Page 16 (1/2)

They cauests as old as white-haired Mrs Constance and as young as Luce herself Bright-eyed, and wrapped in white summer cloaks, the women curtseyed to the men in sh the large open foyer, offering twinkling crystal goblets of chane

Luce found Henrietta near the doors to the main ballroohtly colored gowns of every color, in organza, tulle, and silk, with grosgrain sashes, filled the rooays of flowers,the whole house smell like summer

Henrietta's task was to collect the ladies' shawls and reticules as they entered Luce had been told to distribute dance cards--s booklets, with the Constances' jeweled family crest sewn into the front cover and the orchestra's set list written inside

Where are all the men? Luce whispered to Henrietta

Henrietta snorted That'sroom, of course She jerked her head left, where a hallway led into the shadows Where they'll be smart to stay until the meal is served, if you askon about some war all the way in Crimea? Not these ladies Not I Not you, Myrtle Then Henrietta's thin eyebrows lifted and she pointed toward the French s Oof, I spoke too soon Seelein the roo but a slicktailed jacket He was talking to a blond woown Her dias sparkled when she turned her head--and locked eyes with Luce

Gabbe

The beautiful angel blinked a few ti to decide whether Luce was an apparition Then she tilted her head ever so slightly at the nal Before he'd even turned all the way around, Luce recognized the clean, sharp profile

Ca all the dance card booklets She bent down and clu them up off the floor Then she thrust them into Henrietta's hands and ducked out of the rooht back, Luce whispered, sprinting up the long, curved stairway before Henrietta could even reply

Miss McGovern would send Luce packing as soon as she learned that Luce had abandoned her post--and the expensive dance cards--in the ballroom But that was the least of Luce's problems She was not prepared to deal with Gabbe, not when she needed to focus on finding Lucinda

And she never wanted to be around Cam In her own lifeti the way he'd aiht the Outcast tried to carry her reflection away into the sky If only Daniel were here

But he wasn't All Luce could do was hope that he'd be waiting for her--and not too angry--when she figured out what she was doing and came home to the present

At the top of the stairs, Luce darted inside the first rooainst it to catch her breath

She was alone in a vast parlor It was a marvelous room with a plush ivory-upholstered love seat and a pair of leather chairs set around a polished harpsichord Deep-red curtains hugged the three large s along the western wall A fire crackled in the hearth

Beside Luce was a wall of bookshelves, row after row of thick, leather-bound voluh there was even one of those ladders that could be wheeled across the shelves

An easel stood in the corner, and so about it beckoned to Luce She'd never set foot upstairs in the Constance estate, and yet: One step onto the thick Persian carpet jogged soht have seen all of this before

Daniel Luce recalled the conversation he'd had with Margaret in the garden They'd been talking about his painting He wasas an artist The easel in the corner--it must have been where he worked

She

Just before she reached it, a trio of high voices ht outside the door

She froze, watching the door handle pivot as someone turned it from the outside She had no choice but to slip behind the thick red-velvet curtain and hide

There was a rustling of taffeta, the slales Luce cupped a hand over her h to peek around the curtain

Helston Lucinda stood ten feet away She was dressed in a fantastic white goith a soft silk- crepe bodice and an exposed corset back Her dark hair was pinned high on her head in an array of shiny, intricately placed curls Her dia her such a regal air it nearly took Luce's breath away

Her past self was the ant creature Luce had ever seen

You're all aglow tonight, Lucinda, a soft voice said

Did Thoain? another teased

And the other two girls--Luce recognized one as Margaret, the elder Constance daughter, the one who'd walked with Daniel in the garden The other, a fresher replica of Margaret, er sister She looked about Lucinda's age She teased her like a good friend

And she was right, too--Lucinda was glowing It had to be because of Daniel

Lucinda flopped on the ivory love seat and sighed in a way Luce would never sigh, a ed for attention Luce knew instantly that Bill was right: She and her past self were absolutely nothing alike

"Thomas?" Lucinda wrinkled her ser--

Not so! the younger daughter cried He's a very uncoer! He's rich

Still, A her skirt around her narrow ankles He's practically working-class

Margaret perched on the edge of the love seat You didn't think so poorly of hiht you that bonnet froe And I do love a sweet bonnet Lucinda frowned But bonnets aside, I shall tell ain