Read Online Madcap Miss by Claudy Conn - Free Book Online Page B

her shoulders and brought up her gaze to his silver-bright eyes. She heard his intake of breath and wondered at it, and then he said, “I promise you, Felicia, no one shall make you marry anyone without your leave. Will you trust me in that?”
    “Yes, I think I will,” she answered, feeling as though he had sucked the breath from her lungs as she trembled in his hold. She was a wretch. How could she keep secrets from such a wonderfully kind gentleman? He must have been on his way somewhere, and he simply abandoned his plans to help her and Scott, but what had she done? She had lied to him, for a half truth was a lie.
    A tear formed in her eye as she suddenly felt the weight of the world descend upon her. He took her chin and said, “What? What is this? No tears, beauty. There is no need.”
    “You are too, too good,” she said on a sniff.
    “Come along,” he answered as he put her at arm’s length. “Time to go up, wash, and get some rest.”
    She shook her head and sighed softly. “No. I think not.”
    “You think not?” He was astounded.
    “I mean to sit up and watch Scott … just in case …”
    He took her hand and firmly led her to the stairs. “You, my girl, will do exactly as I bid you, and that is, for now, to get some rest.”
    “Yes, but—”
    “If anyone is going to sit up with Scott, for the sake of propriety it will be I.” He cut off all further buts.
    She gasped. “Oh … no. I could not allow you to do that. You have done so much for us already, I simply cannot allow you to do more.”
    “My little beauty, I am quite used to getting my own way and am not about to allow that to change now,” he said, obviously trying to make light of it.
    He was a knight who had ridden up out of the dark and saved them. Without realizing what she was doing, she took his hand to her cheek. This sent a bolt of electric energy through her body, and their eyes met.
    What was this? What was happening? She got on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “I shall never forget how much we owe you for this night’s work.”
    He saw her to her room, watched her go in, and bid her good night as she closed the door. She rested her back against it for a long moment. Life had suddenly taken on a new flavor, and that flavor was Glen Ashton.
    He had said he was used to getting his own way. So was she . Her parents had spoiled her with love and indulged her high spirits. She often wielded her friends with her easy manners and her own brand of stubbornness. To be led about by anyone was something she had never allowed, and yet here she was, meekly handing over the reins.
    This was all so new and so very unsettling.
     

 
    ~ Eight ~
     
    FELICIA OPENED HER eyes with a start and sat straight up, a question hitting her hard: Where was she ? She looked around and squinted against the bright rays of the sun streaming in through her window. Ugh, she had forgotten to draw the pretty yellow hangings last evening.
    Faith! Last evening? That was right. She was in a strange inn, and Scott was recovering from a gunshot! Scott was down the hall … and a complete stranger had helped them.
    She sank back against her pillows. She had nothing on, as she had dropped all her clothing to the floor before getting into bed. Everything was ruined, even her undergarments, as the blood had soaked right through her riding jacket and had gotten all over the breeches. The only things she could still wear were her high-topped riding boots.
    In addition to that, she had washed only her face in the bowl last night; she felt completely filthy.
    What she needed was a bath—a nice soapy, hot bath.
    Fie, Felicia , she told herself. Scott is down the hall … hurt, and all you are worried about is your needs. And then, for no reason at all, someone else popped into her head.
    Glen Ashton .
    How kind he had been. He had procured this room for her, seen to Scott … and then saw her fed and reassured. Just how was she ever to thank him?
    A knock sounded