even.
Voices floated down the hallway and her heart quickened. Steady .
“Done.” The real gem went into her bag.
V set the dome back on. “Perfect.”
“What are you two doing?” Missy scoffed from the doorway. “You’re not supposed to touch the exhibits.”
Flying figs. Of course it would be Missy. What had she seen?
Blood roared in Noli’s ears as she tried not to panic. “Have you ever seen anything so large?” she asked, trying to throw Missy off.
Missy squinted as if she didn’t believe them.
“Miss Sassafras, would you honor me with a dance?” V bowed and offered her a hand.
What was he doing? Shouldn’t they be trying to leave?
Missy put a hand to her lips and giggled, demeanor instantly shifting. “Why, of course, Mr. Darrow.”
“Miss Braddock, I’ll see you in the ballroom later.” V took Missy’s arm and led her out of the gallery.
Noli’s jaw dropped. What had just happened? There went their speedy exit. As she headed toward the ballroom, her shoulders slumped. She wasn’t sure whether she should feel rejected or angry, and didn’t really notice when she bumped into two gentlemen she’d never seen before.
“Oh, pardon me,” she muttered, not meaning it. She peeked into the refreshment room to see if Josephine was still in there so that she’d have someone to return to the ballroom with.
Why had V abandoned her?
What if he was actually distracting Missy? Yes, that must be it. After all, he knew what she thought of that dollymop.
“Done so soon?” Josephine’s lips turned down in a slight frown as Noli joined them.
“We got waylaid by Missy and he’s dancing with her out of politeness.” Noli made a face, not bothering to pull out her fan to hide it.
“It wasn’t very nice of him to abandon you,” she replied.
“Have you met Missy?” Noli snorted.
Josephine smiled and looked at Lillian and Vivian. “Shall we return to the ballroom?”
The four of them walked down the hall. Shouts came from behind them.
Vivian made a face and fluttered her fan, though even that didn’t hide her unladylike distaste. “Some people are so loud.”
They returned to the ballroom. Immediately, Noli’s eyes found V dancing the schottische with Missy. Actually, it looked as if V was herding Missy as she stumbled through the dance.
“She looks like an elephant,” Lillian snickered from behind her fan.
“That’s an insult to elephants,” Vivian replied.
The music ended. Missy attempted an awkward curtsey, V bowed, and he returned her to the wall with the rest of the drapery. Then he approached Noli.
“Miss Braddock, may I have the honor of a final dance before we depart?” V asked.
“I suppose, Mr. Darrow.” Noli took his hand and they went onto the floor. A waltz started, which was infinitely better than a quadrille or any of those complicated dances that took forever. “Please tell me that you were distracting her.” Noli tried not to make a face at Missy as they passed.
“Of course,” V replied. “I am beginning to get an idea as to why she annoys you. She talks an awful lot about herself, when she’s not gossiping.”
Noli laughed. “That’s Missy. After this, we should take our leave.”
Realization crashed down on her. They’d done it. They’d gotten the jewel. Now to depart without incident. The music ended. She waved to Josephine, who was being led to the floor by Lillian’s older brother.
“I’ll call on you,” Josephine mouthed as they left the floor after the dance.
Noli and V left the ballroom, collected their things, and walked down the front steps of the museum. James waited in the enameled auto, a bored look on his face.
“Steven, Noli, if I might have a word,” Officer Davies called after them.
Panic rose inside her. Did he know? Had Missy told?
V gripped her wrist. “Relax. Allow me to handle this,” he whispered.
Gulping to ease her fears, she nodded.
“Yes, Officer Davies?” V asked, holding her close. They weren’t
Voices floated down the hallway and her heart quickened. Steady .
“Done.” The real gem went into her bag.
V set the dome back on. “Perfect.”
“What are you two doing?” Missy scoffed from the doorway. “You’re not supposed to touch the exhibits.”
Flying figs. Of course it would be Missy. What had she seen?
Blood roared in Noli’s ears as she tried not to panic. “Have you ever seen anything so large?” she asked, trying to throw Missy off.
Missy squinted as if she didn’t believe them.
“Miss Sassafras, would you honor me with a dance?” V bowed and offered her a hand.
What was he doing? Shouldn’t they be trying to leave?
Missy put a hand to her lips and giggled, demeanor instantly shifting. “Why, of course, Mr. Darrow.”
“Miss Braddock, I’ll see you in the ballroom later.” V took Missy’s arm and led her out of the gallery.
Noli’s jaw dropped. What had just happened? There went their speedy exit. As she headed toward the ballroom, her shoulders slumped. She wasn’t sure whether she should feel rejected or angry, and didn’t really notice when she bumped into two gentlemen she’d never seen before.
“Oh, pardon me,” she muttered, not meaning it. She peeked into the refreshment room to see if Josephine was still in there so that she’d have someone to return to the ballroom with.
Why had V abandoned her?
What if he was actually distracting Missy? Yes, that must be it. After all, he knew what she thought of that dollymop.
“Done so soon?” Josephine’s lips turned down in a slight frown as Noli joined them.
“We got waylaid by Missy and he’s dancing with her out of politeness.” Noli made a face, not bothering to pull out her fan to hide it.
“It wasn’t very nice of him to abandon you,” she replied.
“Have you met Missy?” Noli snorted.
Josephine smiled and looked at Lillian and Vivian. “Shall we return to the ballroom?”
The four of them walked down the hall. Shouts came from behind them.
Vivian made a face and fluttered her fan, though even that didn’t hide her unladylike distaste. “Some people are so loud.”
They returned to the ballroom. Immediately, Noli’s eyes found V dancing the schottische with Missy. Actually, it looked as if V was herding Missy as she stumbled through the dance.
“She looks like an elephant,” Lillian snickered from behind her fan.
“That’s an insult to elephants,” Vivian replied.
The music ended. Missy attempted an awkward curtsey, V bowed, and he returned her to the wall with the rest of the drapery. Then he approached Noli.
“Miss Braddock, may I have the honor of a final dance before we depart?” V asked.
“I suppose, Mr. Darrow.” Noli took his hand and they went onto the floor. A waltz started, which was infinitely better than a quadrille or any of those complicated dances that took forever. “Please tell me that you were distracting her.” Noli tried not to make a face at Missy as they passed.
“Of course,” V replied. “I am beginning to get an idea as to why she annoys you. She talks an awful lot about herself, when she’s not gossiping.”
Noli laughed. “That’s Missy. After this, we should take our leave.”
Realization crashed down on her. They’d done it. They’d gotten the jewel. Now to depart without incident. The music ended. She waved to Josephine, who was being led to the floor by Lillian’s older brother.
“I’ll call on you,” Josephine mouthed as they left the floor after the dance.
Noli and V left the ballroom, collected their things, and walked down the front steps of the museum. James waited in the enameled auto, a bored look on his face.
“Steven, Noli, if I might have a word,” Officer Davies called after them.
Panic rose inside her. Did he know? Had Missy told?
V gripped her wrist. “Relax. Allow me to handle this,” he whispered.
Gulping to ease her fears, she nodded.
“Yes, Officer Davies?” V asked, holding her close. They weren’t
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