“Meg, you must take this seriously. You yourself suspected your uncle. The deed provides a motive. If he had your parents murdered and knows that your death would free up the house for him to inherit, you are worth more to him dead than alive. He has already used you to pay a gambling debt. He no longer has a hold over you as a widow. He is doing his best to smear your reputation with suspicions of your involvement in your husband’s demise. Need I remind you we do not know who killed Tipton yet?”
“Did you say he offered a reward for information on my whereabouts?” Maggie inquired, almost breathless.
“Yes. According to Harlow, if you hang for the murder of your husband, it keeps his hands from getting dirtier.” Max nearly spit the words. “You are under my protection. Your uncle became a viscount only three years ago. Now we can show suspicion and motive around his gaining the title.” He took a breath. His mouth was a hard line. “According to Nizal, the authorities do not buy his story yet. They may want to talk to you, but they have taken no official action.” He said evenly. “Your death could line his pockets. We must get you away from here until we can resolve this. And by resolve, I mean trick him into confessing or showing his hand. I must think, but I cannot think if your life is hanging in the balance.”
“You…care for me?” She shook her head in disbelief.
“I do. I tried to get over you, to hate you, to forget you. But I never could.” He pulled her close. Tilting her face up to his, he brushed the tears away with his thumbs. Slowly, he traced the edges of her mouth. “I dream about this.” He leaned down and skimmed them lightly, then placed his lips firmly on hers, teasing them open with his tongue. He held her closer and met her tongue in a dance, each teasing and toying with the other, their breath mingling heatedly.
The door closed behind them, and Maggie barely broke from the kiss, her mouth hovering scarcely above Max’s.
“Who did that?” Maggie asked, her breath tickling his jaw.
“My mother, unless I miss my guess. She probably has Anna running errands and keeping the poor girl busy. Shep is probably in the kitchen being treated like royalty.” Max’s lips skimmed hers.
“Your mother wants us together?” Maggie persisted.
“More than anything. Her heart broke alongside mine when you left.” His finger touched her chin gently. “Now…where were we?”
“I believe, Lord Worsley, that you were kissing me,” Maggie answered lightly.
“Yes…I believe you are correct.” His lips lightly brushed hers, his tongue teasing hers. He leaned into the kiss, picking her up and moving to the settee. “How did you taste my kisses, feel the tattoo of my heart and the heat of my passion and not know my feelings?”
“I do not know. Perhaps I was protecting my heart.” She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“How do you feel about giving us a chance?”
“I cannot believe this is happening. Yes!” A lone tear trailed down her face and she swiped at it.
Max’s lips met hers in a searing kiss. “I have missed you, Meg. I want you,” he said without letting his lips leave hers. His finger trailed down her neck, her arm, and stopped at her breasts. With one swift movement, he pushed her bodice down and freed her breast, taking it into his mouth and swirling the nipple with his tongue until he abruptly stopped. Reaching down, he scooped her up in his arms. “Wait.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“To your room, my lady.”
Chapter 11
Maggie woke the next morning with her stomach rumbling. It was a strange feeling. For the first time in her life, she felt like her body had all it needed, but she was hungry at the same time.
Max.
Smiling, she rolled over and met Shep, who got up from his pillow, stretched and moved to the bottom of the bed. It was the first time she had seen him wear a look of disgust on his face, which made her laugh. “You must not be cross with me, Shep. If it was not for Max, neither of us would have this moment. He had much to do with saving you from that carriage.” Shep arched an eye, then closed them both. He was clearly not willing to forgive her, unimpressed, or both.
She could not help her joy. Despite the pain and ugliness of reliving her parents’ and brother’s deaths, she felt a glimmer of hope inside. Though she and Max had missed dinner, they had crossed a line they had never spanned before, and nothing left her wanting. He was everything she had hoped he would be…and everything that Fergus was not. Perhaps there was a chance for them. At least she hoped so.
Harlow was to arrive today, and the two had much to discuss. Max’s kiss before he left this morning was as invigorating as the one that had landed her in bed the evening before. She hugged herself, pinching both arms as a testament she was not dreaming. There had been too many of those. This one was real.
Maggie reached for the bell and pulled. “Come on, Shep. Forgive me this one. Are you hungry?” She winked at her puppy and sat up stretching. “I need to dress, then we shall break our fast.”
Shep lifted an ear and stood at alert. He undoubtedly understood words in the English language pertaining to food or eating. It made her laugh. Typical male. Her mother had used to say that a man’s heart lay close to his stomach.
A rush of emotion flooded her heart as Maggie realized her mother’s involvement and how much her mother had done for her. “You never left me, did you, Mother?” she half whispered. “I thought I would never feel your presence again. Yet you are here.” It felt odd to acknowledge a ghost, but she knew it was her mother. “I love you, Mother. And I have missed you.”
Something touched her shoulder, and she placed her own hand over the spot. A single tear spilled from beneath a lid, and she let it roll down her cheek. The faint smell of roses comforted her. Maggie never wanted the moment to end and kept her eyes closed and tried to stay in it.
Minutes passed slowly until a sharp knock at the door drew her attention. “Come in.” She struggled to keep her tone from sounding vexed.
Lady Worsley poked her head inside the door. “Good! You are awake. I brought you a small pot of hot chocolate and a biscuit so I could make sure you put something in your stomach.”
“Mother would be happy to know you are taking such good care of me.” Maggie glanced around the room, hoping the chocolate would not overpower the smell of roses. She loved chocolate, but she wanted to hang onto her mother’s scent longer. She would say nothing to hurt Lady Worsley’s feelings.
“Max is waiting for you downstairs with Harlow. The investigators have been reporting to them. They seem to have discovered some additional things. Finish up here and join them.” Lady Worsley set the hot chocolate on the table next to the bed and pressed her lips to Maggie’s cheek. “If you do not mind, I would also like to hear what they have to say.”
“I don’t mind. Thank you for indulging me. You have been most kind. However, we do not want to wear out our welcome…”
“Pish! You are both family.” Lady Worsley squeezed her hand and smiled at the small dog. “Now,” she tutted, “I will leave you to your chocolate and see you shortly.”
Shep barked and Lady Worsley turned. “Come with me, and I will walk you to the kitchen.” The small dog glanced first at Maggie, then at Lady Worsley. He leapt off the bed and followed Max’s mother at a fast trot, making both women laugh out loud.
“Traitor,” Maggie said, smiling as Shep’s tail disappeared from view. She pulled the pink velvet chair in front of the fire to have her chocolate as Lady Worsley had suggested. Yesterday had proven stressful. She wanted to keep up her strength for the adventure today promised to be. “Mmm…a chocolate biscuit. My very favorite. I love it,” she murmured and devoured the snack.
She made quick work of the chocolate, brushed her teeth, and headed downstairs.
* * *
The breakfast conversation did nothing but frustrate Max and remind him of the difficulty of advancing his position with Meg, especially when she felt she was right. Slade and her u
ncle had targeted her family years before. He had pointed out all the reasons she should remove to Harlow’s estate, trying not to sound too many alarms, but he had been met with obstinance and accused of being heavy-handed by his own mother. If he was honest, he reflected, he had ordered her to go. That seemed to be the point things had broken down. His mother had jumped to her side. It became a losing battle, and he struggled to gain a footing.
“Max, you have no proof of the dangers you cite. Remember yourself, son. Vinegar does not win the friends you gain with sugar.” His mother gave her too-familiar retort to her son when he took himself too seriously.
“I should take Shep outside for a quick walk,” Maggie spoke up. She stood.
“If you will not go to Harlow’s, at least humor me and take someone with you,” Max insisted. The investigators had reported evidence of someone living in the barn area, but they could not tell how recent. He suspected Slade but could not be sure. He did not share that with Meg, thinking to win her cooperation based on the dangers uncovered at her own home. He should have shared what he knew instead of holding back. He suspected if he spoke of it now, they would meet it with skepticism. They would be respectful, but they would not believe him.
How did this whole thing get so out of my control? Meg needs an escort.
He started to order an escort but stopped before the words left his mouth.
“Lady Tipton, Lord Worsley is concerned for your safety. Perhaps a short absence would benefit the situation. Would you consider visiting Harlow Hill with Lady Worsley?” Harlow turned to Lady Worsley. “Countess, we would love to have you visit. Since Father died, Mother has had few visitors. You would both delight her to no end.” Harlow picked up his mug of coffee and smiled over it.
“I appreciate your kind offer, Lord Harlow.” Maggie placed her napkin in her lap. “And there are many reasons to take you up on it, but I feel I should stay here. I cannot explain it much better than that. There are a few things regarding the estate that I want to understand. Besides, I still have stitches in my head that need to come out, and Shep is not quite himself.” She looked around and smiled at her little pup curled up in the corner. “He still needs to mend without exerting himself too much. And he has fallen into a routine here. Dr. Perth thought he will need several weeks to mend.” She leaned forward. “Harriett, if you agree, I should like to stay longer.”
“Meg, you are deflecting,” Max interrupted. “Dr. Perth would see you at Harlow Hill. And Shep can ride in the carriage or stay here, if his traveling worries you. You are the one in danger here,” Max continued, an annoyed tone to his voice.
“My dear, there will be no more discussion of leaving.” Lady Worsley glared at her son.
If Max had learned one thing from the military, it was that sometimes surrender was the only viable course. This was one of those times. He sighed. “Yes, Mother.”
“If you are amenable, I would like to visit the carriage my parents…” The rest of Maggie’s sentence faded to silence.
Lady Worsley cleared her throat. “Are you sure you are ready for that, darling? I do not know that today would be the best day, with the snow covering everything so thoroughly. We have it under a portico behind the stable. My husband called it a porte-cochère.” She sniggered. “It sounds fancier than it is. He had it built to house the coaches readying for trips. We still use most of it for that. But he insisted on using it for your parents, so dear they were to us.” Lady Worsley added, her voice cracking with emotion.
“I would like very much to see it.” Maggie’s voice quieted.
“Ahem…we are getting emotional. If we continue, we will have puddles of tears, I fear. Let me join you, my dear. Little Shep has taken a fancy to exploring. He enjoys the maze. This morning he gave the footman quite a workout chasing him through it. I have not seen Cabot laugh that much in—well, ever! Luckily, I am familiar with the ins and outs.” Lady Worsley chuckled.
“I would like some fresh air myself. Would you mind if I join you, ladies?” Max added, with a hint of resignation in his tone.
“Max, I would like to ride the perimeter with you. With the snow as it is, we should be able to see tracks. It will give some peace of mind,” Harlow added.
“Then we are decided.” Maggie rose and whispered Shep’s name. He immediately stood and shook himself, fluffing his hair. “I want you to stay close by us, Shep.” She crouched down and kissed him on the nose. His tail twitched with happiness and he followed as Maggie left the dining room and walked to the hall. With Cabot’s help, she put on her pelisse, muff, and gloves.
Lady Worsley grabbed her outdoor garb. Max came up behind his mother to assist, and she patted his hand. Her gesture assured him she understood. He wished she agreed instead.
He hurried into his own greatcoat, hat, and gloves, offering each an arm as they headed toward the portico.
Shep scampered to his mother’s roses and began sniffing each of them. “At least he is not running to the maze.” Maggie laughed. “With his white coat, the snow is giving him quite a workout. It almost covers him.” The small dog was having to leap over the snowdrifts.
“Your lordship?” Cabot followed him outside. “Mrs. Andrews said she asked Percy to run an errand for her, but he has not shown up.”
“That is strange. Perhaps I should check the stables for him and make sure nothing has happened.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Cabot shook off the cold and returned to the house.
“Please have Harlow meet me there,” Max said over his shoulder. “We should not be outside too long. It is deceptively cold out here.”
“Indeed,” his mother added. “The sunshine gives the illusion of warmth, but it is bitter.” She snuggled deeper into her muff to make her point. “Look.” She pointed. “I think Shep has picked up the scent of something. Mayhap it is one of the wild game birds. It is almost hard to see him in the snow.” She giggled.
“It is so cold. Shep will not want to be out here long. I only want to see the carriage. I sense it will help me find closure. And I do feel bad bringing everyone with me, especially if anyone becomes ill because of my obstinance.” Maggie looked up at Max and winked.
At least she recognized her stubbornness. Max held back a laugh. He longed to hold her and erase all the pain from her heart. She needed this. He would not let her feel bad about it. But goodness, her light touch on his arm filled him with a heat that made his body sizzle. He wanted more of her. His need to protect her occupied his thoughts, reminding him he had left both of his body knives on his dresser that morning. It was stupid of him to forget the one lesson they made him learn repeatedly in the service of the Crown. Never leave yourself unprotected. He did not even have a cane.
His neck and shoulders suddenly tensed with alarm. Something felt off.
He would go to the stables, then get everyone back to the house. The stables were closer than they were at most estates, and for once he was grateful they were near. His father had preferred it with his love for his horses and dogs. They could always find him training them there. They had given the hunting dogs to the villagers as pets with his father’s demise. Max loathed hunting. He never saw the point of running a small fox to exhaustion only to kill it. It seemed unfair. He hated hunting of any kind unless it was for food. That was the only hunting he permitted on his land.
As the small party neared the stables, a shadow passed just inside. That was unusual. “Meg, please wait here. Mother and Shep are just behind you. I would like to check on Percy. He was due at the house and never showed.”
“Very well. I will remain out here.”
He watched her stand there, unconvinced she would stay in place. He hurried inside, convinced he would be back in two minutes. His mother and Shep were a stone’s throw away.
Max heard it before he saw it. Horses and a coach pulled out from behind the stables. His mother screamed Maggie’s name at the top of her lungs.
“Meg!” Her name tore from his throat with the chilling real
ization something had happened as he rushed to her.
When he got to the door of the stable, he saw Shep tearing after a nondescript black coach careening down the driveway. The tiny dog had almost made it to the carriage when he collapsed into the snowdrift, whimpering.
The sight of the small dog disappearing into the snow trying to save Maggie shocked him to the core. Roaring with pain, Max slammed the stable door out of his way and ran after the carriage. He heard his name called from behind him but only stopped when he realized the carriage had disappeared. The tracks would be easy to follow in the fresh snow if they hurried.
He would find her.
Harlow and two footmen rushed from the house.
His mother caught up with him. She leaned over, grabbing her waist, her breath coming in large gasps. When she saw the dog laying there wheezing, she fell to her knees and picked him up, cradling him to her chest. “Oh, Shep, you sweet baby.” She hugged him, smoothing his wet hair from his face.
“Mother, let me.” Max could not believe his mother had gotten as attached to this little dog as she had. He felt numb with pain as he helped her up. Max pulled off his coat and wrapped it around his mother and the dog. “Harlow and I are going after her as soon as we get you and Shep safely back to the house.”
“Two men…grabbed her…put a cloth on her mouth…happened so fast…”
“Mother take a moment. We want all the details, but you need to catch your breath.” He hugged his mother closely and turned to a footman. “Get Dr. Perth here quickly and help my mother and Shep into the house.” His voice shook with anger.
“What the deuce happened out here? Where is Lady Tipton?” Harlow asked, astonishment in his voice.
“She is gone. Two men in a black coach took her. I was only in the stables for two minutes and asked her to wait. I was looking for Percy and saw someone dart across the inside. They planned it. We have to find her.”
The Earl She Left Behind (The Noble Hearts Series; Common Elements #1) Page 10