A guard, witnessing the scene, quickly called for another driver to take her to the g.


    By the time Cherry arrived, Hannah, Peter, and Samuel were already at the entrance. She had spent the entire ride urging the driver to go faster, terrified they would leave her behind and she wouldn''t get to see Quennel.


    "Well, look who finally made it," Samuel teased as she rushed up to them. "I saw you get out of the car. I thought you decided not toe."


    Cherry shot him a venomous re but, noticing the crowd, quicklyposed herself and forced a smile.


    "Mind your own business. Were you even invited?" she muttered under her breath.


    "As a matter of fact, I was. You weren''t," Samuel retorted with a smug grin. "Say one more word, and I''ll make sure you don''t get in. Everyone here knows who you are. Imagine how they''llugh when they see you turned away at the door."


    He leaned in closer. "Your friends are probably already inside. What do you think they''ll say when they start whispering about you behind your back?"


    A flicker of panic crossed Cherry''s face. She had seen some of her friends wave


    to her on their way in. The thought of them finding out she''d been barred at the door was mortifying.


    "Hannah promised she''d let me in!"


    She was about to appeal to Hannah but saw that she and Peter had already started walking inside.


    "Hey, wait for me!" Cherry cried, truly afraid they would abandon her. She gathered her skirts and hurried after them. Hannah had already proven she was capable of tricking her and driving off; she wasn''t taking any chances.


    Fortunately, she made it inside without incident. But as she scanned the crowded ballroom, she couldn''t find Quennel anywhere. She wanted to ask Hannah to help her look, but Hannah was busy being introduced to people by Peter and Samuel and had no time for her.


    "What if he''s not even here?" she


    muttere


    to herself, clutching a


    ss of wine. "If he didn''t c


    what was the point af all this


    Though she couldn''t find Quennel, her eyesnded on another familiar face:


    Lionel, making his way through the crowd.


    Hmph. If you won''t help me find Quennel, I''ll find him myself!


    She approached Lionel, wine ss in


    hand. "You


    must be my


    brother-inw," she said smool


    "I''m Cherry, Sean Sean''s daughter  s?novels


    She knew about Hannah and Lionel''s secret marriage and wasn''t foolish enough


    to expose it in public and risk their wrath.


    "Is Hannah here?" he asked, his eyes


    scanning the room. He had heard she would be attending and had


    "If you want to know, you''ll have to do something for me first."


    Lionel sized her up. He had heard about this particr heiress—arrogant and entitled.


    "What is it?"


    "Is Quennel here? Take me to him. I need to talk to him about something," she said with a simpering smile.


    Lionel studied her for a moment. "He''s here. I''ll take you."


    "Great!"


    Cherry followed him eagerly, thinking to herself that Hannah was incredibly lucky to have married him.


    "He''s in the second-tost private room down that hall," he said. "Now, is Hannah here?"