Chapter 19
"Tiffany! Tiffany! Wake up!"
She relished her even breathing and heartbeat. Was she in heaven? Her eyes opened slowly. Sébastien's concerned face stared down at her, his hand on her forehead. Behind him, the sky was decked with stars that winked at her. Yes, she thought, she must be in heaven.
Concern still in his eyes, he asked, "How are you doing?"
"Not…not so well," the grinding pain in her head was back. "What happened?"
"I saw you trip and caught you before you fell to the floor. The ballroom's in mayhem. Everyone's fleeing the ballroom as quickly as they can. I carried you out the door backstage and laid you down here to see if you were okay."
She groaned. "Where is my family?"
"I'm sorry, I wouldn't know. I'm not acquainted with them. Furthermore, looking for someone in that ballroom now would be like looking for a needle in a haystack."
"But I have to find them! I came in Lawrence's carriage, I don't have a carriage of my own. If they leave without me, I won't be able to return." She stood up shakily in panic, and stumbled her way back to the château. Sébastien followed in silence.
Yet, she couldn't find them. She circled the château thrice and approached people who would care to hear her out. They all hadn't seen her family and told her it would be impossible to find them. Then, they all invariably rushed off as soon as they gave one last sympathetic look.
She had looked everywhere, short of the ballroom itself, which Sébastien had forbidden her to look in. Three hours later, they rushed to the front porch only to see the last carriage roll away. She knew it was hopeless.
She slowly sat down on the front steps, her expression lost and tired. "You should return home yourself. I have taken up enough of your time."
Sébastien looked at her with incredulity, "And leave you here alone?"
It was silent for a moment. Then his eyes lit up. "Why didn't I think of it before? Tiffany, weren't you and your family residing at the Hôtel Parisienne?"
"Yes, we were. Why?"
He offered her a hand. "My stallion would still be in the stables, I presume. We could ride to the hotel to look for your family, since they must have left without you!"
Her eyes shot up to look at him. "Thank you."