by Cheryl Howe
Jesus, Mr. Rudd! Despite his obvious animosity, Mr. Rudd had appointed himself James’s keeper. James frantically searched his robe’s pockets though he was sure he had not locked the door after all.
After finding nothing but the tattered sheepskin condom and no key, James steadied himself and then rammed his shoulder into the door, but the heavy panel refused to budge. That he still didn’t feel any waves of heat did not hinder thick smoke from pouring around the door’s edges. Regretting he didn’t have on boots to kick in the door, James heaved his shoulder against the wood three times before the hinges gave way, then two more before the door opened against the force. James had to fall back as a solid wall of smoke made breathing impossible. He gulped as much clean air as he could and ran into the room. Once inside, James dropped to his knees, the smoke so thick above him that he would surely collapse in short order.
“Mr. Rudd?” James called but no one answered. He crawled on his hands and knees toward the large windows. His progress was halted by something warm and solid. Instantly he knew he’d found a body. Some of the smoke began to clear through the open door and James waved his hands to help it along so he could access the victim. Mr. Rudd’s lifeless features were pale but he didn’t seem to be burned. A quick glance toward the sitting room’s fireplace revealed not even a hint of a flame. James coughed, then held his breath as he hauled Mr. Rudd up and over his shoulder then lumbered from the room.
James stumbled down the hall, desperate for fresh air. He laid Mr. Rudd on the ground, picked up a chair that was much heavier than it looked and bashed out a window. James dropped to his knees beside Mr. Rudd but could do little more than cough.
“My God, James, are you all right?” asked Wesley.
James pointed to Mr. Rudd but found he could not speak. The housekeeper stepped from behind, dropped to her knees and began to open Mr. Rudd’s starched neck cloth. James collapsed to the floor, apparently taking in more smoke than he realized.
“Water,” he croaked. James rubbed his bleary eyes and focused on getting air past his burning nose and throat.
Before anyone could answer his request, James heard the sound of running footsteps.
“I brought water. Where is the fire? Where is…?”
James heard Astra’s voice and turned so he could see her dashing toward him followed by three groomsman carrying buckets.
“I think the fire might have started in James’s room,” he heard Wesley as he directed the groomsman.
“No,” croaked James. “No,” he tried again, his voice more forceful. “Just smoke. Water here.” As much as James needed the water, he knew Mr. Rudd needed it more. That is if he were alive at all. He pointed to Mr. Rudd again. “Water.”
James met Astra’s gaze through the waning smoke that filtered through the shadowed hall. Panic shone clearly in her eyes, but her outside demeanor was calm and in control. She took a heavy bucket from the groomsman, not noticing the water that spilled on her gown as she tried to balance the weight. “Check to make sure the fire is out in Lord Keane’s room.”
James closed his eyes, relieved that Astra had arrived. She would know what to do. He heard splashing and a violent round of coughing. Mr. Rudd sounded to be alive.
The first cold compress to his cheek made James jerk. He opened his eyes to find Astra kneeling beside him. She had dipped the hem of her robe in water and dabbed soot from his face.
“Are you burned?”
He shook his head slightly, trying to remain still so she could tend to him. “Just smoke. Hard to breathe. Mr. Rudd?”
“He’s coming around.” She scooped water into her hands and dribbled the cool liquid over his lips. Grateful, James opened his mouth to let the water slide down his throat. “What happened?”
James had the sudden urge to grab her hand and hold it, then noticed Wesley stood over them. Astra wore the silk gown he only vaguely remembered removing. Well, actually, he remembered taking it off in vivid detail but what lay beneath had interested him more than the garment. Wesley on the other hand, seemed to find enormous interest in Astra’s flimsy gown that would no doubt be translucent if not for the layer of the equally flimsy robe.
James forced himself to sit up. What could he say to explain what had taken place? He feared he might give away an erroneous detail. If he said he was in the library, perhaps someone else had been in that part of the house and would dispute his story. And then there was the locked door. He glanced at Mr. Rudd, who was a man of few words anyway, but right now, he didn’t appear capable of any. His violent coughing had turned his face redder than usual.
One of the groomsmen who had gone into the room, returned rubbing bloodshot eyes. “There wasn’t much of a fire but lots of smoke. We put out what was still smoldering and opened the windows, my lady.”
James suddenly felt the chill from all the open windows and secured his loose robe. He caught Wesley’s gaze and his cousin hardly had time to soften his glare. Wesley immediately turned away. “Very good, then. Everyone off to bed. We shall deal with the mess tomorrow.”
“You could have been killed.” Astra glanced at the door and the broken window. Her troubled gaze showed clearly she was thinking that he would have been if he had not been with her.
“But I wasn’t,” he said, fighting his urge to reach for her. When she turned back to him, his words only seemed to upset her more. She appeared to be trembling.
“But you almost were,” she whispered, her voice on the verge of breaking.
“Mr. Rudd saved my life. I must have fallen asleep. He came in to rescue me,” James said before any speculations arose as to why the door was knocked in from the outside.
“Wesley,” Astra said as she turned away from him and stood. “Please alert the others that it is safe to return to the house. Lady Phillina will catch a chill outside.”
Wesley bowed, and James noted how alert he was for having been awakened in the middle of the night. His thick robe was neatly tied and his light brown hair perfectly groomed. “O’Donald, would you be so kind to do as Lady Keane wishes. I’ll stay and see to his lordship.”
James felt Astra’s troubled gaze on him and he managed a smile. “You think quickly, sending half the house to safety while I almost slept through it all.”
She shrugged but almost smiled at his coded reference to what he’d actually been doing while the fire broke out. “With a small child, you have to be alert to every danger. And I always worry about Lady Phillina being bedridden. I’m glad my actions were overly cautious in this case.”
“I think you’re actions were prudent and correct. Again, I am in your debt.” James stopped himself from saying more. A quick glance to Wesley’s stiff jaw and averted profile hinted his tone had perhaps given too much away.
Wesley studied the broken window. “I hate to inform you that this will be very expensive to replace, James. And the door as well.”
For once, Eastlan’s upkeep was the last thing on James’s mind. “Well, we’re going to have to find the money for the window as well as other repairs. When was the last time the chimneys were swept?”
“It wasn’t an accident.”
James turned to find Mr. Rudd sitting up. He used his sopping neck cloth to wipe his sooty face.
“I don’t recall, James. It must have been before I arrived and that has been at least five years.” Astra wrapped her arms around herself, shivering from more than the open window. “The whole house could have been burned to the ground.”
“Eastlan’s built of solid stone.” James rolled to his feet with as much grace as possible considering the movement made him seriously lightheaded. The wood flooring and roof could have killed them all, but he wanted to erase Astra’s fears. He could no longer help himself. He wrapped a solid, comforting arm around Astra. “It’s just a bit of smoke. I fear Mr. Rudd got the worst of it.”
“Yes, but if Rudd came to your rescue, James, why did you carry him out?” Wesley strolled to the door and examined it with too much enth
usiasm for James’s liking.
Mr. Rudd was sitting up and looking not much worse for his experience. Thankfully, his surly silence worked in James’s favor.
Astra too quickly pulled from his embrace. He thought it was innocent enough considering the circumstances, but he was mistaken.
Not liking the surprise jab of her quick withdrawal, James leaned over to examine Mr. Rudd. “Mr. Rudd must have collapsed while trying to drag me out. I’m a heavy fellow. I was roused by the fall and finished the job, aye, Rudd?”
Mr. Rudd met James’s gaze and struggled to his feet. “All your bleeding new clothes will be ruined. We’ll have to start all over again.”Mr. Rudd’s voice sounded painfully hoarse but then again, it always did.
“I won’t give you any trouble this time. I promise. After all, you saved my life.” James offered his hand to Rudd in confirmation of their secret pact. Mr. Rudd no doubt knew James was not in his room as he claimed.
Mr. Rudd clasped James’s hand in a bone-crushing grip. “You were the one who saved my life and don’t you think I’ll be forgetting it.” Mr. Rudd’s statement sounded more like a threat than a declaration of friendship. He was obviously not pleased with the turn of events.
James had an odd sensation. Perhaps it wasn’t an accident. Mr. Rudd would be the most likely candidate to wish James foul play. But a staged accident was not Rudd’s style. The man was too confrontational.
“If you’ll excuse me, my lord. I’m in need of a wash. Unless you would like me to fetch you one first?” Mr. Rudd asked, though he appeared slightly wobbly on his feet.
James knew better than to mention any perceived weakness in his valet. “All I want is a bed. I have a splitting headache.” James rubbed his brows, realizing that he did indeed have a horrible headache. Though it must be from the smoke, it actually felt more like the beginning of a raging hangover.
“If all is fine here, I’ll see to Lark and Lady Phillina,” Astra gazed at him cautiously. He sensed she did not want to leave his side, but to linger might cause undue speculation.
“I hope your daughter wasn’t frightened.” James suddenly felt fiercely protective of the residents of his household. “Perhaps I should help you reassure the others. We’ll have a chimney sweep out here tomorrow. I promise you that.”
Wesley brushed past James and took Astra’s arm. His gesture was politely formal but it still smacked James as a little too assuming. “I shall accompany you, Astra. I’m sure James is frazzled by his experience. Mr. Rudd, could you show James to the blue room. It should be far enough away from the smoke.”
“But that’s still in the guest wing. I’m sure the bedding has been permeated by the smoke. James should sleep in the family wing,” Astra said, then appeared thoughtful for a moment. “Put him in the room next to Mother’s. It’s a little small, but it will be comfortable for tonight. Perhaps I should show him myself, Mr. Rudd, you seem a bit pale.”
“Not at all, Lady Keane.” Mr. Rudd stood at attention. “I’m quite fit to direct Lord Keane to the pink room.”
With a last glance back at James, Astra allowed Wesley to escort her down the steps to the first floor. James followed Mr. Rudd in the direction of Astra’s room. Family wing? Wesley had not mentioned that fact when he had offered to move from the master suite back to his old room. At the time, James had not exactly been planning on settling in and had chosen to take the empty room. James had liked the fact that the room was in a separate wing of the house but he did not realize what that meant until now. Things were going to change. James would have been the last to anticipate that his role as lord and protector of Eastlan would so abruptly take on greater meaning.
Suddenly, he found it not only imperative that he reside in the family wing, but quite appealing.
CHAPTER TEN
Mr. Rudd slapped a pile of singed twigs on James’s desk. “It wasn’t an accident. Found this stuck in the flue.”
“Could be a bird’s nest.” James picked up Mr. Rudd’s evidence and it shed black ash all over his clean ledger. “I understand that room had been unoccupied for some time.”
Mr. Rudd shook his head. “A bird didn’t lock the door. Explain that, I dare you. I opened it just fine when I entered your sitting room. The bedroom door was locked too.”
“I have a right to lock my door if I choose to, Mr. Rudd.” James tried to stare down Mr. Rudd who only stared back.
“Bah,” Mr. Rudd straightened. His raspier than normal voice shamed James for trying to dismiss Rudd with such transparent lies. He’d be honest with him if he could but he wouldn’t risk exposing Astra. Besides, he was sure the whole event was an accident brought on by a sorely neglected household. The long unused lock could stick and all the chimneys no doubt needed cleaning.
“I don’t care where you were, Lord Keane.” Mr. Rudd studied James as if reading his thoughts. “But I do know you escaped certain danger. Somebody walked over your bloody grave last night and I mean to see it don’t happen again. Someone wants you dead.”
“Perhaps that someone is you. We certainly didn’t get off to a good start.” James tried to look at Mr. Rudd suspiciously, hoping he’d drop the subject. “And how did you get past that locked door?”
“Alright then.” Rudd nodded. “I suspect I know who you’re protecting. Smelled the smoke from the floor above. Could hardly make it through the sitting room. Your bedroom door was locked, but I always carry a key. As we both know, you weren’t in your bed, but the smoke was even thicker in there. I stumbled back out to the sitting room, searching for you but I succumbed to the smoke myself. Never made it to the other door, but we both know someone locked it behind me, hoping I wouldn’t be able to drag you out.”
“Maybe I was on the floor and you tripped over me,” James suggested. The only person James blamed for the fire was himself. After all, he’d been expecting to loot his inheritance like the privateer he’d once been and promptly return to America a wealthy man. In hindsight, he should have viewed Eastlan as he would have a ship he’d purchased, having the thing inspected to ensure it was seaworthy. He should have done the same with Eastlan. “And in old houses like this, doors swell in the heat, as well as locks.”
A knock on the door rescued James from further explanation. “Come in,” James called.
Astra peered around the door. “Excuse me, Lord Keane, but I thought you wanted to see me. I shall return when you’re free.”
“Mr. Rudd and I are finished, I believe.” The incident with the smoke last night had plagued James far less than what had come before it. “Again, Mr. Rudd, thank you for saving my life. As long as I’m the baron, you will always find employment with me.”
“And you, my lord, better get used to my mug. I plan to see you as baron until you’re old and gray or I’m dead. Not losing another baron on my watch.”
Mr. Rudd turned to leave, pausing only to bow to Astra who lingered on the other side of the study. Once Mr. Rudd firmly closed the door behind him, Astra made no move to lessen the gap between them.
“I see you two still aren’t getting on well. I know he saved your life, but you should not let him speak to you so disrespectfully.” She wrapped her arms protectively around her trim waist and practically hugged the far wall.
James stood, came around the desk, and breeched the space she’d tried to insert between them. The moment he gathered her into his arms, she clung to him and buried her face in his shirt front. Thankfully some of his clothes had been in the laundry and had not been ruined by the smoke. His old clothes. So, though he got what he wanted, he’d have to endure the fittings again.
“You could have been killed, James.”
“But you saved me with your wanton ways.” He kissed the top of her head. Fumbled to feel her beneath the bunched material padding the back of her dress. Her waist was similarly barred by her stiff corset. “Now how am I going to get you out of this contraption?”
She tried to push him away. “You are terrible. I’m serious.”
; “I was never in the room, Astra. Well, at least not until after the fact. And if I had been, I would have smelled the smoke and the whole incident would have been avoided.” The fact that he’d been drowsy as hell before he’d left the room and not sure he would have noticed the smoke at all, he kept to himself.
Instead of being pacified, she stiffened and pushed harder against his chest until he released her. “We could have been caught together.”
“But we weren’t.” James watched her escape to stand at a window, staring out on Eastlan’s lawn instead of facing him. He came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Was your daughter frightened?”
She leaned against him and James was startled by a surge of relief. He feared she intended to call the whole thing off. Their brief encounter only fueled his longing for her. James found the idea of not having her again unbearable.
“Lark was disappointed that flames didn’t shoot from the roof like fireworks. She thinks the whole thing was begun by mischievous little people. Lady Phillina was deeply concerned about you. You need to visit her later. She’s abed today due to all the excitement.”
“I’ll see her and assure her that I’m in fine shape.” James wrapped his arms under her breasts, feeling their weight on his forearm, still not fully believing his luck to be able to take such liberties. “And what do I have to do to reassure you?” He nuzzled her neck.
“You make me forget everything when you do that.” She sighed.
“Good because there’s nothing to think about. Nothing to worry about.” He cupped her breast, lightly grazing it through her dress. A hardened nipple strained against the rose-hued fabric. He flattened his palm against the proof of her arousal, the sensation shooting straight to his groin. “Ensuring Eastlan is in good repair has become my top priority. Making love to you my second.”
Her breathing grew ragged and she pressed her hand over his where he covered her breast. He moved in closer behind her, maneuvering his hips into her skirts until he found the hidden swell of her backside. He drifted his free hand down stiff, silk-covered armor binding her stomach until he discovered the dip between her legs. There he could feel her heat. He pressed his palm on her mound, guiding her soundly against his unsubtle erection.