by Wolf, Bree
The smirk upon Phineas’ face died a quick death as something that—shockingly enough!—felt like red-hot jealousy shot through him at the insinuation of her in another man’s arms.
Lady Louisa, however, grinned with delight. “Do you not agree? A man of your reputation must have an opinion on this matter.”
Setting his jaw, Phineas stalked closer, not bothering to hide his intention for she seemed very much aware of it. Still, when he failed to slow his steps, a hint of alarm widened her eyes despite the fact that her chin rose in proud defiance. “Care to test that theory?” he asked as he leaned in closer until he could feel her breath upon his skin.
The pulse in her neck hammered wildly, and yet, Lady Louisa remained outwardly calm. Yes, her cheeks shone in a charming red and her hands were balled into fists in front of her. Still, she did not flinch or retreat, but held her ground, a teasing smile curving those enchanting lips of hers. “I would love to,” she whispered, surprising him.
An answering grin spread over his face. “You would?” Phineas whispered, inching closer. Temptation burnt in his veins; still, he could not shake the feeling that this was too good to be true.
Unfortunately, the next moment proved him right. “Certainly,” Lady Louisa replied. “With anyone but you.”
Phineas had all but seen her words coming; yet, they still felt like a punch to the stomach. “Is that so?” he growled, fighting the urge to simply pull her into his arms. Perhaps a kiss would change her mind. A good kiss, not the disastrous kind Tobias and Anne had shared.
“It is.” Her dark green eyes remained locked on his, a daring gleam in them. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to go back inside. I’m beginning to grow cold.” She made to step past him, but his arm shot out to stop her. “Let me pass!” she growled, those wide eyes of hers narrowing into slits.
“We should work together,” Phineas heard himself suggest, realizing that he was speaking without thought, his only intention to keep her here...
...with him.
A frown creased her forehead. “Work together? What do you mean?”
“To unite our two lovebirds, of course.”
Her lips thinned, and she shook her head. “I work alone.” She walked past him.
“Alone you failed,” Phineas called after her. “Tobias is more determined than ever to remain friends. How does Little Annie feel about their kiss?”
Stopping in her tracks, Lady Louisa turned to glare at him. “It is nothing more but a momentary setback,” she hissed at him. “One that shall be rectified shortly.”
“What do you have in mind?” Phineas called after her as she reached to open the door to the drawing room.
“That is nothing to concern yourself with, Lord Barrington,” she snapped, not even bothering to look back at him. “Good night.”
“Good night, Lulu!” A wide grin came to Phineas’ face when she shut the door behind her with a loud bang, a clear indication that he had gotten to her. She was far from immune to him; however, he wished she would respond in a somewhat different fashion.
“Patience,” Phineas mumbled to himself, rubbing his hands against the cold. “Good things will come to those who wait.” He certainly hoped that was true.
Chapter Four
On the Stairs
Sleep had never been something to elude Louisa. Her first night at Windmere Park, though, proved troublesome. The bed was perfectly fine. The mattress was soft and warm, and the linens felt smooth and comfortable against her skin. A fire burnt in the grate, giving the room a soothing glow. Still, sleep would not come.
What did come and refused to leave were thoughts of Phineas Hawke.
Unfortunately, these thoughts did not focus upon his utterly annoying personality. They did not point out his tendency to mock her, tease her, even ridicule her. No, indeed, they continued to draw forth the dark shade of his eyes as they had looked into hers. They painted vivid images of how close they had stood together in the snow, his warm breath tickling her skin. They forced her to recall how tempted she had been to kiss him. Had he truly intended to kiss her? Or had it only been a tease?
When morning finally dawned, Louisa was exhausted. Her eyelids felt heavy as lead, and her limbs complied only with great reluctance. Still, she managed to heave herself out of bed and dress for breakfast. What finally managed to lift her spirits was that apparently Anne and Tobias had met in the library that morning and...there had been another kiss.
And judging from the glow upon Anne’s face, it had gone significantly better! Who knew what else could have happened—perhaps a betrothal!—if Lord Gillingham, a most persistent suitor of Anne, had not interfered in that very promising moment.
“You look tired,” Leonora remarked as they headed down the corridor to see to Grandma Edie. “Go on head downstairs. We shall see to grandmother.”
Anne nodded in agreement. “See you at breakfast.”
Louisa cast them a grateful smile; however, as she was making her way down the stairs to the ground floor, her luck ran out for none other but the man who had haunted her night walked across the entrance hall in that very moment.
Seeing him, Louisa reacted on instinct, pausing in her step, her breath lodging in her throat as she did her best not to move. Perhaps if she remained completely still, he would not see her. Don’t be such a ninny! A voice in the back of her head chided.
Louisa almost flinched. Indeed, what was she doing? She was not one to hide, one to avoid others simply because she disliked them. Never had she done so, and she would not start today. Gritting her teeth, Louisa took another step down.
Curse that man, but he turned and looked in her direction in that moment.
Louisa groaned as he immediately changed direction and walked over, positioning himself by the foot of the stairs, one elbow resting leisurely upon the banister as he looked up at her. “You look well rested, Lulu,” he remarked with that annoyingly smug grin upon his face. “Did you dream of me?”
Doing her utmost to ignore the flutter that came to her heart, Louisa continued down the stairs, her chin raised and a most haughty expression upon her face. “You are a vile creature, Lord Barrington, and I will not stoop so low as to deign your question with a reply. Good day!” She made to step around him.
Quick as lightning, Phineas Hawke moved to block her path, forcing her to remain on the bottommost step. “Have you already spoken with Anne this morning?”
Louisa paused, her gaze moving to search his face. “Why?” He looked even more smug than he usually did; Louisa could not help but wonder why.
Phineas Hawke laughed, leaning in as though they were confidantes, exchanging secrets. “I can see that she told you.”
Frowning at him, Louisa crossed her arms over her chest, once again feeling the need to place a bit of a barrier between them. “Well, I assume your brother told you.” A question swung in her voice, and she was rather surprised that her nemesis deciphered it without a moment’s hesitation.
“It was I who urged Tobias to seek out a more secluded spot for their kiss,” he remarked with a wide grin, those dark eyes of his not veering from hers. “No wonder it was by far more successful than...the previous one.” His brows arched up in a teasing manner
Louisa wanted to slap him! “Are you saying your brother has asked for her hand?” she inquired with a challenging glare, knowing it not to be so.
The smile upon his face vaned a little. “Not yet.”
“Has he declared his intention to do so?” While Anne had certainly been delighted with their kiss, she had still seemed uncertain about her childhood friend’s feelings toward her as well as his intentions that might or might not be inspired by them.
One corner of his mouth twitched upward before he shook his head. “He has not. Yet, I believe it is only a matter of time before he does.”
“If he has not, then you have no reason to consider your advice a success, Lord Barrington. Good day.” Louisa moved to the other end of the stair to walk past
him, but he mirrored her step, once again blocking her path.
“I apologize,” he said instantly, the look upon his face, though, was far from contrite.
Louisa huffed out an annoyed breath, then stepped back over to the other side...almost simultaneously with him. “What are you doing?”
He chuckled. “I’m trying to let you pass.”
“Are you?” she demanded.
He grinned at her. “What are you suggesting? That I intend to keep you trapped here?”
“I wouldn’t put it past you.” She gave him a pointed stare. “This staircase is by far wide enough for two people to pass each other comfortably. Pick a side.”
A mock frown came to his face, a perfect match for that teasing grin of his. “You mean like, good or bad?”
Fighting to hold on to her composure, Louisa exhaled slowly. “Left or right.”
Phineas Hawke nodded as though he had only just now understood her meaning. “Left, then.”
“Very well,” Louisa replied and stepped to her left, which, of course, was his right, and should have allowed them both to proceed onward.
Unfortunately, it did not.
Finding her path once more blocked, Louisa glared at him. “What are you doing? You said left!”
“Oh, your left or my left?” he asked, sounding baffled, his eyes still glowing with mirth. “When I said left, I meant your left, which is why I moved to the right.”
Louisa gritted her teeth. “Very well. Then my left, understood? You move to the right?”
He nodded, and yet, she could not shake the feeling that the same thing would happen again.
And it did.
Louisa was about to explode when she noticed a deeply unsettling smile come to his lips. It was different from all those other ones that teased or portrayed smugness. Indeed, it was one that whispered of intention, like the silence before the storm.
His eyes settled upon hers more firmly as he leaned forward. “Let’s try something else,” he mumbled then, a moment before his hands seized her waist.
Louisa drew in a sharp breath at the feel of his hands upon her, holding her tightly. She fought to voice her displeasure—truth or not!—when he suddenly lifted her off her feet. Her hands flew up, grasping his upper arms as he slowly turned around and then gently set her back down on the floor.
Staring up at him, her heart beating rapidly, Louisa tried to breathe. She could still feel his hands upon her as they lingered where they lay. She knew she ought to snap at him, pull away or demand he release her.
But her voice failed her.
“Are you all right?” Phineas Hawke asked in a strangely tender voice. “You look a bit pale. Perhaps you should eat.”
Reminding herself where she was and who she was with, Louisa finally managed to pull away, pushing his hands off her. “Don’t you ever dare touch me again!” she hissed in a whisper as a small group of guests, chatting and laughing, stepped into the foyer, crossing it on their way to the breakfast parlor.
Phineas Hawke flashed another one of those familiar, teasing grins at her. “Are you saying you do not approve of my solution to our little problem?”
“Leave me alone!” Louisa snapped, then spun around and marched off. “And don’t you dare follow me!” The beat of her heart still rang like a horse’s gallop in her ears as she made her way across the foyer on trembling legs. Oh, what was it about him that unsettled her so? Why could she not simply chide him for his rude behavior and not feel any of...of...this? It seemed she loathed him and longed for him with almost equal measure, and the latter was dreadfully inconvenient.
Before Louisa stepped through the archway leading out of the foyer, she glanced over her shoulder and belatedly realized that instead of going upstairs, that miscreant was heading down a corridor toward the back of the house. Indeed, he had never intended to ascend to the first floor, had he?
All this had been a game to him.
Nothing more.
Chapter Five
A Miscreant by the Name of Phineas Hawke
Louisa’s ankle hurt. It truly hurt, throbbing as though a living thing had taken up residence there and was now fighting to get out. At the very least, she had sprained it with her daring stunt to ensure Anne was not kissed by the wrong man!
Still, her cousin’s happiness was worth it.
“You’re quite a menace, my dear Lulu,” that miscreant remarked with a wide grin as they stood near the frozen lake in the snow. Of course, he had been standing on the bank! Of course, he had seen her fling herself across the ice...and land rather crumpled upon the ground. Of course!
Many guests had strapped on a pair of skates and proceeded onto the ice while others amused themselves with a snowball fight or a sleigh ride near the maze, a labyrinth formed by tall-growing hedges. Warm beverages were served by footmen hurrying back and to from the house. Jolliness hung in the air, mingling with the icy wind and steam wafting upward from mugs filled to the rim with hot chocolate or cider.
Glaring at Phineas Hawke for no longer than a heartbeat, Louisa gritted her teeth and chose to ignore him. As hard as it was not to bite his head off, she would simply have to rise above. With her gaze fixed on Tobias, she stated, “I know you care for her. Why then do you stand idly by and allow another to steal kisses?”
Indeed, Tobias looked miserable, almost resigned at her reference to Lord Gillingham’s pursuit of Anne; yet, something jealous, wild and deeply primitive sparked in his dark brown eyes. “What ought I have done? I was too far away.”
Louisa wanted to slap him! “Not this morning in the library,” she challenged. Indeed, only moments after the two lovebirds had shared another kiss, Lord Gillingham had come upon them. Blast the man! He had almost succeeded in maneuvering Anne under a sprig of mistletoe only moments later. “I interfered and prevented the worst as I did again just now.” She gestured toward the other side of the frozen lake where another sprig of mistletoe dangled from an overhanging branch. “However, I won’t be able to keep Lord Gillingham away from her indefinitely.” Without thought, Louisa took a step toward him and flinched as fresh pain shot through her ankle. She sucked in a sharp breath and gritted her teeth, determined to get her point across. “You need—”
“Are you hurt?” Phineas Hawke asked as he reached out and grasped her hand. The nerve of that man! His gaze dropped to her right foot as he moved closer.
Glaring at him, Louisa jerked her hand away. “I’m fine,” she snapped with as much venom as she could. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t touch me, Lord Barrington.” Indeed, he kept touching her far too often!
The miscreant had the nerve to look hurt at her icy tone. Hell would freeze over before Louisa allowed herself to believe that an actual, human heart beat inside his chest.
“Why?” Tobias asked, eying her curiously. “Not that I’m not grateful for your interference, but why?”
Suddenly feeling exhausted, Louisa sighed, “Because I want to see her happy,” she told him, noting the way the corners of his mouth quirked upward as though in agreement, “and because I believe you’re the one to achieve it.” She held his gaze, praying he was hearing her. “She loves you, and I feel deeply confident in my conclusion that you love her as well. Is that not so?”
Tobias blinked, a look of utter surprise coming to his face; yet, no words left his lips. Still, his gaze briefly moved to the house where Anne and Leonora had retired after Louisa’s rather unexpected and perhaps somewhat extreme rescue act.
Louisa sighed, shaking her head at him. “Apparently, you’re as blind as she is.” She moved another step toward him, hoping that her words were finding their way through that thick skull of his. Unfortunately, her efforts sent another jolt of pain through her ankle. “How can you not see it?” she demanded before she cleared her throat. “Be that as it may, if you no longer think of her as Little Annie, then you need to act. Fast.”
Standing behind her shoulder, Phineas Hawke scoffed, “That’s precisely what I said.”
>
Louisa turned to stare at him. “You did?” The thought that he truly cared for his brother seemed utterly foreign. Did he possess a functional heart after all? How else would he have—?
“Believe me,” the dratted man replied, wiggling his brows in that deeply infuriating way, “it came as quite a shock to me as well that we actually agree on something.” He moved closer; his gaze fixed on hers. “A grave sign, indeed, for it surely prophesies the end of the world as we know it.” Then he did what he always did; he laughed.
Rolling her eyes at him, Louisa turned back to Tobias, cringing at yet another painful step. “Well?” she dared him. “What do you intend to do?”
Instead of answering her question, he looked down at her aching foot. “You should have a doctor look at your ankle.”
“Don’t try to distract me,” Louisa snapped, gritting her teeth against the pain. “You—”
“I’m not trying to distract you,” Tobias interrupted her, his gaze insistent. “However, I do believe you’re in significant pain. You should—”
“He’s right,” exclaimed Phineas behind her, and before Louisa could object, the man swept her into his arms and started marching up the path toward the house.
For a short moment, Louisa was so dumbstruck that she could not move, could not speak, could do nothing but hang in his arms like a lump, unable to believe that this was truly happening. No one in their right mind would…
But then again, Phineas Hawke was anything but in his right mind, was he? He never had been.
“Put me down, you miscreant!” Louisa hissed at him, her hands shoving against his chest. “How dare you? Put me down this instant!”
His dark gaze shifted down to meet hers and a low rumbling chuckle spilled from his lips. He did not slow down, though, and his hold on her did not lessen in the least. His strong arms hugged her to his chest, warm and alive and determined. His eyes were almost black as they lingered upon her face, something wicked lurking in their depths that made Louisa’s heart beat wildly in her chest.