“Calm down? How can I possibly calm down? For five minutes I relaxed, and I shouldn’t have. I thought I was safe, but I was wrong. If she knows—”
“For goodness’ sake, you are safe.”
“But you’ve told someone!”
“Would you just listen for a minute?”
“Please let me go,” she begged, trying to wriggle her arm from his grip. “I have to get out of here.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” he declared, throwing an arm around her waist and jerking her against him. “Be still and be quiet!”
“No! You lied to me.”
“When?” he demanded. “When did I lie to you?”
“Uh, maybe not lie, exactly,” she replied, her voice growing shrill, “but you betrayed me. Telling that girl—whoever she is—”
“Keep your voice down,” he snapped, staring into her blazing green eyes. “If you don’t...”
“What? You’ll do what?”
“This!”
Diving his lips onto hers, he consumed her mouth in a crushing, potent kiss, holding her tightly as she struggled. But she only resisted for a few fleeting seconds. As she melted into his body, and his cock surged to life, he released her wrist to wrap her up. Throwing her arms around his neck, she clung to him fervently.
“Malcolm...” she muttered breathlessly when he finally pulled back. “Do you, uh, do that to all the girls who don’t listen?”
“No, Connie,” he growled. “I usually land my hand against their misbehaving backsides.”
“You do not!”
“I most certainly do, and I’ll do the same to you if you throw another tantrum. Will you listen to me now?”
“I’m tempted to say no,” she quipped, an almost smile curving the edges of her lips.
“You’re as cheeky as you are brave and foolish.”
“Perhaps...”
“I’d be careful, young lady,” he warned with a glint in his eye. “Are you better now? Will stop your nonsense?”
“How could I not be?” she murmured, gazing up at him. “I’m sorry I panicked, but I’m still worried.”
“That’s because you didn’t let me explain, and now I must go to Edith. I don’t wish to keep her waiting. “
“I see,” she muttered, dropping her eyes with a sigh.
“No, you don’t see. Edith is my sister—well—as good as. I sent her a note last night and told her I had stumbled across a young woman in need of clothes. Just as I mentioned earlier, she has brought them over, but she has no idea who you are.”
“I suppose I’m still a bit on edge. I’d absolutely love something new to wear. I really am sorry. I should have known you wouldn’t give me away.”
“After everything you’ve been through, it’s understandable, but Connie, she is completely trustworthy. Anything I ask her to keep to herself, she will.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Edith and I grew up together. We’ve shared many secrets... and...” he said, pausing thoughtfully, “she could be of enormous help.”
“You want to tell her who I am?”
“More than that, I want you to meet her.”
“What? No, no, that’s a bad idea.”
“I’m sure we can find Monty, but with her help we could find him much sooner. She attends far more dinners and balls than I do. She could be our eyes and ears.”
“I’m not sure about this.”
“Connie, when we explain what happened, she’ll know you’re innocent just as I do.”
“Uh...”
“Think about it. I’ll be in the drawing room. Now I must go. If you want to join us, you know where we are.”
“No, wait. If I’m to trust you, then I must trust you completely.”
“Does this mean you’ll meet her?”
“You think I should, so yes, but it’s still scary for me.”
“She’s a lovely girl, and not the least bit scary,” he said softly, running his hand down her arm. “I know you’ll get along famously.”
“Um, Malcolm, may I ask one thing before we go?”
“Anything.”
“Will you please kiss me again?”
As she whispered her request, he saw the hunger in her eyes. With his cock urgently pressing against his trousers, he clutched her hair with both hands.
“Kiss you?”
“Yes, please.”
“Kiss you how? Like this?” he asked huskily, gently drifting his lips over hers, “or like this?”
Tightening his grip, he feverishly devoured her mouth, thrusting his tongue between her teeth and crushing her lips.
“Oh, my goodness,” she muttered breathlessly as he abruptly pulled back. “That was the most marvelous thing in the world.”
“You say that as though you haven’t been kissed before.”
“I have, twice, by Roger Witherspoon, but it certainly wasn’t like that.”
“The name rings a bell. Who is he?”
“The eldest son of the Duke of Hatley.”
“Tell me truthfully,” Malcolm said, releasing her and smoothing her hair, “which did you prefer? The first, or the second?”
“I loved them both, but if I had to make a choice, the second.”
“I’m very happy to hear it,” he murmured with a grin. “Rather than taking you to the drawing room, I’ll speak with Edith alone first, then bring her in here. I won’t be long.”
* * *
He walked swiftly to the door, and as Connie studied his wide shoulders and powerful physique, a rush of erotic energy surged through her body. She needed to sit down, but a hot flush had flamed across her face. Rather than sit by the fire, she decided on a chair by the window.
The rain had become a light drizzle. Retrieving the bracelet from inside her bodice, the place she’d kept it hidden when not wearing her coat, she held it tightly and closed her eyes.
“Mamma, thank you for the sign,” she whispered, picturing her mother’s beautiful face. “Lord Tennyson. It was perfect. I knew right away it had to be you. I shouldn’t have yelled at Malcolm when he told me about his friend Edith, but I’ve been so afraid for so long I couldn’t stop myself. Thank you so much for bringing Malcolm to my rescue. I know you must have. There’s no other explanation for this amazing miracle. I finally feel as if I can breathe. I love you and miss you and Father terribly, but I know you’re watching over me. I promise to do my very best to keep my head. But what will come next, Mamma? Do you know? Who is Monty? If I’ve met him, please help me to remember.”
Chapter Seven
The day the Earl of Brookshire’s daughter was rescued from the raging river, their lives were forever changed. Malcolm suddenly saw himself as her protector, and Edith looked upon Malcolm as the older brother she’d always wanted. Theirs had become a familial love.
In spite of the terrifying childhood event, Edith remained drawn to exploration and adventure. Now sitting in the drawing room of Malcolm’s elegant home and sipping her tea, she listened with rapt attention as he relayed Connie’s story.
“I knew about the dreadful murders of course, but none of the details,” she declared. “I’d heard smatterings of gossip about the baron’s daughter being suspected of the crime, but I thought it was just that, nasty gossip. I mean, who would want to kill their parents?”
“Edith, it was in the papers for weeks.”
“Malcolm, I never read the papers, but now I understand why mother became so overly protective at the time. She was probably worried about the murderess being at large,” she remarked, then pausing, she asked, “Why isn’t Connie using a different name?”
“I have no idea, but you can ask her.”
“Regardless, I want to help! Tell me what to do.”
“Obviously you cannot breathe a word to a single soul,” Malcolm warned, looking at her earnestly. “I mean, not even your cat.”
“Of course not! What do you take me for?”
“It had to be said.”
“N
ot to me.”
“Perhaps not, but—”
“There is no but. Now tell me what I can do. I want to be involved in finding this horrible man.”
“Obviously, the first thing we must do is identify him and find out where he lives. We can start by attending the upcoming parties together, and separate when we arrive. All you need to do is listen to the conversations around you. Hopefully between the two of us we’ll start running into men called Montague or—”
“Hang on! There’s a fellow from France called Monty. I’ve only met him once. It was at a dinner party held by the French ambassador, but his name wasn’t Monty exactly, it was Montre.”
“When was this?”
“At the beginning of the season, though I don’t remember him being particularly tall.”
“It doesn’t matter. Connie would have been in a terrible state when she saw him. He may have only appeared tall because his arm was raised and he was holding a shovel over his head. I’ll need to start a list. I suspect we’ll run across quite a few men with the right name.”
“Then what?”
“That’s when the real work will begin. We’ll need to narrow down the field. In the meantime I’m going to contact the agent for the house and take a wander through it. With any luck I’ll be able to spend time in there by myself,” Malcolm said thoughtfully. “There’s no telling what secrets might lie within its walls.”
“I want to come with you.”
“No. Your mother would have my head.”
“Only if she found out!”
“Which she won’t, because the answer is no.”
“You’re no fun,” Edith retorted, frowning at him.
“Needs must, and I’m not changing my mind, so don’t even think about pestering me.”
“Fine. So, where is Connie now?”
“Waiting in the library. I wanted to give you the information first. No sense in her having to relive it all again. I’ll take you there now.”
“But the tea and cakes are here now.”
“Good point. Right. I’ll fetch her, but bear in mind she’s still anxious, and with good reason.”
“Of course she is. I can’t even imagine witnessing something so horrible then being on the run like she was.”
“Edith,” he began soberly. “I just had a thought. I believe it would be very helpful if she had a female friend to confide in. There are probably things she’d be more comfortable telling you than she would me.”
“I agree completely. In fact I’m sure there are, and will be.”
“Be relaxed, but reassuring, and make sure she knows you don’t believe her to be a murderess.”
“You underestimate me, Malcolm,” she retorted testily, then taking a breath and studying his face, she said, “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re developing feelings for this young lady.”
“Can we please stay focused on the matter at hand?”
“Of course,” she replied with a knowing smile. “Is there something else you need to tell me?”
“I’d like you to go upstairs with her and help her with the clothes you brought over.”
“Naturally, and I apologize. For a moment I forgot what that poor girl has endured. I’m not sure I would have survived what she’s been through.”
“Edith, don’t sell yourself short. You made it out of a raging river when you were ten years old. I just hope Connie escapes the wild waters she’s been thrown in.”
“I made it out because of you, Malcolm,” Edith said solemnly. “You’ve always been like one of King Arthur’s fearless knights. With you doing battle for her, Connie will come out of this in one piece just like I did.”
* * *
Edith greeted Connie like a dear, long-lost friend, but Malcolm wasn’t surprised. Edith possessed a kind and loving heart. After a cup of tea and a slice of cake, the two girls headed up to Connie’s room, and Malcolm headed to his study to peruse the many invitations lying unopened on his desk.
Over time he’d discovered the more requests he turned down, the more sought after he became. Before he’d died, the earl had made sure all and sundry knew of Malcolm’s courageous gallantry. Combined with his wealth, good looks, and strong stature, Malcolm had become uniquely eligible.
The end of the season was drawing near, and as he opened the envelopes he discovered most of the dates had passed. There were only two dinner parties he could attend. One the following evening, and he felt it too late to RSVP. The other was the party he’d attend with Edith. Moving to the fireplace, he stood at the mantel and stared down at the low flames, pondering the drama in which he suddenly found himself embroiled.
Connie’s dire circumstances gave him much to think through. Almost an hour had passed when Corbin appeared to tell him Lady Edith was waiting to say goodbye. Moving swiftly down the hall and into the drawing room, the moment he entered, Edith rushed over to him.
“Connie’s so brave, and Malcolm, she’s like you and me,” Edith exclaimed in a hushed whisper.
“I don’t understand. Like us? How?”
“She understands about life. About how every day matters.”
“Ah. I see. Yes, I’m sure she does,” he murmured solemnly.
“We must find the wretched man who put her through such misery,” Edith continued. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“Have faith, Edith, we will. Did your clothes fit?”
“Not perfectly, but better than that tattered dress she’d been wearing. She never wants to see it ever again. I ran into Mrs. Melville and she said she’d make sure it was donated to one of your charities.”
“Good idea, but where is Connie? Didn’t she want to come down with you?”
“Malcolm, she’s worn out,” Edith said with a heavy sigh, “and how could she not be? I suggested she take a nap, but she wants to see you before she does.”
“I’ll walk you to the door then go up.”
“Um, Malcolm,” she said hesitantly, tilting her head to the side, “there’s something else. When the three of us were having tea a little while ago...”
“Yes...?”
“Uh, let me ask you this first. When did you meet?”
“Edith, why are you being so coy?”
“Just answer the question,” she said impatiently.
“I already told you, yesterday, early evening.”
“My goodness,” she murmured, shaking her head. “When the three of us were having tea...”
“You’ve said that already. This isn’t like you. You’re always so direct.”
“Yes, I am, usually. All right, here goes. When we were having tea, I had the strongest feeling the two of you were together, like a couple, and when she talked about you while I was helping her with the clothes, her whole face lit up. Is there something you haven’t told me?”
“Thank you for coming here today, Edith, and thank you for offering your help. If anything should happen between Connie and me, you’ll be the first person I’ll share it with.”
“I think you just did,” she said with a cheeky grin and a twinkle in her eye. “I can read you like a book.”
“Stop jumping to conclusions.”
“I’m so happy for you,” she trilled, ignoring his protest. “It’s about time you met the woman of your dreams. Now we just need to clear her name.”
“Edith, you don’t know—”
“I must run before Mamma comes looking for me,” she said hastily, cutting him off, “though she probably won’t. I told her Chelsea Barrington and her mother would be here.”
“Why?”
“Because she wanted to come with me, and it was the only thing I could think of to stop her. Bye, brother dear,” she said, pecking him on the cheek.
“You can be a very naughty girl sometimes,” Malcolm said, shaking his finger at her.
“As I believe you said earlier, needs must,” she quipped with a cheeky grin, then pivoting on her toes, she turned and walked to the door. “Don’t keep your heart’s desire w
aiting.”
“She is not—”
“Yes, she is,” Edith retorted, looking at him over her shoulder. “Connie’s special, and we both know it.”
Shaking his head, he walked her out to the foyer and saw her off, but as he climbed the stairs, their conversation lingered. Kissing Connie hadn’t been planned. She’d been yelling at him and squirming in his hold, then suddenly his lips were on hers. There was no denying she’d sent his heart leaping, and a rush of energy through his manhood. Standing at the door of the Red Room, Edith’s parting words rang through his head.
Connie is special, and we both know it.
“Yes, she is,” he muttered under his breath, then gently knocked.
“Come in.”
Pushing open the door, he found her wearing a form-fitting pale green dress, and her hair falling softly around her shoulders.
“You look lovely, Connie.”
“Thank you. Sleeping in a real bed again, wearing a different outfit, meeting Edith, honestly, I feel like a new person,” she said happily, moving closer to him. “How will I ever be able to thank you?”
“There’s no need to thank me. You’ve suffered a terrible injustice, and fate has trusted me to intervene. I will see your name cleared, Connie. I swear it.”
She was standing directly in front of him.
His pulse ticked up.
“Edith probably told you,” she murmured, her green eyes sparkling up at him. “I’m feeling a bit tired. I thought I might take a nap. Would you mind?”
“I think you should. After all those sleepless nights you’re in need of plenty of rest. I have an errand to run, but Mrs. Melville will wake you when it’s time for lunch.”
“I’m not sure I’ll be hungry. That tea and cake filled me up.”
“Your appetite might return when you’re sitting at the table.”
“Malcolm,” she said softly, “please, will you hold me before you leave?”
His cock stirred, and he suddenly found himself wanting to rip off her new dress and utterly devour every inch of her. He could imagine his lips on her breasts sucking in her cherry tips, his fingers sliding into her wet—
“Malcolm? Are you all right?”
Unable to speak, he quickly wrapped his arms around her, closing his eyes as her luscious body pressed against his. For endless seconds they clung to each other, two souls cherishing their discovery, then the subtle chiming of the carriage clock broke the spell. Reluctantly stepping back, he swallowed hard and stared down at her flushed face.
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