Legacy Disowned - Book 2

Chapter 12 - The Solstice Gala

Sebastian was sitting at the large, cluttered table in the Room of Requirement. The room had recently provided the table along with six chairs since they'd enlisted the help of their friends and started planning for this very night.

Right now Ominis and Garreth would be checking in with Professor Weasley before their departure. They'd had to be careful not to allow Deek to find out exactly what they were up to, just that Ominis, Darling, Imelda and Garreth were attending a formal event away from the castle. Not that she could have done anything about it anyway. Technically it was their winter break and they were all of age. Informing her of their departure was more just to cover their bases should they run into Professor Black at the event.

Jackdaw had already gone ahead so he would be able to give them a run down on what was going on inside when they arrived. Ominis and Garreth would be arriving with Imelda and Poppy shortly, and Sebastian was making use of the time to make sure he truly had committed the layout of the manor to memory.

Poppy was to get the necklace from the drawing room with Jackdaw's help locating it. Darling had been surprised when Sebastian hadn't insisted on taking on that responsibility himself but he had to be the one to search for evidence, he couldn't tell any of them the nature of the information he was really after. So he was putting his faith in the two of them to pull it off and secure Anne's salvation.

His fingers traced over the lines of the study of Mr. Malfoy on the third floor complete with its own private terrace. They had agreed that travelling to the upper floors of the Manor was too risky, that Sebastian was to keep his search for incriminating evidence to the office on the main floor and the library. But he couldn't help but think that that space on the third floor seemed far more like the place the Malfoy Patriarch would spend most of his time.

"You know," Darling's voice drifted from the far side of the room where she was changing behind a dressing screen. "I always thought these proper lady hair styles looked like a terrible waste of time but... I must say, I clean up quite nicely if I do say so myself."

"Darling, do try to take this seriously," Sebastian called back, though the corner of his mouth twitched slightly as he scanned over the documents yet again. He was glad she had warmed towards the plan over the last weeks, but they couldn't afford any mistakes tonight. If all went to plan, they would be walking away with a cure for Anne, and information that might protect Darling from Alphonse Burke. Hell, he might even find some clue as to the Gaunt's link to Isadora, but he didn't want to get ahead of himself—

"Sebastian, could you come here for a moment," Darling called out from behind the dressing screen. "I need your help."

Sebastian froze halfway through flipping to the next blue print. She needed his help... behind the dressing screen? His imagination strained against its tethers as he tried to process this very simple request. Visions of her petite frame, clad in next to nothing swam through his mind, standing there, waiting for him... Perhaps she needed help tightening her corset. The heat that rose in him at the thought went to more than just his cheeks.

"Sebastian?" she called again, uncertainly, "Are you still there?"

"Uh–uh yeah," he stammered, feeling himself growing even redder.

"Well come on then" she said, and he could practically hear her roll her eyes, "I need you."

Merlin curse her choice of words.

Trying his best to banish the provocative images from his mind, he stood and crossed the room. He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before peering hesitantly around the screen. Sebastian's eyes went wide at the sight that greeted him and for a moment he was certain he'd forgotten how to breathe.