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Authors: Hannah Howell

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BOOK: If He's Dangerous
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Maybe, just maybe, I will get you naked and beneath me!
If she had purposely plotted some revenge for the way he kept pushing her away, she could not have found a better one. Lorelei had not even had to bellow the words. Whispering them just loud enough for him to hear would have worked just as well. Honor demanded he not bed her unless he was going to marry her, and he had no intention of ever marrying. Honor, however, would not be enough to wipe his mind clean of the image she had just planted within it. Argus knew he was facing many a night of waking up hard, aching with need, and unsatisfied. The kisses they had shared had already caused him enough trouble.
Maybe, just maybe, I have a few wants of my own.
As his traitorous mind started to ponder on just what wants of hers he could try to sate, Argus cursed long and loud. He would be lucky if he ever slept peacefully again.
Chapter 6
“The Wherlockes are here.”
“Uh?”
 
Lorelei opened one eye and glared at Max. She had not slept well. Finding out just what she could do with Sir Argus Wherlocke's fine body if she got him naked and beneath her had kept her from sleeping peacefully. She no longer saw it as lucky that she had been able to slip into her father's library and look at the books he thought were so well hidden. She had woken up so often through the night, aching and asweat with a need she had never felt before, that she now wondered why she had even stayed in bed.
Such dreams should have shocked and embarrassed her, but, instead, they had stirred her desire and her curiosity. Each time she had awakened she had cursed the fact that Sir Argus was not close at hand so that she could heartily satisfy both. That shocked her a little, but she decided it was all a result of knowing that Sir Argus was the man she wanted. And, now, here was Max, looming over her and telling her she had company when all she wanted to do was sleep. Then she frowned, for Max rarely entered her bedchamber to wake her, so something important had to be happening.
“What did you say?”
“I said the Wherlockes are here.”
The words finally penetrated her exhaustion-clouded mind and she squeaked in alarm. “What time is it?”
“Eleven. In the morning.”
“That is rather early for a call by people we have never been formally introduced to.” Then Lorelei grimaced. “I sounded just like Old Miller, our last governess, right then. Foolishness. I wrote to the Wherlockes and asked them to come. They are here. I need to go and speak with them.” She nodded as the recitation of those hard, cold facts pushed aside the last dregs of sleep.
“Send Vale here, if you will, and I will be down within the half hour.” She frowned at Max. “Do you think that is too long a wait for them? Mayhap I should just throw on . . .”
“A half hour to respond to an unannounced visit is more than any would expect, even those whom you summoned. I will see to their comfort.”
 
“Have you told Papa they are here?”
“Your father has taken some of the lads down to the pond to fish and, perhaps, learn a few things about whatever disgusting wildlife lurks in the mud there.”
She silently cursed the fact that she could not look to her father for any help as Max left. Knowing the Wherlockes would be treated well as they waited for her, Lorelei leapt from her bed the moment the door closed behind Max. By the time Vale arrived, Lorelei had already washed up and was half dressed, much to her maid's obvious dismay. Despite Vale's protests, she had the woman put her hair up in a very simple style and then hurried down to the blue salon where all guests were placed, a little proud of the fact that she had done it all in only twenty minutes. Catching a glimpse of Max disappearing in the direction of the kitchens told her he had already served them some food and drink so she did not have to fret over that courtesy. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she opened the door and stepped in to meet Sir Argus's family.
They are a disgustingly handsome lot
was the first thought that went through her head as she looked at the four Wherlockes gathered in the salon. One woman and three men. The woman was stunningly beautiful, and the men had the dark, somewhat dangerous look about them that could make women sigh. And they were all so tall, she mused, as they all stood up to greet her. And then she realized she should have waited for Max to announce her, but hastily shrugged that concern aside. Too late now.
“Lady Lorelei Sundun?” When Lorelei nodded, the woman continued, “Allow me to perform the introductions,” said the woman in a voice Lorelei suspected made most men think of cool linen sheets and soft candlelight. “I am Lady Olympia Wherlocke, Baroness of Stryke Hall.” She gestured toward a tall, black-haired man. “That is the Lord Iago Vaughn, the Baron of Uppington.” She patted the strong arm of the tall, dark-haired man with the jade green eyes who stood by her side. “This is Lord Sir Leopold Wherlocke, the Baron of Starkly. And next to him is Sir Bened Vaughn.” She smiled at the large man with the odd silver eyes before fixing her gaze on Lorelei as one by one the men introduced stepped up to take Lorelei's hand in theirs and kiss the back of it. “We have come in response to your letters. You know where my brother is?”
“Sir Argus is your brother?” was all Lorelei could think to say, momentarily dazed by having three handsome men kiss her hand in greeting. “But, he is not titled, yet you are.”
And was that not a foolish thing to worry about now?
a little voice in her head groaned in disgust.
“I gained my title from one that has been passed down through the female line ever since my great-grandmother's time. She gained it through doing a service for King Charles the Second.”
Considering that king's sordid reputation with women, Lorelei managed to grasp the good sense not to ask what service had been done. As she attempted to collect her thoughts, she urged her guests to sit down and served them some of the tea and small cakes Maxwell had just set out for them. She tried very hard not to be intimidated by the beauty and poise of Argus's sister, but it was difficult. Lady Olympia Wherlocke, with her thick raven hair, sky blue eyes, and enviously curved figure made Lorelei feel small and thin, as well as young and awkward, despite the fact that Lorelei doubted Lady Olympia was all that much older than she was. It was bad enough that surprise, and nerves, had caused her to ask the woman something so irrelevant as why she was a baroness when Argus was only a knight. Now Lorelei felt witless as well as plain.
“You know what has happened to my brother?” asked Lady Olympia, a shadow of impatience in her voice that Lorelei easily understood, for news of Sir Argus was the whole purpose of this visit.
“Yes, first, please allow me to assure you that he is quite safe,” Lorelei said and could actually see the tension bleed out of her guests, their postures becoming much more relaxed.
“We believed he had been badly injured.”
“Oh, he was. It may be best if I begin from the moment he appeared to me in my father's rose garden.”
“I beg your pardon? He
appeared
in your garden?”
It was obvious from the surprised looks upon the faces of his family that Argus had not told them about that particular skill. Lorelei hoped that was because he had not yet perfected it and was loath to do any boasting about it until he had. Whatever his reasons for keeping quiet about it, they did not matter now. His secret was out.
“Sir Argus told me that he has been, well, testing his ability to send his spirit out from his body. He had intended to send it to one of his family when he used it to try and get some help, but he ended up in our rose garden instead. I think the rune stones in the garden may have had something to do with that. There is a circle of them, which my father had made into the rose garden. Although, that must sound very foolish to you.”
“Not at all. It could quite possibly have something to do with the stones,” said Uppington. “There may be no true records of the power of such places, but there are certainly enough tales about them to make one wonder. So, you are saying that you saw an apparition in your garden and acted upon what it said?”
“Instead of running, screaming loudly, back into my house?” Lorelei smiled. “Yes. I did try to convince myself that I had been sitting in the sun for too long or that it was all a dream, but he took my shawl with him when he faded away.” Lorelei inwardly grimaced at what she had just let slip and prayed no one would ask just why Sir Argus had had need of her shawl. “I could not explain that away so I sent word to his family as he had asked me to. Although, only two of you are ones I sent the letters to.”
“Modred sent word to me,” said Lord Leopold, “and Bened was with me at the time. The duke rarely travels, especially to places where he does not know the people.”
“Ah, of course.” Before they could pepper her with more questions, Lorelei gave them the full tale of what had happened from the time she had seen Argus in the garden until their arrival at Sundunmoor. As always she left out all mention of nakedness and kisses.
“What I do not understand is how this Cornick fool could even think that he could just take Argus's gift,” said Lady Olympia.
“The man obviously believes it is something that can be given away, stolen, or taught,” said Lorelei.
“Madness.”
 
“Sir Argus rather thinks so. But that does not stop the man from being a danger to Sir Argus. Still, it might be best if you discuss all that with him.”
Within moments, Lorelei found herself escorting Argus's family to the gatehouse. She had thought to introduce them to her father, but he and the youngest boys had not returned from their foray to the pond. A coldness was settling deep into her soul as she realized that these people could be here to take Sir Argus away. Every instinct she had told her that, if Argus left Sundunmoor, she would never see him again. Lorelei was just not sure if there was any way she could prevent that. These four people were his family and this problem was a family one, while she was simply the woman who had pulled him out of his prison and nursed his wounds.
 
When they stepped into the bedchamber, they found Argus struggling to tug on his boots, wincing all the while. The way his relatives hurried to his side made Lorelei suddenly feel like the odd man out. She told herself it was foolish, but the longer they all talked amongst themselves, the more de trop she began to feel. Finally she decided it might be best if she just quietly slipped away and waited at home to hear what would happen next. She was just stepping out the door when a hand clasped her by the wrist and she looked to find Lady Olympia at her side.
“Where are you going?” asked Lady Olympia.
“I thought I should leave you alone so that you could make your plans,” Lorelei replied, but she did not stop the woman from dragging her over to where the men were talking. “You know best what you are capable of and what resources you can bring to this battle.”
 
“You and this place are an intricate part of all the planning that must be done. Is this place not close to where he was held prisoner?”
That remark implied that at least Lady Olympia thought Argus should stay where he was, but Lorelei smothered the sudden hope that rose within her. “About a half day's ride if one does not have to go very slowly.”
“Then this is the area where his enemies will be. They are surely searching for him all around here and Dunn Manor. Well, if they realize that Dunn Manor is where he had to have been taken at least at the start. Once they figure that out, the connection to you, to the Sunduns can easily be made.”
“It is possible, although we have had no word of anyone looking for him.”
Lady Olympia stared at one of the windows, but a quick glance at her face was enough to tell Lorelei that the woman was not admiring the view. There was a faraway look in those lovely eyes she suspected men had written odes to. She wondered what gift Lady Olympia could lay claim to.
“You will,” Lady Olympia said in a voice very close to a whisper. “Soon.” She frowned and then nodded as if confirming her own words.
“How could that be?” Lorelei asked. “There can be no connection between me and Sir Argus. Our families have never even met. So this Cornick thinks Sir Argus was taken to Dunn Manor. It matters not for no one but me, my maid, and my cousins knew he was there and we moved him as quickly as possible.”
“You were seen,” Lady Olympia said, giving Lorelei a look that dared her to deny it.
“What?” Argus turned away from his cousins to stare at Olympia and Lorelei, revealing that he had been listening closely to what she and his sister had been talking about. “You did not tell me about that, Lady Lorelei. When were you seen? By whom?”
It was not something she had ever intended to tell him, and Lorelei cast Lady Olympia a cross look only to earn a sweet smile from the woman. “It was when we were getting you away from that place. When the men rode up just as we reached the top of the hill, I think one of them caught a very brief glimpse of me. May have even seen me in the moonlight for the space of a heartbeat. But, we were not chased, were we? There was no outcry. I quickly hid in the shadows and I was in disguise. I do not see how the man could ever guess it was me and come here because of that.”
“No, but he might get to your cousins.”
“He did not see them. They had already gotten you to the horses that were tethered deep in the shadows of the trees. Also, it has been a week and there has been no word from the Dunns that there has been any search for you or any trouble for them.”
Sir Argus said no more, but he did not look convinced by her assurances. In fact, he looked sorely tempted to do a great deal more arguing, perhaps even give her a few orders. Lorelei decided to be the coward and slip away for a little while until he could be well distracted.
BOOK: If He's Dangerous
6.91Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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