by Dawn Brower
“Why in the blazes was she up so late?”
Deflection—Dom was rather good at it. Answering a question with another one. He’d not get away with it so easily this time. James would demand to be told what he’d been up to in the middle of the night.
“Doesn’t matter. Where were you heading at such a later hour?”
With a smug grin on his face, Dom stood and looked James in the eyes. “You want the details of the tryst I had scheduled? Never did take you for one who liked to gossip and hear scandalous details, but if you want to know, I can tell…”
“No.” James held up his hand. “Don’t say any more. I do not want to be privy to your depravity.”
Dominic wiggled his eyebrows and scooted back up onto the settee. “You sure? You’re missing out. The chit I had...”
“Enough, Dom.” James glared at him. “I said I didn’t want to know. Please refrain from giving me any unnecessary details.”
“Was just answering your question.” He shrugged. “No reason to be so surly.”
This is what he got for listening to Alys’s concerns in the early morning hours. He loved Dom, but he was a bit of a rakehell. James didn’t hold it against him, but he wanted more than a different lady each night in his bed. He only wanted one woman, and that woman was Alys. Now he needed to secure her agreement. He’d not take any answer but yes from her pretty pink lips.
“Pardon me. I’ve not been sleeping well.”
And understatement if there ever was one—sleep had evaded him near on a week.
“You should give in and take Miss Alys to your bed. You know you want to.”
James shook his head. Dominic didn’t understand his motivations. How was he to explain it to him when he saw women as nothing but sport? “I will not take her to bed until she is my wife in truth.”
“Then maybe you should find something to occupy your mind. It’s not my fault she keeps saying no.”
“I’ll have an answer from her before this day ends,” James said firmly. “She promised me one.”
“What if it’s not the answer you’re hoping for?”
She wouldn’t say no. Alys wanted him just as much as he wanted her.
“It won’t be.”
“I hope so. I really do, but you should prepare for all possibilities.” Dominic looked past James. “Rosanna, I thought you were above skulking around and eavesdropping. Ladies have better things to do with their time.”
“You know nothing about ladies,” Rosanna sneered. “You keep company with common trollops.”
His sister stepped into the room her skirts rustling with each movement. Her eyes blazed with fury at she scowled at Dominic. When had Rosanna started to hate him with such passion? James thought they had gotten along. When had it changed? What had Dom done to her to create the animosity? She was so kind with everyone. It had to have been something awful to make her loathe him so.
“Rosanna, did you need something?”
“I was hoping to have a word with you, but every time I come anywhere in your immediate vicinity you run away and disappear for hours on end.”
“The Duke of Weston does not run.”
Rosanna rolled her eyes. “I apologize. Gallop across the fields like hellhounds are on your tail.”
Dominic laughed; it echoed through the room and grated on his eardrums.
“Damned if she doesn’t have a point, James.”
He glared at his friend. “I don’t need you encouraging her.”
“I don’t need him around at all.” His sister shot daggers in Dominic’s direction. “When are you leaving?”
“You wound me, Ros.” Dom flashed her a wicked grin. “Why would you want me to leave?”
James had to suppress the urge to wipe the grin off Dominic’s too pretty face. If Rosanna hadn’t appeared unaffected by it, he might have. He didn’t like his best friend flirting with his baby sister.
Ignoring Dominic, Rosanna turned her attention back to James. “As soon as Lord Seabrook departs, there is something I wish to discuss with you in private.”
James sighed. “Dominic, can you give me some privacy with my sister?”
“Certainly. Ros and I can resume our pleasantries at another time.”
“Please, don’t hold your breath.” She tossed the words at him with an evil glint shining in her eyes. “Or rather, please do. It might save me the trouble of having to listen to your rambling idiocy in the future.”
“Oh, sweet, I do love your thorny side.” Dominic wiggled his eyebrows. “Such fire.” He blew her a kiss as he strolled out of the room.
“What a—” She stomped her foot and paced around the room in a rant. “That man is insufferable.”
“Dominic is harmless,” James said soothingly. “What did you want to discuss with me?”
She glared at the door Dominic had exited.
“Rosanna,” James said her name again to gain her attention.
“What?” She turned to him. “Oh, yeah. It’s about Alys.”
Fear seized his heart. What did she have to tell him about his intended?
“Yes?” he encouraged.
“I think she might be planning on leaving us.”
No, he wouldn’t let her. James needed her. She was more important than everything…even his own life. He’d do anything for her. Alys would not leave him. She had come to mean a lot to him in a short time. The idea of not having her in his life scared him. If she could find a way back to her time… It would devastate him. He’d come to believe they’d be together forever. As much as he would love to keep her by his side, a part of him knew that he might have to let her go. James hoped that, if left with a choice, she would decide to remain with him.
After the war, he’d almost given up on finding happiness. Then he’d stumbled onto a beautiful woman passed out on his beach and suddenly everything made sense to him. Alys wasn’t misplaced in time—she’d been sent to save his soul. The horror of war had tainted him. The things he had needed to do to survive… He never wanted to relive that again. She was a breath of fresh air he hadn’t realized he needed.
“Alys isn’t leaving me.”
Rosanna bit her lip. “I saw her a few minutes ago. She looked so sad and resolved.”
At least she wasn’t avoiding everyone—only him.
Maybe she missed her family. James could understand that. She had no one in this time. He’d go to her and make her understand once and for all that she belonged with him.
“Did she say something to make you think she planned on leaving?”
Rosanna shook her head. “No, not exactly. I mean she didn’t come out and say she was. It’s more of a feeling I had.” She stared at him. “She said she doesn’t truly belong here. That she’s—how did she say it—something about a fish out of water. Nothing and no one is familiar, and she couldn’t figure out her place in this world.”
“I see,” James muttered.
“Do you? Because I don’t. What does she mean she doesn’t know her place?” Rosanna shrugged. “The whole fish thing was just…odd.”
James smiled. Alys did say the strangest things at times. It was one of the things he found endearing about her—what had drawn him to her from the start. Everything about her called out to him. She soothed his unruly soul.
“Alys is one of a kind.”
“Are you going to speak with her?” Rosanna asked. “I like her, and I don’t want her to leave.”
“I rather like her myself.” James kissed his sister on the forehead. “Don’t worry about Alys. I will ensure she doesn’t go anywhere.”
Rosanna frowned. “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
Was he? Maybe he did love Alys. He didn’t know for sure. He knew that he couldn’t go on living without her. That very well could be what it meant to love someone. How was he to know when he’d never been in love before?
“I don’t know how I feel about Alys, but I do know she makes everything in my life better.”
Rosa
nna smiled. “Sounds like love to me. At least, the love Alys speaks about. She said love is something you willingly leap into.”
That was exactly something Alys would say. She’d said something similar to him once—”Love is a dream, a whimsical journey constantly surprising you. It’s not meant for fools. At least, not in the way you believe. True love is a journey you willingly leap into. You’ll see one day. I will help you.”
Maybe that is what she needed from him, she’d promised to help him, and James intended to ensure she kept it. He would willingly give his heart over into her care. He could do that if it kept her with him forever.
Because James would not accept anything less than that.
“Do you know where Alys is now?”
Rosanna looked toward the window that overlooked the cliffs in the distance. They were beautiful and treacherous. The estate was built alongside of them for their defensive position. James had a very bad feeling about where Alys had gone.
“I think she said something about a walk to clear her thoughts,” Rosanna said. “She was heading toward the cliffs last I saw her.”
“She wouldn’t...”
“Wouldn’t what?” Rosanna asked. “James what do you think Alys is about to do?”
The cliffs? No, she wouldn’t try to jump off and return home. James wouldn’t allow it. He ran out the door, leaving Rosanna with her mouth gaping open. He had no time to explain. He had to stop Alys before she did something they’d both regret.
Alys was not going to leave him—ever.
SEARCHING FOR MY ROGUE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Alys walked down the tunnels toward the beach below. She’d had a lot to think about when she awoke. It had taken her quite a while to fall asleep after James had left her. After she dreamed about him, she’d thought her course was clear. But maybe—just possibly—it wasn’t.
The sun was low on the horizon as she stepped onto the beach—a brilliant orange against the water. Waves crashed against the shoreline. Alys took a deep breath and closed her eyes as the wind blew across her face.
“Well, what do we have here?”
Alys spun around, her gaze falling on a man with long brown hair. It was pulled back behind his head. His face boasted a full beard that had seen better days.
“Who are you?” Alys asked.
She’d never seen him before, and rather wished she didn’t have to look upon him at all. He was covered in dirt that appeared to blend into his beard. His clothes were nothing better than rags with holes scattered throughout. He was quite disgusting. Alys wondered if he knew what the benefit of a bath would do for him.
“Now, don’t be asking questions you don’t really want the answers too.”
Alys shook her head. “Don’t presume to know what is going on inside of my head.”
“Little lass like you? Seems I can guess exactly what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.” He turned and spit in the sand. “You’re looking at me like you would cringe at the very idea of touching me. Not good enough for the likes of you, am I?”
Alys took a step back. This man was deranged. “I don’t know you, and no I don’t want to. I think you should go. This is private property.”
“I can’t oblige that request.” He took a step toward her and grabbed her arm pulling her against his chest. “You’re going to have to come with me.”
“No, let me go. Please,” Alys begged.
“Too late. You’ve done got yourself involved in matters that don’t concern you.”
Alys turned her nose away from him and held her hand across her face to block out the smell. The stench coming from the man turned her stomach. It was a combination of overindulgence in alcohol mixed with foul body odor. If he didn’t let go of her soon, she’d lose the contents of her stomach all over him. It would only add to the already grotesque aroma filling her nose. She made one more attempt to free herself from his grasp. Her legs got caught in her skirts and she fell backward, but he prevented her from hitting the sandy beach.
Damn skirts. She’d kill for a pair of jeans. The rotten bastard needed to feel her knee hit him in the balls. Then he’d be cowering before her.
“Fighting will get you nowhere. Be a good lass and do as I say.”
“No,” Alys declared. “I will do no such thing.”
He pulled her against him and rubbed himself all over her. Alys held her breath and elbowed him in the stomach. He hunched over enough for her to punch him in the nose. Blood pooled out of it after she heard a soft crack from the impact. She’d not taken self-defense classes for no reason.
He let her go to hold his nose.
“You’re a crazy she-devil,” he spat out. “You’ll pay for that.”
He stood to his full height, pulled a pistol out, and then pointed it right at her.
Alys took a step back and held up her hands.
“Now let’s not do anything stupid. Put the gun away before someone gets hurt.” Alys took two slow steps back. Maybe he was a horrible shot. “Go about what you were doing and I’ll return home.”
“I already told you.” He held the gun steady he kept it pointed on at her. “It’s too late for that.”
Alys saw movement out of the corner of her eye, to her right and behind the horrid man with the gun. She didn’t know who or what it was, but she hoped it wasn’t someone there to help murder her. She was afraid to look away from the present danger.
“It’s never too late to stop doing something that is bad,” Alys coaxed. “This is very, very bad. Put it away and let me leave.”
“Alys, get down,” James called.
He jumped the man with the gun and wrestled him for control.
“No, you fool. What are you doing?” she shouted.
She didn’t know what to do. The two men struggled for the gun and neither one appeared to be giving up. Then a shot went off, and James fell to the ground.
Alys screamed.
The evil man ran in the opposite direction disappearing into the caves. Alys rushed toward James. He had a gaping wound in his upper left abdomen. She kneeled in the sand to check the abrasion.
“Oh, James, what were you thinking?”
“Had to save you,” his voice shook. “I’d do anything for you. I love you.”
His head fell back in the sand as he lost consciousness. Tears fell from Alys’s eyes. “You bloody fool.”
Rosanna emerged from one of the hidden caves in the cliff, Dominic not far behind her. “James,” she screamed.
“What happened?” Dominic asked.
“A man with a gun shot him. We need to get him up to the manor. I can help him, but I can’t do it here.”
The marquess nodded. “Rosanna go and get help. Go fast. We need at least two more men to carry James.”
The young woman’s face was devoid of all color.
“Rosanna, go,” he ordered.
She nodded and disappeared inside the tunnels.
“What can I do?” he asked.
“Do you have an unused handkerchief?”
He nodded and handed it to her. “What will that do?”
“For now, I’m going to hold it against the wound to help stem the bleeding. If he loses too much blood, he could die. The faster we get him to his room so I can remove the bullet, the better.”
Dominic scoffed. “You can’t remove it.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Why the hell not?”
“Well, because…” he trailed off.
“I’m waiting for an answer that makes sense, and you better not say because I’m a woman. I assure you I know more than you do about medical care.”
He raised his hand in defeat. “As long as James doesn’t die, I don’t care who removes the bullet.”
“Good.” Alys held the handkerchief against James’s wound. “Because I wasn’t going to argue with you about it. I was going to do whatever I damned well felt necessary.”
It seemed to take forever before two burly footmen came out of the
tunnel. With Dominic barking orders, they moved James up to his room. Then it was Alys’s turn to start telling everyone what to do. James’s sister hovered in the background fretting.
“Rosanna,” Alys called. “Go to my room and get my purple bag.”
She nodded and ran off to retrieve it.
Next she turned to a maid and ordered, “I need hot, clean water. Lots of clean linens and soap. You.” She pointed to James’s valet. “Get all these clothes off him.”
“I can’t undress him in front of a lady,” the valet scoffed. “’Tis highly improper.”
She pinned him with a glare. “So you’re going to let His Grace die because it wouldn’t be proper to undress him?”
“Not at all, miss. I will get it done.” He scurried off to do her bidding.
Alys walked over to a basin and poured water into a bowl. She grabbed soap and began to scrub her hands. She was not going to let James die. He told her he loved her—the idiot.
She’d kill him after she saved him.
“Here’s your bag,” Rosanna waved it in front of her.
“Good, I need you to bring it over here.”
Rosanna walked over to her side.
“Now dump it here.” Alys pointed to a nearby table.
Rosanna raised an eyebrow. “The whole thing?”
“Yes, the whole thing. It will be easier to find what I need.”
Rosanna shrugged and did what was asked. There was a lot inside that purple purse of hers—more of a tote bag really, it was so huge. Alys scanned the items and pointed. “There, that black pouch. Grab it for me.”
Alys turned back to James. There was so much blood. She swallowed back her fear. This was why physicians were not supposed to operate on family members or anyone they cared for. What if she messed up? She had to hold back the apprehension filling her. His life depended on her skills as a doctor.
“Are you done undressing him?” Alys asked the valet.
“Yes, miss.”
“Good. Now drape a sheet over the lower half of his body and then come grab this black pouch and lay it on the bed next to him.” Alys turned to Rosanna. “I need you to go downstairs and wait now. This isn’t where you should be right now.”