The carriage ride to Blackwood House passed in tense silence. Sophia sat opposite the Duke, her injured ankle throbbing dully against the velvet seat. She kept her hands folded tightly in her lap, the silver ring once again hidden beneath her gown. Every jolt of the wheels sent a fresh reminder of how close she had come to being taken or worse.
The Duke watched her without speaking, his grey eyes unreadable in the dim lantern light. His dark presence filled the confined space, making the air feel thicker, heavier. He had removed his gloves, and Sophia found herself oddly distracted by his long, strong fingers resting on his knee. Hands that had fought off attackers twice in one night. Hands that had briefly touched her arm with surprising gentleness She looked away quickly, cheeks warming. This was ridiculous. He was the last man whose touch should affect her. He was cold, arrogant, and clearly regretted getting involved. Yet here she was, being spirited away to his home in the middle of the night like some damsel in a gothic novel.
When the carriage finally slowed before tall iron gates, Sophia leaned toward the window. Blackwood House rose out of the darkness like a fortress grand, imposing, and shadowed. Ivy climbed the stone walls, and only a few windows glowed with warm light. It looked exactly like the kind of place a brooding duke would live: beautiful, but unwelcoming.
The gates creaked open slowly, as if reluctant to let anyone inside.Servants appeared the moment the carriage stopped. A stern looking butler and two footmen helped Sophia down, careful of her ankle. The Duke gave quiet orders in that low, commanding voice of his, and within minutes she was ushered into a dimly lit entrance hall lined with portraits of stern ancestors who seemed to watch her with disapproval."You will stay in the east wing," the Duke said as they climbed the wide staircase. "It is quiet and secure. My housekeeper, Mrs. Harrow, will see to your needs. Do not wander alone after dark. The house is large, and some corridors… are best avoided at night."Sophia swallowed. "Thank you, Your Grace. I promise I will not be any trouble."He paused on the landing and turned to her. For a moment, the cold mask slipped again. "Trouble seems to follow you, Miss Langford. Or perhaps you follow it." His voice softened just a fraction. "Rest. We will speak more in the morning about the ring and what your father was truly involved in."
A young maid led Sophia to a beautifully appointed bedchamber with a large four-poster bed and a fire already crackling in the hearth. The room smelled of lavender and beeswax. For the first time since the ball, she felt a small measure of safety.Once alone, she sank onto the edge of the bed and finally allowed herself to tremble. Tears slipped down her cheeks as the weight of the night crashed over her her father's death, the attackers, the terrifying climb from her window, and the confusing presence of the Duke. She touched the ring through her gown. What terrible secret was worth all this danger?A soft knock sounded at the door. The maid returned with a tray of hot tea and biscuits, along with a note in the Duke's bold handwriting.Drink this. It will help with the pain and calm your nerves.
BSophia sipped the tea slowly. It was warm and faintly herbal, easing the ache in her ankle and the tightness in her chest. Exhaustion pulled at her, but sleep felt impossible. Every creak in the old house made her startle.She changed into the simple nightgown the maid had provided and slipped beneath the heavy covers. The ring she placed on the bedside table, the dark stone staring up at her like an unblinking eye.As her eyelids grew heavy, she thought of the Duke downstairs probably pacing in his study, cold and distant, planning how to untangle himself from her mess. The memory of his body pressed against hers in the garden, protecting her, sent an unwelcome flutter through her stomach. Enemies, she reminded herself,Nothing more.Sleep finally claimed her.
She woke to darkness and the faint sound of footsteps outside her door.Sophia sat up slowly, heart racing. The fire had burned low, casting long, flickering shadows across the walls. The footsteps paused… then continued, slow and deliberate, as if someone was testing the lock.She reached for the ring on the table. It was gone.Panic surged through her. Had she knocked it off in her sleep? She slid out of bed, ignoring the protest from her twisted ankle, and dropped to her knees to search the rug, Nothing.A soft click came from the door. The handle turned.Someone was entering her room.Sophia's breath froze.
She scrambled backward until her back hit the heavy bedpost, pulling the covers around her like a pathetic shield. The door swung open silently.A tall figure stepped inside, cloaked in black, face hidden by a hood. In one hand, the intruder held her father's silver ring, the dark stone now glowing with an eerie inner light.The figure stopped at the foot of the bed and spoke in a smooth, cultured voice that sent ice down her spine."You should have given it to the others, Miss Langford. This ring does not belong in timid hands."Sophia tried to scream, but terror choked the sound.The intruder took one step closer.Then the door to the connecting sitting room burst open with a crash.The Duke of Blackwood stormed in, pistol raised, his white shirt unbuttoned at the collar and his dark hair tousled as if he had been pacing instead of sleeping. His grey eyes blazed with fury when they landed on the intruder."Step away from her," he snarled, voice like thunder in the quiet room.
The hooded figure laughed softly a chilling, familiar sound."You are too late, Blackwood. The Order already knows she is here."Before the Duke could fire, the intruder hurled something small and glittering toward the floor. Thick, acrid smoke exploded instantly, filling the room and stinging Sophia's eyes.She coughed, vision blurring.Through the swirling haze, she saw the intruder lunge not toward the Duke, but straight at her.Strong hands grabbed her arms. A cloth pressed over her mouth, sweet and cloying.The last thing she heard was the Duke's roar of rage cutting through the smoke."Sophia!"Then darkness swallowed her whole.