seven whimpered and his head fell. Slowly, he walked to the corner of the room, and Sasha blinked in amazement. "He truly does have a corner."

"And he hates it," West said with a scoff. He slid the wine he prepared for Sasha across the table between them.

And once again, they sat there beside the window, looking out into the silhouette of the woods and the mountains at the horizon. The sky, displaying blue, violet, and pink seemed to promise a beautiful tomorrow as it said goodbye. But they could never truly tell, could they? For the storm may come and cause havoc.

Sasha wondered if they would succeed. She was risking too much all for the truth—all for a woman she had never even met.

And all because she chose to trust a man.

She sipped her wine and swallowed, closing her eyes at the soothing warmth that spread through her chest as the liquid passed.

"I did not lie so much, you see," she said, breaking the silence between them, her lashes sweeping up from her glass to him.

A ghost of a smile. "You simply hid the truth. It seems to be your habit, but I cannot blame you for it."

"You think so?"

"I believe so, Sasha." His gaze held hers. "We all have a way of protecting ourselves."

She moved her glass and watched the dark liquid swirl inside. "I was in the Court of Libraries for five years before I was re-courted."

Her eyes retraced their path back to his and she saw the surprise registered there. "You mean to say that you are a new Belle."

She sighed. "I was the unlucky lady to be chosen to become a Belle so I could spy on you."

"Does it always happen? These missions? Are they true to all Belles?"

Sasha flashed him a lazy knowing smile. "You know I cannot tell you that, but you are wise. I am certain you have long figured."

He scoffed. "Belcourt is playing a dangerous game."

"As I have discovered, it has been for years."

She could feel his gaze on her while she watched the colors slowly disappear in the horizon. "You do not enjoy being a Belle, do you, Sasha?"

She nodded. "It may be exciting for someone who had spent their life inside Belcourt, but the excitement quickly wore off for me. The Belles are one of the women who have the most freedom in Belcourt, but not really. We are constantly watched, our movements always monitored by someone outside if not by our servants."

"But you can enjoy privileges that the other courts cannot."

"You mean such as the attentions of gentlemen?"

He shrugged.

"Perhaps, but it has its limitations, does it not?"

She could tell that he understood what she meant.

"Do you want to go back to the Library?"

She nodded, tearing her eyes off him. "Yes. I had made a bargain when I accepted this mission. I asked that Belcourt reconsider my request to return to the Library if I succeed."

"You mean if you find something that shall incriminate me."

She shook her head. "If I can prove that you are innocent or not, both of which I can do." Then, in a teasing tone, she added, "Your life is in my hands, sir."

West shook his head.

The small smile lingered on her lips as Sasha thought of the day when this would all be over. She may never have another chance to return to the Library, and if that were so, she did not think she could remain as his Belle.

She would eventually lose him.

With a long sigh, West stood and took the single step toward her. Sasha stared up at him, her hand absently replacing her wine on the table.

Eyes locked, he reached for her hand and she let him. She stood and stepped into his embrace, the feeling akin to that night she arrived in Belcourt. It was not the feeling of being drenched in rain; not the feeling of hunger and cold after walking for days, but it was the feeling of finally arriving at a safe place—it was a haven.

He was sanctuary.

West bent his head and nuzzled her ear. "Do you think this changed because we know each other's secrets?" he whispered softly, his breath warm in her ear.

"No," she replied, running her hand up to his chest, over his shoulder, to rest on his neck.

"Do you think I deliberately left out this part from the agreement?"

His lips sought hers, hovering a hairsbreadth away. Sasha smiled, aware of the current that ran through her as her lips lightly touched his. "Yes."

He smiled. "Why?"

"We learned from our mistakes?" she asked as his arms tightened around hers. "And because I would hate it if you did."

West groaned and captured her lips in a searing kiss.