Blair eyed Chuck intently as he busied himself with answering her and texting, trying to determine if there was anything he wasn't telling her. She would never have thought of Chuck Bass possessing ill-advised chivalric impulses, but now she wasn't so sure. It seemed he was relaying everything Bart had said, but it was frustrating feeling out of the loop. Her shoulders sagged as he announced the text messages, relieved to hear that at least her best friend and boyfriend were safe for the time being. Well, as safe as any of them were until they made it to the Palace. She tried not to think of their other classmates, or how her mother and Dorota might be doing. Eleanor was in Paris last she had heard, and Dorota could surely take care of herself.
"Of course it is," she responded brightly, rushing to sound confident and collected. The last thing she needed was for Chuck to keep seeing her as some pathetic, weak little girl that he had to take care of. It was bad enough now when they had been in actual, immediate danger. She had to put a stop to it before they met up with the rest of their friends. "Tonight has been... well, surreal to put it lightly. But we'll be at the Palace soon."
As if in answer to her declaration, a car horn suddenly sounded from the street outside. Blair jumped, her started reaction undermining the confident, controlled persona she had been trying to present to Chuck.