MASKED CHARADES

CHAPTER 37

Aileen, Damon and Beth were now seated in their carriage heading back to the townhouse. Aileen thought deeply about a few inklings the night revealed before her and tried to hold the pieces together. She was certain of one thing, Craske was definitely involved in treason against the country and helped French to take hold of the important information those documents held. She was appeased at the thought of saving those papers from reaching in wrong hands and due to Damon were safely back with British government. 'How much I wish I could remember his face. It would have been a lot easier to locate him.' She thought. 

The thought of Craske being Crooke crossed her mind several times, but she could not bring herself to come over a reason for the title bestowed upon him. Then, again Crooke could be someone who assisted him in the illegal work. She could not speak with Damon and discuss the matter with him at what she heard as Damon have hastily escorted her back into the hall. She could not converse with him, with so many people around. 

While Aileen formed all the rational thoughts and strategies in her mind, Beth sat in front of her with a scowl on her face. It has been fifteen minutes at most since they sat there and Beth had a scowl marked on her face from the same time. Aileen rolled her eyes at her and bit her lip from the smile that was about to come. Sometimes, Beth behaved like a young child and Damon behaved like her Uncle. 

It all started when after dinner, ladies were escorted to the Ladies parlor and offered tea. Gentlemen excused themselves to a different setting for some drinks and smoke. After few minutes, Damon decided we should take a leave and that is when it was brought to notice Beth was nowhere to be seen.

At first, they have thought that she have wandered to powder room to tend to herself. Though, after few minutes, Damon have to drag her out from the manor and escort her to the carriage as he asked apologies on her behavior to some Gentleman.

All in all, Beth stalked the poor fellow since she was drunk to her core and landed upon him. She fell on him and he could not bring himself to get her off of himself as she clung to his person for dear life. They were found in a compromising position by Damon and he was thankful nobody else was in attendance to their predicament.

Aileen chuckled in remembrance as a thought came to her mind. If they both would have been found by someone from society, would they have been forced to marry. Now that would have been something scandalous. For the beginning five minutes of the ride, Beth have slurred all the profanities at Damon which he listened nonchalantly. Then the next five minutes was Beth's turn to endure the preaching from Damon over proper behavior in society. Aileen wanted to snort at that, but she did not wanted to cross him in that vile mood of his. 

Aileen smiled at both of them. Though, they were aunt and nephew, they behaved like two children that too siblings. Both of them were so similar in conduct. Even though, Damon lectured Beth on behaving in a certain manner in public, Aileen knew he himself could not behave so. All the evening he had tried to rile her up and he succeeded in that to some extent as well. Although, the reason for Aileen's rage was not his act, but the fact how his being near affected her to the core. 

Whole evening Aileen have tried to focus on the main reason for attending the ball, but her heart had betrayed her whenever Damon was around. His presence under her gown, jilted so many emotions and feelings in her which she was not even sure existed before. Everytime his intimacy will take her to that heart wrenching moment in maze where she have let all her fears and walls break to have his lips on hers. That kiss she could never forget and she never regretted it. 

However, she could not let such feelings surface in her as she knew of Damon's wayward ways. He only lived for himself and certainly he was known for being an emotionless Marquis. Aileen did not want her heart to be shattered in the middle of her journey to reach Crooke. She will save her heart from him and will only focus on her aim of life, to kill Crooke.