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him and enjoyed the unfamiliar taste and feel of a man’s mouth. She gently moved into him, unaware that she had done so until she touched the hard evidence of his need for her. Her stomach fluttered.
    “Sweet Christ!” he said and pulled away from her.
    “Don’t tease me unless you’re prepared to give what you’re offering.”
    His eyes searched deeply into hers. She blushed with embarrassment and quickly averted her gaze.
    “I’ve given you fair warning, sweet Jalene,” he said, helping her to her feet. “Let’s go. We’ve wasted enough time.”
    She fumed. Waste of time, indeed. She mentally repeated his words. Angered and hurt that he had so abruptly put an end to their kissing, she refused to budge. Slowly, she picked the blades of grass and leaves from her soiled gown.
    “Woman! You try my patience.”
    A governess with a small child approached them along the walk. The woman looked in obvious disgust at Jalene in her grass-and-mud-stained gown, and next at Taylor, whose cravat had come undone. His once-crisp white shirt was now soiled and untucked from his breeches. One of his silk stockings had a tear in it.
    Nonetheless, Jalene greeted her. “Good day.”
    Taylor grunted something unintelligible.
    The governess said nothing, but she glowered at them while she pushed the child more quickly along. Jalene grinned when she heard the little one ask if they had been swimming.
    Taylor’s attention remained on Jalene. “So you think this is amusing, do you?” His eyes narrowed in anger. “We’ll see how amusing you’ll find this.” He lunged at her, but he slipped in the flattened grass on the sloped bank and fell.
    She gasped. Her hands touched her cheeks in surprise. Then she started to giggle.
    “Damn it!” He rubbed his ankle. “I’ve twisted my foot,” he snarled at Jalene as if it were her fault.
    She backed away, unsure how disabled he was. She decided that this just might be her best chance to escape him. “You’re right. It’s time to leave.”
    He rose to his feet and limped toward her, trying not to put any pressure on his foot. “I’ll need your shoulder.”
    “A shoulder, but not mine. I’m going home.” She raised her skirts to run when a second thought occurred to her. “I’ll leave word at your home for someone to come to your aid.” He gave her a look that would have frightened a banshee. She turned and fled.
    He yelled after her, “I’ll find you, Jalene, and when I do, you’ll not get away from me again.”
    She never looked back. “I know-—God help me—but not before I have a chance to talk with James.”
     

Chapter 5
     
    Jalene lay on her bed, eyes closed and face swollen, praying for sleep that failed to come. Fortune had been on her side until Fate had intervened and dealt her an unexpected blow. After escaping Taylor and hiring a carriage, she had arrived at Sorrel House in record time. Her elation turned to dread, however, when she stepped outside the vehicle to a foreboding silence. The distillery had ceased operations. Not a soul was around. Inside, she learned the terrible truth. James was dead.
    That had been four days ago. Now, she forced her thoughts away from the nightmare of James’s death only to worry about Wil. What had become of him, and why hadn’t he attended James’s funeral? Had he not received her message, or had Donnegan got to him first? Dear Lord, she hoped not. She’d make an effort to find out— maybe even make the trip to Dublin and call on him at his town house.
    A tap on the door broke into her musings. She rolled from her back to her side, away from the intrusion—away from her sister-in-law, Margaret.
    The dark-haired woman seated herself on the bed next to Jalene. “For three days you’ve imprisoned yourself in this room. James was my husband—the father of my children.” Margaret’s voice faltered. “I loved him, too.” She affectionately squeezed Jalene’s shoulder. “We must face reality.”
    At Margaret’s