The Heartbeat Thief Read Online Free PDF

innocent-looking eyes. “Although intimacy wouldn’t be such a terrible thing.”
    “Felicity!” Senza feigned a gasp. Her friend’s boldness no longer shocked her, but she did her best to appear as such, should anyone have overheard.
    “Can’t help it, Senza.” Felicity sighed and fanned herself. “He was the most interesting partner I’ve had all month. Reminds me of Jane’s Wylie. Wouldn’t be a hardship to dance with him again.”
    Well-acquainted with Felicity’s older sister and her dashing brother-in-law, Senza found herself nodding in agreement. “The way he looked at you, I dare say he’d like to be the only partner you’ll ever have again.”
    “Well, he’ll be disappointed. Mr. Pembroke requested the next dance. A quadrille.”
    “Miss Fyne.” A gentleman’s voice claimed their attention and the girls curtseyed. Senza was acquainted with Mr. Thomas, the son of a London barrister who did frequent business with her father. “I had wondered if you would be attending. Shall I have the honor of dancing with you?”
    Senza gave him a perfunctory smile as she remembered their interactions from previous dances. Thomas tended to smile extra hard when he looked at her, and he emanated heat like a fireplace. But he was polite, and considerate of her comfort, and didn’t press conversation. Overall, dancing with Mr. Thomas was not a terrible thing, as he had a certain deftness of foot that survived most exercises. Thankfully, the quadrille involved more stepping than skipping. “Mr. Thomas. You may.”
    He flashed a smile that looked borne in relief. “I’ll await you in the ballroom. Miss Fyne. Miss Keating.”
    With a belated nod to Felicity, he hurried away, face beaming with conquest, presumably to await the arrival of his prize.
    “That poor man.” Felicity clucked her tongue. “He just doesn’t understand, does he? He scampered off as if you’d promised to marry him.”
    “As if I’d—wait. Who…?” The words died in her throat and Senza gaped, distracted by someone on the other side of the room.
    Felicity craned her head to see who had stolen her friend’s attention.
    The room faded around Senza, the noise of the guests thinning, the press of the crowd easing. A lone figure stepped into the doorway. The world just fell away, tatters and pieces that faded around her. The only real, tangible thing in the room was that stranger.
    For a moment, Senza forgot how to breathe. Who was he ?
    Tall, but not towering. Nice shoulders, a handsome coat. The cut of the jacket hinted at a pleasant physique, the material gleaming darkly with a hint of silk. His hair was longer than the others wore, dark and smooth and drawn back in a ribbon, although a fringe had fallen loose. The strands hung down in a boyish tumble to frame his eyes, large and black and shimmering like obsidian.
    Those eyes were fixed upon hers.
    When he noticed her looking at him, he flashed a sharp, secret smile. Nothing boyish about it. That look made something inside her flutter, high up between her ribs. She struggled to draw a breath, her corset suddenly too tight—
    And then, he was gone. Disappeared into the crowd. Vanished like a ghost.
    She started after him without hesitation. She had to speak to him. The need was overwhelming and desperate.
    There. That doorway. He must have gone through there.
    Beyond, the wide corridor turned sharply around the perimeter of the cross-shaped ballroom. She scanned each direction, catching a glimpse of long black coattails flashing around the corner to the left. A throaty chuckle tickled the edge of her hearing. She bunched her gown and pattered after the voice, always a step behind.
    Rounding the corner, out of breath, her disappointment blossomed. Still nowhere to be seen. Another snatch of soft laughter. She ran after it, turning corner after evergreen-trimmed corner. No open doors. No sign of him. Midway through the corridor stood wide the doorway to the ballroom within and she lunged