Mary tugged on Dash's sleeve as the manor house disappeared behind the tall hedges of the maze.

"Hold on," he muttered. "We need to get further in or it might look suspicious."

"Or like we're too eager?" she said drolly, which earned her a chuckle. "But no, I think I saw Jane!"

"Where?" Dash pulled her further into the maze, apparently not willing to risk their cover to investigate. She supposed he was right, even if her automatic reaction was to want to run to the house to find the room the woman had appeared in.

"In a window. She was looking down at us. Too far away for me to see her properly, but I could have sworn it was her."

"I'll keep an eye open once I join the private party in Hayes's chambers later tonight. Maybe she's hiding out in there." He made a face. "Let's just hope she does not join the private party. That's..." His words trailed off as he stared straight ahead.

"Dash?" She looked up at his profile as they walked between the green walls of the maze. "What are the private party like?"

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I won't tell you. It would scandalise you."

She frowned. "More than these past days already have?"

"Yes."

His short answer only fuelled her curiosity, but she didn't ask again. Maybe she really did not want to know. Only she did.

"I think you will find that I am difficult to shock." That was a lie. She had been plenty shocked already since arriving at Hayes's estate.

"Darling," Dash drawled. "I think you will find that you would most definitely be shocked."

"I'm not your darling," she grumbled.

"Everyone is my darling." He flashed her a big grin. Then he let her go. "Ah, here we are."

They had reached what must be the middle of the maze. A fountain occupied the middle of the square space, and colourful flowers dotted the flowerbeds surrounding it. Two benches sat on opposite sides of the stone fountain. Someone had left baskets of fruit and bread in the grass next to a bench. It was a beautiful, secluded area and would have been romantic if not for the purpose for which it was used tonight. She imagined that if a different couple had been sent into the maze, they might have enjoyed a tryst on one of the benches. Or in the soft grass next to the flowerbeds. Her cheeks heated.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning to seduce you." Dash winked at her, and she wished she had something heavy to throw at his annoying head.

"You couldn't even if you tried," she said pertly.

His blue eyes glittered mischievously. "Is that a challenge?"

"No. A statement." She straightened and affected an official tone. "A declaration of truth, if you will."

Dash chuckled. Sitting down on a bench, he picked up a handful of grapes and popped one into his mouth. "I suppose you're too preoccupied with Osborne, anyway."

She froze. "What?"

He smirked. "Come now. The two of you cannot stop stealing glances when the other isn't looking. There is obviously something going on there."

"Has... Has he said anything?"

Dash's smirk widened. "If he has, surely you would not expect me to break his confidence?"

She clenched her fists as she glared at him. He knew very well she would never ask him to break someone's confidence. He was so annoying. She took it all back. She definitely couldn't see what Olivia saw in the incorrigible rake. Opening her mouth to tell him exactly what she thought, she was interrupted by him standing up and brushing imagined creases off his breeches.

"Here they are."

John and the actress Dash had brought came into the small clearing. The woman was tall and beautiful, with blond hair piled in a messy bun at the top of her head, and her lips painted red.

"Good man," Dash said with a chuckle. "I hoped you'd choose Jo."

"It seemed the appropriate choice considering the circumstances," John said, his eyes straying to Mary. "What shall we do for an hour?"

"I don't know what you're planning to do," Dash said as he strode over to the blond woman and lifted her hand to his mouth and placed a kiss on her knuckles while winking at her. "I know what I'm doing."

The actress laughed, a throaty chuckle that carried across the summer evening. A moment later, she and Dash had disappeared between the hedges, their laughter echoing behind them, leaving Mary and John alone by the fountain.

Suddenly Mary felt shy. There was no reason to. And yet she did. John remained silent, shifting from one leg to the other.

"I wanted—"

"We should—"

They both spoke and stopped at the same time. John ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up.

Mary fought the urge to go to him. To see if he might embrace her the way he had that morning in bed. But it was wrong. He wasn't hers.

'I'm not so sure...'

What had he meant by that? She didn't dare to hope. Didn't want to risk getting hurt the way she was likely to be.

"John..."

He looked over at her. She looked away. Why did everything suddenly feel so awkward? It didn't help that she could sometimes hear the muted voices of Dash and his friend, or the faint sounds of the other guests milling about on the lawns outside the maze. She wasn't sure what she wanted to ask. What she wanted. No, that wasn't entirely true. She was becoming more and more aware that she wanted John. Or would have wanted him had things been different.

She nearly jumped when a hand grasped her shoulder, too lost in thought to have noticed John taking the steps separating them. Their eyes met and her breath lodged in her throat when he didn't move away, his thumb caressing the bare skin by the fabric of her dress. For a moment, there were only them. Alone below a starlit sky in the middle of a maze.

A giggle from further between the hedges broke the spell, and she took a step away. John's brow furrowed.

"Mary..."

She shook her head. "No. I will not deny there is an attraction between us. We can both feel it. But your heart lies with another, and I am not willing to risk mine."

His eyes widened, and she groaned inwardly. That was a bigger admission than she would have liked. Turning around, she walked over to the fountain. Frustrated with herself, she stared at it to keep herself from turning back to John. The surface of the water reminded her of her emotions. Always in movement from the continuous stream of water coming from the spout at the top.

Footsteps in the grass behind her warned her of John's approach a moment before she could sense his presence behind hers. She kept her eyes on the water, refusing to give in to her treacherous body.

"I admit I have been preoccupied with Olivia for a long time," John said behind her, his voice soft and quiet. "But I believe it is time I stop."

A sudden burst of anger fuelled her as she whirled around to face him, only to find him much closer than she had realised. He stood less than a foot away and she had to tilt her head to meet his gaze.

"I am not your consolation prize," she bit out. "I am not willing to be someone's second choice when they cannot have what—who—they wanted."

"You're not."

"I don't believe you."

They stared at each other, and she wished she could believe him. But she'd been there for most of it. John and Olivia had known each other before she joined the London season, being a year younger than her friend. And she had watched him as he admired their friend. She couldn't blame him. Olivia was beautiful and charming. How could anyone not want her?

"I was blinded by my idea of what I thought was the perfect wife." John made a wry face. "Olivia ticked all the boxes, and she's lovely. I enjoy her company immensely."

"Of course you do. We all do." Unable to meet his gaze any longer, she averted her eyes.

His fingers tucked under her chin and lifted her face to his. The hint of a smile played across his lips. "But I have never felt for Olivia the way I feel for you."

She drew in a deep breath, spellbound by the sincerity in his grey eyes.

"This undeniable need to touch you. To kiss you." His gaze lowered to her lips, and she might have forgotten how to breathe. "You affect me in ways no one else ever has."

"That's only attraction," she whispered.

"Yes, I am extremely attracted to you, the vexing woman that you are." He flashed her a smile before growing serious again. His thumb caressed her lower lip, and her entire being tingled in anticipation. "But that is not all. I enjoy our talks. Our banter. It frustrates me to no end, but I also have more fun than I ever have before. You make me feel alive."

"I—"

"So no," he cut her off. "You are not a consolation prize. You are not my second choice. If Olivia showed up here right now, I would still choose you."

"Oh, John." There was a suspicious burning feeling behind her eyes, but she ignored it. "I don't know what to say."

His words seemed genuine. But could she trust them? They were in a stressful situation where they were forced into close proximity. Maybe none of this was real. Maybe it was all manufactured by their circumstances, and once they were safely back in London, he might remember his ardent feelings for Olivia.

"Then say nothing." He lowered his head but stopped a mere breath away from her mouth as if wanting her to know it was her decision what their next step would be.

The warmth of his body so close to hers was compelling. Her body hummed with the need to pull him closer still. Would it be so bad of her to take advantage of this time alone with him? If he did change his mind once they returned to London, she could at least have these memories to warm her when she moved on with her life as a spinster.

Her arms slid around his shoulders and she buried her fingers in the thick hair at the back of his head. With a low sound at the back of his throat, he closed the space between them and captured her lips in a fervent kiss. His hands gripped her waist and pulled her against his lean frame. Heat travelled through her from everywhere they touched, pooling low in her abdomen, waking something dormant that she had never dared to examine before this party.

She gasped as John dragged his mouth down her neck, leaving a hot trail of kisses across her shoulder until he met the fabric of her dress. His hand on her hips followed the curve of her waist and ribs before tracing the collar of her dress. When he cupped her breast, she closed her eyes. It felt even better than it had when he'd fondled her in his sleep.

"Let's sit down," he mumbled against her shoulder, and before she could reply, he sat down on the stone bench with her straddling his lap. It was rather scandalous with the way her dress rode up her legs to just above her knees, but right then, she didn't care. She rather enjoyed feeling his legs between hers.

Looking down at him from her slightly elevated position, flutters of butterfly wings tickled her insides as he smiled at her. He looked exceptionally handsome in the moonlight, with the pale light painting his hair with a silver hue. His hand cupped her breast again, pushing the stays out of the way to allow his thumb to softly caress the nipple. She bit her lower lip as heat exploded, flooding every part of her body.

John watched her, his eyes darker than usual. "Do you enjoy that?"

With cheeks burning, she nodded. A slow smile curved his lips before he leaned forward and kissed the bare skin above the fabric. She inhaled sharply as he pushed the stays and fabric down, revealing her to him. The slight evening breeze made her nipples harden, and she bit her lip again to stop herself from moaning out loud. They weren't alone in the maze.

John pulled back slightly to watch her. "You're beautiful," he breathed.

When he lowered his head to capture her nipple in his mouth, she could no longer hold back her moan as heat surged inside her. Without meaning to, she pushed herself against him, wanting more of the sensual pleasure. Her fingers gripped his hair in tight fists as he lavished her with kisses, licks, and nips. His mouth was hot in contrast to the night air. She had never thought anything could feel like this. He abandoned her breast to treat the other to the same attention, and she moved restlessly in his arms. She wanted more.

His mouth returned to hers, kissing her deeply. She didn't know how long they remained like that. Embracing on the stone bench, her legs straddling his, his arms around hers. Not long enough. Never long enough.

Someone cleared their throat.

A giggle.

Pulling away from John, Mary stared at him with wide eyes. Oh, this was mortifying. John helped her pull her stays and dress back into position before assisting her to her feet and standing up next to her. With her face burning, she turned to see Dash and his lady friend watching them from one of the entrances to reenter the maze. Dash was trying not to grin, but it was obvious from the way his mouth twitched he was having a hard time not to.

"I believe our time is up," he said. "Better have us exit separately. John, you'll escort Jo out since you brought her inside."

John nodded, and after a quick kiss on Mary's cheek, he disappeared with the actress. He must be as embarrassed as Mary since he hadn't said a word. Unless he was already regretting it. But she didn't think so. The idea of seeing him alone again in their shared room later filled her with anxious energy. What might happen then?

She tried to retie her mask, but her hands were shaking.

"Well," Dash drawled as he stood behind her and took over the ribbons and tied the mask at the back of her head. "I did not expect to see that when I returned."

"Shut up," she muttered. "I don't want to hear it."

He laughed. "Fine. I will keep my comments to myself."

"Good." She adjusted her mask slightly before taking his offered arm. "Let's leave. You have another engagement to get to and hopefully, you can find my sister."

Jane. For a moment, she had forgotten the reason she was here to begin with. None of this mattered if they didn't find Jane soon—if someone else discovered her first. If Jane's reputation was ruined, then Mary's would be, too. No one would have either of them then. An icy shiver ran down her spine at the thought. It wouldn't matter if John cared for her if she became a social outcast. They had to find Jane, and they had to find her soon.

~~~~~~