Tangled Webs (18 page)

This was all for Lady A? She’d expected a black dress. A raven-feather mask. Instead she’d gotten…the mismatched clothes of a beggar? Arista took the shirt and skirt and
walked to the oval mirror in the corner, holding them up.

As soon as she saw her reflection, she knew. A cold dread seeped through her and sank down into her bones. She could almost hear Nic’s teasing whisper in her ear. Wild had not meant for
her to go as a beggar at all. Somehow he’d known.

Arista stared wild-eyed at the gypsy looking back at her.

A
n unfamiliar thrill washed over Arista as she stood at the edge of the ballroom and watched the costumed dancers fly by. She was there as Lady A,
but no one would recognize her this time. Behind the plain black mask, she was simply a guest. They were expecting a black dress and a raven-feather mask. Lady A’s signature costume.

But dressed as a gypsy tonight, no once glanced at her with disdain. No one whispered as she walked by. And without the threat of Bones over her head, she could not stop the smile that curled
her lips. Freedom. This must be what it tasted like.

Dancers whirled around her as she stood watching. Laughter floated through the air, and more than one touch grazed her arm, both male and female. They were subtle invitations. Unspoken offers.
How many times had she wished for this very thing?

Lady A’s identity was still anonymous behind the raven feathers, of course—no one knew the girl in the mask—but it was different this time. Not only did they not know the girl
under the disguise, but they did not even know she was Lady A.

Spiked punch gave the confident guests reason to talk more. To boast and flirt and disclose secrets meant to be kept silent. Mouths shut tight when the black-cloaked Lady A approached, but a
gypsy girl attracted no notice.

It gave Arista the chance to eavesdrop, and make note of bits of gossip that might come in handy at some other time. It also allowed her to move about the room freely, searching for the person
she was to meet tonight. Wild had sent another note later that day. She must look for a red kerchief in the left breast pocket of a man dressed all in black.

Wild had supplied no name. Perhaps that was how he intended to conduct business, which was fine by her. She didn’t need a name. Usually she could pick out the guilty party simply by
observing the telltale signs of stress. Fidgeting with a neck cloth. Trembling hands. Furtive glances around the room, followed by mopping the brow. All signs that the person was most uncomfortable
in their current surroundings.

Given the anonymous nature of a masked ball, discomfort should be the last emotion in a guest. In fact, most times it was the opposite. Complete abandon and indiscretion led to gaiety and false
comfort.

Each stride she took exposed a long length of leg, which did not go unnoticed. There were looks of interest in several gazes she met. They reminded her of Grae, and in a moment of
self-indulgence, Arista allowed herself to think of him. To wish that he was here with her like before—just two guests, with nothing but time to explore the unfamiliar longing between
them.

It was not an uncomfortable thought at all. On the contrary, she’d liked the quickening of her pulse when he had stepped too close. At Lady Carstair’s party, his kiss had rendered
her senseless. It was something she wished to experience again—there was no doubt.

With a secret smile on her lips, she made her way around the room, leisurely taking in each person that she passed. Though in disguise, Arista knew there were several of Lady A’s clients
in the room tonight. What would they do if they knew she stood so close, brushing against their arms as she walked by?

It was a heady feeling, this power of complete anonymity.

It took her two turns around the perimeter of the room, and two refusals for a dance, before Arista spotted the person she was to meet with. A flash of red caught her eye. A second glance proved
the man was dressed entirely in black from head to toe, except for the bright handkerchief in his pocket.

He stood to her right, and in the dim light she could not get a clear look at his face. A jewel-encrusted cane rested on the floor by his side: a grotesque overstatement of wealth, for anyone to
see. She curled her lip and moved closer. Tonight there was no threat of physical retribution over her head. Bones was gone. She did this for herself and Becky alone. She walked taller, knowing
that
she
would reap the benefits of this encounter.

She had relied on Nic to protect her before, but tonight she didn’t need a bodyguard. She would control the meeting from this point forward.

Arista moved toward him, the swirling colors of her skirt dancing above her knee. The hem on the right side of her skirt had been fashioned in such a way that when she walked, most of her thigh
was exposed. She had strapped her knife to the covered thigh, the opposite side that she was used to.

The practical white blouse had become much less demure when Becky fastened the black corset around it. The top of her chest was pushed out, exposed by the low neckline. Knee-high black boots
completed her outfit. Becky had tied the plain black mask in place and wound Arista’s brightly colored silk scarf around her head, letting the loose ends trail down her back.

She stepped in front of the man and met his gaze brazenly.

He wore no mask and once he might have even been handsome, but his vices were written clearly in the lines on his face. He looked haggard and desperate. A slight, constant sniffle made her
wonder if he had an opiate problem as well. His gaze roamed over her, and interest sparked in his eyes.

“Are you looking for someone special, my lord?” Arista kept her voice low and friendly. She didn’t want to give herself away just yet. Meeting out in the open like this
afforded a small measure of safety, since she had no idea who this man was and what he was capable of.

“Aren’t we all?” His gaze slipped over her shoulder, then it came back to rest below her chin. “Maybe you could be that one tonight?” A sly grin curled his lips
up.

“I am here to arrange an exchange of information only, my lord.” She lifted one eyebrow above her scarf and watched the realization dawn in his eyes.

“You?”

Her smile grew bigger and she gave him a mock curtsy. “The one and only.” Arista laid her hand on his chest and reveled at the way his heart pounded furiously under her fingers. If
she were not mistaken, she could detect a trembling in his body as well. A sheen of sweat covered his forehead.

“How does this work?” His gaze darted around them. People crowded the room, but none paid any mind to them. They were just another couple, standing intimately in a shadowy
corner.

“You have something for me?” she asked.

The procedure before had always been to give the client the desired information first, and take their payment—the first installment of money and one of their own secrets—because
Bones did not trust anyone. Wild had told her in the note that she would be collecting only a payment tonight.

If the man could pay what Wild demanded, then she would later deliver what he wanted in return.

Perspiration dotted his forehead, and he patted it away with a square of white cloth. He stroked the end of his cane with his thumb and shifted his weight onto his good leg. Then he squared his
shoulders, giving the appearance of height, and let his eyes roam back to her face.

“How do I know you’ll honor your part of this exchange?”

Arista smiled slowly. “You really don’t, my lord. But I guess it depends on if the information you seek is worth a small bit of trust.”

He snorted. “You’re a glorified extortionist. Why would I trust you?”

“Then I guess we’re done here. Good evening, sir.” Arista turned away and counted to three under her breath. There was no way this man would let her walk away. Not after
he’d gone to the trouble of setting up a meeting with her.

“Wait.”

When she turned, she kept her face a mask of cool indifference. “Yes?”

“Take it.” He thrust a pouch at her, and she took it from him just as quickly. The small reticule at her wrist was the perfect size, and she slipped it inside. “And if you
think to double-cross me, I will make you pay,” he threatened.

How many times had she heard the exact same thing? “That’s the chance you take for your own greed, my lord. Provided that what you’ve given me is worth the information you
seek, I will be in touch soon.”

“You had better.” With that, he turned and stormed away.

“Thank you, my lord. It was a pleasure,” Arista called out at his retreating back. A few curious heads swiveled her way and she smiled. Tonight had been a success, and if Wild held
his end of the bargain, she would have a nice-sized reward.

The first time she’d be compensated for the risk she took. The idea made her insides feel fizzy, like the punch at the Carstairs’ party.

One bold gentleman moved in front of her.

“Would you care to dance?”

He was tall and had broad shoulders, and smelled of sweet cigars. The exhilaration of the exchange filled her with tense energy. Perhaps one dance would help to ease the pressure.

“Yes, thank you.” The man swept her into his arms and onto the dance floor. They twirled around to an upbeat tune and laughter broke free from her throat.

She had not danced like this ever before; not this wild and carefree. With Grae it had been all about the contact, the slow swaying that set her body on fire. Tonight she felt as if she could
fly away.

Before, at the end of each exchange, Nic had led her away from the party, more for her own safety than anything else. Tonight she had no worries. Lady A had appeared, and she did what had to be
done; and now Arista was free to enjoy herself for a little while.

No one knew who she was.

The man spun her around, her feet barely touching the floor. The tension in her body faded and a new excitement took its place. Never in her life had she embraced such freedom.

By the time the last strains of the orchestra fell silent, Arista could not catch her breath. Her face hurt from smiling so much. The man had been a gentleman, and his hands fell away as soon as
the music stopped.

“I won’t ask for your name, but would you care to stroll in the garden?” His low-timbred voice caused pleasant vibrations along her skin. Nothing like when she was with Grae,
but she didn’t feel her usual distaste at having a man so close to her. Still, leaving the party with him might be one risk too many.

“You’ll have to excuse me,” she said with a smile, and left before he could protest. A breath of cool night air did sound nice, so she headed toward the door herself.

A figure stepped out of the shadows. Grae? Arista blinked. He wore no disguise tonight, so it was definitely him. He didn’t look happy to see her, and truth be told, she was not happy to
see him. Not here, not when she was conducting business he had no right to know about.

“What are you doing here?’ she demanded.

“I came here so I could watch you conduct your
business
,” he said. “To try to understand why you were doing it.” She saw raw pain in his eyes as he pushed past
her.

Arista stood in stunned silence. Grae was halfway to the doors before she could move her feet. By the time she reached him, he had stepped outside. She grabbed his arm and tugged.
“It’s not what you think.”

“I know what I saw,” he ground out. “You asked me to trust you? I almost did.”

He jerked his arm free and stormed toward the street. This was not how it was supposed to be. “Grae, please wait.” Arista ran to catch up with him. Carriages were still bringing
people to the party, so she took his hand and pulled until he followed her farther down the street, away from anyone who might overhear.

“So you can tell more lies?”

“No, so I can tell you the truth.” Frustration welled up inside her. She didn’t want to lie to him, so she had to tell him at least part of the truth. She hated the way he was
looking at her now. “I despise my job.” The doubt in his eyes only made her want him to understand all that much more. “It’s never been my choice, what I do. I hate
controlling people’s lives, but it’s not something I can simply refuse to do.”

“And dancing with strangers, that’s how you find new business?”

Embarrassment heated her cheeks. Why had she given in to the urge to let loose tonight? Of course it was the same night Grae decided to follow her. “That’s not it at all. I’m
only the go-between. I make the deliveries and collect the information.” She kept her voice low in case anyone was near enough to hear. Her pulse thundered in her ears. This was more than
anyone outside of her circle knew.

Grae now held Lady A’s fate in his hands.

“So, what was that, then? The dancing. The laughing with that man?” Grae demanded. He held her shoulders and looked right into her eyes. His gaze was hard, his lips thin with anger.
“Because from where I was standing, you didn’t seem to despise your work at all.”

She set her jaw, and her lips thinned as well. “It’s complicated.”