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seen a woman like her, and she seemed to hold more meaning for him than he could understand. Did she have anything to do with…?
    Shifting his mystified eyes forward, he noticed a few books on his dresser that were not his. They belonged to Carden Romanoff, the man who had just been there. He sighed and stood again, picking the books up and walking back into his foyer. He left his room for the hall to find Romanoff and give him back his books, and he did so without a second thought of the women, because he knew he would see neither of them. Those ladies would not have been assigned a chamber down the West hallway.
     
    Chapter 4
     
    Rein still sat in the lobby, her wet cloak now around her arm, and bag in hand. The piano piece had ended, so she stood to go down to her chamber.
    As she entered the V-Wing, her eyes couldn’t help but wander up and down, carefully studying portraits lining the corridor walls. There were portraits of families, couples, children, and single persons. Strange …there were no portraits in any of the other halls she had seen. Also, the expressions and positions of the people were alarming, and she felt her heart beginning to beat wildly. She shifted her glance to straight ahead of her, right down the hall. The sconces’ candlelight began to appear dimmer and dimmer as she walked, as if the hall was supposed to be closed off. With a shake of her head and an uncertain smile, she cleared her throat and searched for her room number. Why was she feeling so peculiar?
    Just as her heart had begun to calm, she noticed a shadow drawing near to her out of the dimness. She heard footsteps clicking on the wooden floorboards, and she stopped cold when she realized that the dark figure was walking in her direction, slowly becoming more visible as it neared. Her heart swelled and hammered ferociously, and her mind began to exaggerate things.
    But then the deep pounding of her heart relaxed into a light, unnoticeable beat. It was an oblivious gentleman approaching from the darkness with a few books in his hands, and a regretful feeling overwhelmed her for her senseless panic. What harm—? Her thoughts suddenly stopped as fast as her footsteps did. She could see the man more clearly under the sconces as he neared, and she lost her breath when she got a better look.
    His muscular physique clung to her eyes from the distance. His hair was longer: it was about three quarters down his neck, somewhat long in the front as well, and a bit shaggy. It was very dark in color, but the terrible lighting made it difficult to tell whether it was black or brown. He wore no hat, either, to her surprise. It was the custom for men to wear hats, usually without exception, but it was no bother to her. She could see already that he was tall and very broad-shouldered, and his waist was thin, which enhanced his build even further. He strode toward her with a walk most precise, like a trained soldier from the military. There wasn’t the slightest sign of a slouch in his posture, yet his neck was not held tight or high by the stiff collar men generally wore. In fact, he wore only a loose white shirt—the sleeves thin but full to the wrists where they buttoned—under a waistcoat with a small and simple white cravat. His boots were displayed above his dark trousers.
    She waited for him to notice her as she stood motionless in the corridor. He was still looking down, organizing his reading in his strapping arms, and when he came within a few feet of her, she felt captivated by his entire presence.
    She could see clearly that he was young and extraordinarily handsome, but very pale. A shadow of bristles covered his chin and jaw, and after reviewing the fact that he was unshaven, wore no hat, and had on only a simple, loose shirt, she surmised that he was probably a rugged type of character. Though he gazed downward, his eyes unseen, and despite being unshaven, his features were perfect: his face was chiseled immaculately, and his nose and