Chapter 208

Cecilia's pov I paused, slightly taken aback. This VIP lady certainly had an interesting way of making conversation--flitting from wistful nostalgia to casual questioning in under five seconds. She clearly assumed I was some heiress from one of Denver's old-money families. How very country-club of her. "Madam," I replied with a playful smile, "isn't the entire point of a masquerade to preserve the mystery? I'm afraid I can't answer that question." She studied my face more carefully as I spoke, something flickering in her eyes--recognition, maybe? Or suspicion? Hard to tell in this lighting. "You're absolutely right," she laughed."What was I thinking? That Mrs. Dahlia and her themed parties... always reinventing the wheel. Why turn a perfectly good gala into a masquerade?" "Exactly," I agreed lightly. Privately, I thought:Probably to set you up, VIP lady. That gold mask had felt like bait wrapped in satin. Whatever it was meant to trigger, it wouldn't have ended well for her. Why Mrs. D