Dawn walked over to the bookcase and peered into the opening. She was met with total darkness and an earthy and musty smell. She stepped back right into Cree. His arm went around her to keep her from tumbling and she leaned back against him, as if it was the most natural thing for her to do.
He held her there, close, a hint of honeysuckle drifting off her and teasing his nostrils. His hand hugged the side of her waist, finding a slight curve there where his hand fit perfectly. He had to fight the urge to give it a possessive squeeze, as if marking her with his touch, before drifting up to cup her breast that would spill slightly over in his hand.
A noise, a scurrying of sorts, brought him back to his senses and he reluctantly released her. “I should have remembered my da telling me how he and Lady Ann would play in the secret passageway when they were young as I did with Sloan and my sister. Evidently, she remembered. I’m going to go in after her. Go and let my sister and her husband know where I am and what I’m doing.”
Dawn shook her head.
Cree tilted his head, not quite believing she refused to do as he asked. “No?”
She nodded and tapped his chest, then hers, and stuck two fingers together and pointed into the darkness.
“You’re going with me?” he asked with a chuckle, knowing that was not going to happen.
Dawn didn’t find it humorous. She gave a curt nod and went to step around him and enter the secret passage.
“Hold on there,” he said, taking hold of her arm. “Neither of us have cell phones with us as well as the guests. My mum banned them from the event. So, I have no way of letting anyone know where we are and that could prove dangerous. Someone has to be alerted to our whereabouts.”
With her finger, Dawn appeared to write on her hand.
“Leave a note,” Cree said, understanding her simple gesture. “Or you could do as I say and alert my family.”
She shook her head firmly, refusing, and stood firm in the entrance to the secret passage.
He brought his face close to hers. “You’re a brave one to defy me.”
Dawn smiled, nodded, and patted her chest, agreeing with him, and shooed him away to hurry and write the note.
He admired her bravery, but he wasn’t about to let her put herself in danger.
The scurrying noise sounded again and Dawn waved her hand at Cree to hurry and be done so they could go find Lady Ann.
Cree had to agree with her eagerness to get going and truth be told, he felt she would probably be safer with him than on her own. Or was it that he wanted her with him, that he didn’t want to let her go? He went to the round table and snatched a notepad and pen from the center drawer and scribbled a quick note.
He headed back to Dawn and made a point of taking firm hold of her hand. Without a voice, she would have no way of calling out to him if something should happen and that thought frightened the hell out of him. “Stay close.”
She nodded, squeezing his hand, letting him know she planned to do just that.
The passageway was narrow and Cree shined the torch on the floor. “Be careful where you step. The floor boards are old and rotted in some spots,” he warned.
Dawn followed close behind him, keeping her hand locked with his. Not that she liked to admit it, but having no voice did leave her vulnerable. When she was young her mum made her wear a whistle on a chain around her neck. It was a way for her to call out for help if needed and there had been two times when she had had to use it. She would love an assistant dog, but none were trained to deal with her particular disability.
“I know this passageway well,” Cree whispered. “Sloan and I used to explore it in hopes of finding the Carrick brooch.”
Dawn recalled seeing an article in The Scotsman a few days ago about the brooch that was believed to be hidden somewhere in the castle. Her eyes widened, not that Cree could notice, when she remembered the name of the Carrick ancestor and his wife he had given the brooch to… Cree and Dawn.
“I believe someone long ago absconded with the brooch, leaving the legend in its place to hide his crime. Besides, as the legend goes only the true Dawn can remove it from the castle, an unlikely prospect since she’s been dead these eight hundred plus years. Anyone else who tried is doomed to die. We Scots do love our legends.”
They continued walking along the passageway, Dawn brushing cobwebs, Cree missed, out of her way.
“A few more turns and this part of the passageway will bring us to the kitchen area, the pantry to be exact,” Cree explained, keeping his voice to a whisper. “If we find nothing by then, you’ll exit there and alert my family. And don’t bother to argue with me about it this time. You’ll do as I say.” He should have remembered how dangerous these passageways could be and not allowed her to accompany him. But he liked her there close by him, his hand clasped firmly around hers, and the scent of honeysuckle drifting off her.
She knew tenaciousness when she heard it. She was known for it herself, but then she had had no choice. Without a voice, if she had not been stubborn at times, she would have never succeeded in anything she attempted to do. Like now, having stubbornly refused to leave his side. It was where she wanted to be, where she belonged. She shook her head. She had to curb such ridiculous thoughts.
Cree stopped suddenly. “Quiet,” he whispered.
That he spoke to her like she had a voice that others could hear had her smiling. It faded when she heard the reason for his warning, voices arguing in the distance. She followed quietly behind Cree as he crept forward, dimming his torch.
“Are you an idiot?” Lady Ann asked. “I told you where to look and you waste your time in this area. My ancestor—”
“The peasant in your family that no one dares talk about?” Colum said with a chuckle.
“That doesn’t matter.” Though, her snappish tone said otherwise. “He didn’t work in this section of the castle. He worked in the gallery area where I showed you on the map. That’s probably where he hid the brooch after finding it.”
“Yeah, because he couldn’t take it with him, or so your family’s tale goes,” Colum said. “He returned to get it another time and was never heard from again. Don’t you think he found it and took off with it, keeping the money for himself? Or maybe the curse got him and he’s dead somewhere in these walls.”
“Enough,” Lady Ann said. “We made a deal. You got access to the secret passageway so you can get past the guards and steal those documents for your client, Goddard Industries, and in return you search for the brooch. You can’t do that if you’re not searching in the right place.”
“The two supposedly ill servants are just about reaching Lord Cree’s private study and should be starting on the safe shortly. They’ll get into it soon enough, then we’ll search for the brooch, though I’ve warned you, we can’t promise we’ll find it.”
“I’ll start searching.”
“Are you sure everyone believes you’re gone?” Colum asked.
“Those fools fell for everything. Me bumping into that voiceless servant, who you setup to have framed for this, was the perfect pawn since she can’t really defend herself, though I’m annoyed I missed her apron pocket when I went to drop the ring on her. Still, it got me into the library, which is where I knew they’d bring me, like father like son. Douglas always saw to immediate problems there. How advantageous for me since it’s exactly, where I needed to be to enter the secret passageway and retrieve you from the pantry.”
“I need to get back to work before someone notices my absence,” Colum said. “I’ll get back to you as soon as I can sneak away. And remember this all needs to be done by eleven when the dessert extravaganza is revealed. Everyone will be so busy stuffing their faces, you’ll be able to slip away without a problem and my two ill servers can make certain the documents are placed safely in my vehicle.”
Footsteps were heard going in two separate directions and after several minutes of not hearing a sound, Cree turned to Dawn and whispered, “We go back the way we came so
I can alert security to the robbery.”
She nodded and remained still as Cree went to step around her to lead the way. With the passageway so narrow, their bodies brushed against each other’s. The light touch ignited a spark in them both and brought Cree to a halt in front of her. He held the torch so that it cast a faint light upon their faces.
Though he had only met her tonight, he knew her face as if he had seen it countless times. Dark brown eyes sharp with intelligence, a slender nose that sat between high cheekbones and cheeks that forever wore a slight blush. And tempting lips he ached to kiss… once again.
“This may sound strange, but you somehow feel familiar to me,” Cree said, trying to make sense of not only this strange familiarity, but that he felt as if she belonged to him. That they were a couple—no—it was more like they were one and had been for some time. As crazy as the thought seemed, he couldn’t let go of it.
Dawn had had few dates and even fewer kisses, since not many men were interested in dating a voiceless woman. She had never been interested in just a night of sex. She had wanted more. She hadn’t been sure what it was she wanted, though standing here looking at Cree, she wondered if she had just found it.
She placed her hand against his chest and then to hers.
“You feel the same.”
She nodded.
Cree leaned down and as his lips reached for hers, he whispered, “I’ve been waiting so long to kiss you.”
The sparks that had been igniting since meeting burst into flames when their lips touched, the heat of passion running like liquid fire through their bodies, demanding more, so much more than a kiss.
Cree’s arm went around her waist and yanked her up against him, hungry for her, for her familiar taste, a taste he loved.
Mine.
Crazy as it seemed, she was his and always would be.
Dawn’s arms went around Cree’s neck as if welcoming him home where he belonged, where he was meant to be, where he was loved… always.
Their bodies pressed tight against each other’s, needing to be closer, needing to feel what was familiar to them, needing to be as one, once again.
They didn’t hear the first crack of wood, the second followed quickly and was louder.
Cree pulled his mouth away from hers and had just enough time to tighten his arm around Dawn before the floorboards gave way and they plummeted down.
Chapter 7
The drop felt like a good distance and their landing hard, hitting a solid-packed dirt ground. Dawn would have yelped aloud if she could, a jolt of pain shooting through her left hand. It had been the first part of her to hit the ground, having barely a second to tighten her arms around Cree’s neck when she had felt the floor give way beneath them.
A rough quake shuddered through Cree’s body. He had managed to keep his arm firm around Dawn’s waist, and his concern for her had him quickly asking, “Are you hurt?”
Dawn wasn’t sure, the pain in her hand now more centered in her wrist. She worried that she may have broken it, realizing it had taken the brunt of the fall.
He silently cursed himself, realizing she couldn’t verbally answer him. “Dawn.” His hand went to grip the back of her head. With it pitch dark, he couldn’t see her response, so he needed to feel it. He held her head firm as he pressed his forehead to hers. “Nod or shake your head. Are you hurt?”
She didn’t want him to think her injury life-threatening. She nodded, then shook her head.
Her response confused him at first until he understood. “You are but not seriously.”
She nodded.
“Can you sit up?”
She nodded again.
He continued to hold her as he brought them to a sitting position. “Where are you hurt?”
She placed her hand against his arm and followed it down to his hand to take hold of it and brought it to her wrist.
“You hurt your wrist,” he said and with a gentle touch ran his fingers over it. “It hasn’t swelled. “Does it hurt when you move it?”
She rested her cheek to his so he could feel her nod and shake her head again.
Cree felt the heat of her cheek. Was it flushed from the fall or had their forced closeness caused it? Or had it been from their kiss that he continued to feel, strong and ample on his lips? That he understood her responses no longer surprised to him. “It hurts some but not badly.”
She nodded.
“I’ll have Dr. Elsa look at it as soon as we get out of here. An arm sling should help at least protect it until then. Your apron will make a good sling.” He didn’t wait for her to respond, his hands went to her waist.
Dawn rested her head on his shoulder as he did. Her nostrils ignored the musty odor that pervaded the space around them. His scent was all she caught. Strong. Virile. Familiar. She breathed deep of it, feeling once again as if she had come home. She belonged with him. They belonged together.
Cree tried not to let his hands linger at her waist before slipping behind her back to release her apron ties. He loved the feel of her gentle curves, the slight indentation at her back, and the way she sought solace against his shoulder. He didn’t want to hurry this moment. He preferred to linger in it and cherish it. He wanted to be with her and only her. He needed no one else, no one but Dawn.
Safe.
He had to keep her safe, he reminded himself and undid her apron ties. In no time, he had a sling fashioned around her neck and her injured wrist nesting safely in it.
Dawn tapped his chest, took his hand and rested it gently on the sling, then tapped his chest again and ran her hand over his arm and along his chest.
“Are you asking if I’m hurt?” he said.
Dawn rested her brow to his and nodded, the lack of light continuing to make physical contact necessary. Though, she was glad for it. She liked when they touched, finding the warmth of his skin against hers comforting. She had never felt that way with any man she had known. She had always felt quite the opposite.
“No, I’m not hurt,” he assured her.
She reached along his arm to his hand and took hold of his pointer finger and raised it up over their heads.
He understood, though he put it as a question, wanting to feel her cheek against his once again. “How do we get out of here?”
Her cheek went to his and she let it rest there for a few moments. Before she could answer with a nod, he turned his head and captured her lips in a kiss, and she responded without hesitation. In that moment, a strange thought struck her.
I love this man.
The craziness of the sudden thought was difficult to comprehend. Love at first sight? Was it possible? If how he felt toward her could be felt in a kiss, then Dawn felt it trickle through her, slowly invading every part of her, taking root, settling in deep, never to leave.
His hand settled at the back of her head, holding it there, keeping her close, not wanting to let her go. With great effort, he ended the kiss abruptly, resting his brow to hers.
“You’re mine. You’ll always be mine,” he whispered and sealed his words, as if he had declared them law, with another kiss.
His declaration stirred something in her. Something she tried to grasp, tried to remember, something important. What was it? What hung faintly on the fringes of her mind, teasing her memory but refusing to recall it? She grew lightheaded trying with all she could muster to grasp it, to bring it to her, to remember it clearly.
“Dawn?”
She heard Cree say her name, from a distance and when she tried to call out to him… no voice. Still, she had no voice.
Cree, she cried out in her head. Cree don’t leave me.
Cree felt her go limp in his arms and fear, like he had never felt before, hit him like a punch to his gut and tore at his heart until he thought it would beat no more. He cradled her in his one arm, hoping she had simply fainted and that the fall had not done more damage to her.
He stroked her face. “Dawn, I’m here. I’ll always be here for you. Wake up, please wak
e up. I can’t lose you now that I’ve found you. Wake up.” He felt his temper swell and a strange command take hold of him. “Wake up now, Dawn, I command it. You will obey me, wake up!”
Dawn heard the familiar, demanding voice call out to her and she smiled as her hand reached out to squeeze his arm and reassure him.
Relief rushed through Cree and he shook his head, wondering over the strange, forceful tone that had taken hold of him. You will obey me was not something he would say to a woman, so why did it feel right to say it to Dawn?
“You fainted,” Cree said, keeping a gentle hand on her cheek.
She nodded.
“You need a doctor.”
She shook her head.
“It isn’t a suggestion. Dr. Elsa will examine you once we get out of here.” Cree felt her smile and he wished he could see her face, which had him saying. “We need to get out of here. You need to see the doctor, and the robbers caught. Afterwards, you and I will talk.”
Afterwards.
There would be an afterwards with him and that had Dawn’s smile spreading wide, something Cree was pleased to feel.
“The torch dropped from my hand as we fell. It must be here somewhere. If I can find it, then I can figure out where we landed and get us out of here,” he explained. “Do you feel well enough to sit up?”
Dawn nodded and wished that she could somehow tell him she felt good. She had never fainted, not once. Why she had done so, she didn’t know, but she was feeling fine now.
“I’m going to sit you up. If you feel faint just squeeze my hand. I won’t let you go until I’m certain you can do well on your own.”
She nodded again and kept her hand on his arm as he moved her to rest beside him. He kept his word, he didn’t let go of her.
“Can you sit without assistance?”
She nodded after resting her cheek to his.
Cree released her slowly, reluctant to let her go, though eager to see them out of there and this event done so that he could talk with her. He would drive her home later himself. Unless, of course, Dr. Elsa felt she should stay the night, which he would prefer, giving them more time to talk. It was funny that, though, she didn’t have a voice, he felt as if he heard her with every gesture, look, touch.
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