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I carefully backed up from my hiding spot, using one outstretched hand to keep the door from slamming shut and alerting everyone to my presence. When I was all the way out of the room, I clasped the ancient black knob and eased the door shut, as slowly and quietly as I possibly could.
When it closed with only the softest of clicks, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief and hurried down the steep spiral stairs. I pushed the bookshelf back around, grabbed the martinis from the dusty table, and fled from the little room.
The two men who’d given me the key earlier were still in their spot by the accent table in the hall, heads bowed close together and shoulders tensed. Clearly, their argument wasn’t over yet.
With my heart pounding, I headed toward them and held the ancient gold key out in my free hand. “I need to return this,” I murmured, keeping my eyes low.
One of the men frowned. “Weren’t you supposed to leave those drinks on the table?”
“Sorry?”
He gestured toward the tray with the two martinis. “You were meant to leave them in the Rose Room. The old library. Right?”
I nervously licked my lips. It all made sense now. These men thought I’d received a drink order for the weird upstairs party—meaning they knew all about it, and were probably there earlier—but they hadn’t expected me to actually find it. When they gave me the key, they expected me to simply enter the dusty so-called library and leave the drinks on that little table.
They had no idea that I would spot the footprints in the dust and discover the swinging bookshelf which led into the secret staircase nook. And they definitely had no idea that I would sneak up those stairs and spy on that wild sex party.
“Oh. There was a note on the table saying they didn’t want the drinks anymore,” I said, forcing a genial smile. “There was no one in there, either, so I guess they just didn’t feel like hanging around a musty old library anymore.”
The man grunted and took the key. “Right.”
“I better go now. I have other orders to fill,” I said before turning and heading down the hall on shaky legs. I could feel the men’s eyes on my back as I went, but I didn’t turn around.
I found the Gardenia room, dropped off the martinis, and hurried downstairs. The cold, panicky feeling in my system hadn’t dissipated, and all I wanted to do was get the hell out of here and go home. Back to my little house in Silvercreek, away from all these rich people and their strange, sinful party games.
When I reached the foot of the main staircase, I almost bumped right into Charles Connery. He smiled and raised his brows. “Everything all right, Delaney?”
I gulped. “Yes, sir. I’m fine. But I was wondering if I could leave a bit early. I know I’m supposed to stay until the party ends, but I just remembered I have a paper due on Monday, and I really need to get started on it.”
He glanced at an ornate clock on the wall. Then he let out a short groan and slapped a palm against his forehead. “Of course. It completely slipped my mind that you’re only sixteen. You must have a ton of homework.”
“Seventeen,” I said, though it didn’t matter in the slightest. I was just blurting things out because I was so nervous.
“Right. Seventeen,” he said with a slow nod. “Anyway, my apologies. I shouldn’t have kept you here so late. The other staff members don’t have school on Monday, so they can handle the rest of the work tonight.”
I gave him a small, grateful smile. “Thank you, Mr. Connery. I really appreciate it.”
“It’s no problem. What’s the paper on?”
My brows rose. “Sorry?”
“Your school paper. What’s it about?”
The flush in my cheeks deepened. I’d already forgotten all about my lie.
C’mon, you aren’t usually this dumb,I told myself. I put it down to what I’d witnessed upstairs; temporary foolishness caused by pure shock. “Oh, that,” I said meekly. “It’s a history assignment. Civil War.”
“Ah, interesting. I love history.” He cocked his head to one side. “You know, we have a fully-stocked library right here in the house if you’d like to come and use it someday. It wouldn’t be any bother at all, and I’m sure my sons wouldn’t mind helping you out if you get lost or need a fresh pair of eyes on your work. They’re around your age, so they’re probably working on similar assignments.”
I swallowed hard. Honestly, after what I’d seen tonight, I never wanted to come back to this house again. Even though it seemed like I was completely overreacting, because everything upstairs seemed consensual, the events I’d witnessed had struck something at my very core. It felt like there was a stick hitting a gong inside me, resulting in a loud, reverberating hum in my mind; an alarm telling me that something was deeply wrong.
“Thanks so much for the offer, Mr. Connery, but I’m all set. I took out a ton of books from the school library.”
He nodded. “All right. The offer is always there if you need it for future assignments,” he said. “Your mom is one of my favorite staff members, so if I can help out her kids in any way, I’m happy to do so.”
He lay a hand on my shoulder as he spoke, and I flinched.
“Are you sure you’re all right, Delaney?” he asked, concern filling his eyes. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
