After the fourth man tried to convince her to offer a kiss—and one of her three stones—Mary debated whether climbing in between the branches of the hedge maze was a possibility. Sadly, the bushes had been trimmed too neatly and their branches were too crowded to fit a person between them. This had been a terrible idea, but Dash had said they must join in not to appear so suspicious, and compared to the other games they'd seen that evening, this one appeared to be the least daunting.

She groaned inwardly as she heard the footsteps of someone coming around the bend, but let out a sigh of relief as Dash appeared. She recognised his tall form and unruly dark hair even with a mask on. Seemingly completely comfortable in their outrageous surroundings, he was wearing dark riding breeches with polished Hessian boots, and a white shirt with its buttons undone, leaving a gaping V over the top of his chest. Had the summer evening been hotter, she would not have been surprised to see him without one, as he apparently had even less decency than she thought.

He came over and stopped in front of her, bending down to whisper in her ear, "Hayes is right behind me. Embrace me, so he sees you with someone other than John. It should make him a little less distrustful."

Feeling somewhat awkward, she wrapped her arms around his neck as he put his around her waist. She could hear someone walking closer and closed her eyes. Dash lowered his face to her neck, stopping just shy of kissing it, but from an outside perspective, it should look as if he was. It was strange standing so close to another man. Dash was the second one who had ever been this close to her, and while his breath tickled her neck, and there was a certain level of novelty to being in such a position... She didn't feel the same as she did with John. Lacking was the electrifying feeling that made her entire body hum whenever John was near. The incessant need to touch him.

The footsteps came closer. Mary had to hold back a yelp as Dash slid his hands down to cup her bottom. The scoundrel! She could hear a quiet chuckle from their onlooker before the footsteps receded as Hayes walked further into the maze. Once he was gone, she put her hands on Dash's chest and shoved him back.

"Groping me was never part of the deal," she hissed.

The glimmer of Dash's teeth flashed in the dusky evening. "It needed to look real. You stood stiff as a board."

She huffed. "I hardly think I was less stiff after that."

"Marginally." He chuckled. "Give me one of your stones and then I will move on. If you give your next two to John, you can leave the maze and wait for the game to end. He should be next, or one after."

Fishing a stone out of her stays, she glared at him when his grin widened. "This dress does not have pockets and I have no reticule."

"No no. I don't mind."

"I bet you don't, you rogue." She handed him the small stone, and he made an elaborate bow before strolling away.

"By the way," he threw over his shoulder. "You have a nice bottom."

She nearly threw the remaining stones after him, but he disappeared between the hedges, his laughter following in his wake. Looking after him, half-amused and half-frustrated, she had to admit she could understand what Olivia saw in the handsome rake. Dash had more charm than he deserved. It was no surprise he was so popular amongst the ladies of the ton. And anywhere else he deigned to go. Which apparently included indecent house parties.

Remembering where she was, she shrunk back into the corner of the maze, waiting for the next man to approach. To her relief, she recognised John's sure stride when the next contestant showed up. They had avoided discussing that morning, opting to pretend it had never happened, though she wasn't sure she could ever forget the feeling of him pressed up against her, his arm around her and his lips against her neck. She shivered slightly as a flutter of butterfly wings came to life in her abdomen at the memory.

Stepping out of the shadows, she raised her chin and affected what she hoped was a commanding voice. "Halt, good sir. You do not have permission to pass."

The shadow of a smile passed over John's lips as he stopped before her, lit by a lantern hanging in the branches.

"And what must I do to earn passage, fair maiden?"

Kiss me. Her cheeks burned. She could not be that forward. And she had decided not to allow herself any more kisses, had she not? He was Olivia's. Even if Olivia didn't want him. The idea of being someone's second choice did not appeal to her. Even if his kisses set her world on fire.

"You must..." She pursed her lips as she considered what to ask for. "Tell me a secret nobody else knows."

"Nobody?"

"Not one soul." Hoping she had him stumped, she grinned. "Or are you an open book, sir? With no secrets to hide."

He chuckled. "I wouldn't say that... But there are those who know my secrets."

Dull Osborne had secrets? She eyed him up and down. Loving Olivia was one. Working for the Rose Agency another. Did he have more? There was a burning need for her to know more about this man, and it frustrated her. She didn't want to be interested in John. Not like this.

"If you have no secret to tell me, then you may not pass." She pointed in the direction he'd come from. There were other turns to take in the maze.

"Well..." He took a step closer, and she bit her lower lip as the scent of his bergamot soap tickled her nose. The fluttering in her abdomen intensified as he leaned closer, his lips almost touching the shell of her ear. "Here is a secret no one knows. My first thought when I wake in the morning," he whispered, "and when I go to sleep at night, is of you."

She inhaled sharply and took a step back, her brows knotting in anger. "Is that meant to be amusing?"

"No." He straightened, his eyes dark behind the mask. "It's the truth. You have invaded my mind."

"Invaded hardly sounds pleasant," she muttered, not sure whether to punch him or hug him. She opted for neither.

"You are still incredibly vexing," he admitted with a lopsided grin. "But I am coming to learn that I enjoy it. Our banter. Your honesty. It's... refreshing."

No one had ever called her refreshing before. Usually, men found her honesty unwelcome. She supposed she could temper her words but had early on decided she cared little for anyone who could not deal with her as she was. Worrying her bottom lip with her teeth, she tried to ignore the swelling of fluttering wings in her abdomen.

"I don't know what you want from me," she said. "We both know how you feel about Olivia, and—"

"I'm not so sure," he cut her off, and her eyes widened.

"What?"

Laughter from people on the other side of the hedge silenced them.

John made a wry face. "Now is not the time."

Fishing up the remaining stones from her stays, she handed them to him. He dropped them into his pocket, where they made a loud clunking sound. She frowned.

"How many stones do you have?"

"Oh, I..." He shifted from one foot to the other as he ran a hand through his windswept brown hair. "I suspect Hayes has told the ladies to give them to me as a test. They've been offered to me for the smallest of favours."

"Did you kiss anyone?" The question came out sharper than intended, and she shouldn't even care. Considering the type of party they were attending, it would be a miracle if they came away with neither of them kissing anyone else.

"Only on the cheek."

"So, is he trying to ensure you win?"

"Possibly. He might want to see me having to choose one of the 'tributes'."

"I'll offer myself up," she said. "I mean... Unless you'd rather choose someone else."

"Never." His immediate reply sent a wave of warmth through her.

"It would probably make Hayes less suspicious," she pointed out, trying to be reasonable, even as she hated the idea of him with another woman.

"Probably," he agreed. "But I have little interest in other women."

She raised an eyebrow but didn't ask him to elaborate. Not when someone could walk around the bend at any moment. "What of Dash's friend? I imagine she could keep quiet. Dash can probably convince her."

"Maybe," John allowed.

Footsteps approached. Lifting his hand, John's thumb gently caressed her lower lip and her eyes flew to his. She couldn't quite make out his expression between the mask and the slight dusk, but it was enough to make her breath stall for a moment. Before she could say anything, he sketched a quick bow and disappeared further into the maze.

Drawing a trembling breath, she smiled at the stocky man who rounded the corner from the other direction.

"My apologies," she said. "I just gave away my last stone."

Making her way out of the maze, she joined a growing group of women who had given away their stones. The game must be drawing to a close. Not much later, all participants had gathered outside, and Hayes lifted his hand in the air to gain everyone's attention.

"Before we count the stones, I would like the women who offer themselves as tributes to step forward," he said.

When every woman took a step forward, Mary quickly followed suit. She couldn't be the only one who did not. Hopefully, the winner was not a stranger, and if it was, said stranger would not choose her. With her heart in her throat, she watched as the men counted their stones.

Hayes laughed. "Well, how about that? We have a draw!" He pointed to Dash and John, and she slowly released her breath. "I suppose we shall have two tributes tonight. You each get to choose one and spend an hour with them inside the maze. No one else will be allowed entry for the duration. Who will choose first?"

John opened his mouth to speak, but Dash took a step forward, blocking him. "I will!" he exclaimed with a huge grin.

"Someone is eager," Hayes said with a laugh, and a salacious chuckle echoed between the gathered guests.

"It's not every day a man has such a choice selection," Dash said with a wink behind the mask. Taking the steps separating the men from the women, he made a big show out of walking along the line and inspecting his 'offerings'. Finally, he stopped in front of Mary. "This one."

Hayes nodded. "She's yours for the hour." He turned to John. "The choice is yours from the remaining ladies."

"We'll head on in," Dash said as he took Mary's hand and pulled her along.

"Yes, the maze should be big enough for two couples to get enough privacy," Hayes said. "Unless, of course, you prefer to share."

Guffaws and joyful cheers followed them as Dash dragged her to the entrance of the maze.

"Try not to look so appalled," he hissed under his breath. "I couldn't let John choose you. It would be too obvious you don't belong here."

"Fine," she muttered, but she couldn't help looking back to see who John chose.

Something white back at the manor house caught her attention. A woman in a white dress watched them from a window. She gasped. Was that Jane?

~~~~~~