Tonia's POV
I forced myself awake before dawn that morning, driven by a single purpose. I had to find Kermit.
His office door remained stubbornly locked when I tried the handle. When I knocked on his bedroom door, silence greeted me from the other side.
He couldn't have left already, could he? That was exactly why I'd dragged myself out of bed so early. I wanted to catch him before he disappeared for the day.
"He's still sleeping, ma'am." A voice came from behind me as I raised my fist to knock again.
I spun around to see one of the household staff watching me with an amused smile.
"How can you be sure?" I pulled my robe closer around my body.
"I've been cleaning this hallway for the past hour. He hasn't come out once."
Damn.
The urge to camp outside his door was strong, but I'd look like a complete fool standing there in my pajamas.
I trudged back to my room, mentally setting a timer for fifteen minutes before I'd try again.
