Read Online Night Angel (Angel Haven) by Annette Miller - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Annette Miller
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toward the door. “Get outside.” He turned to Karen. “This will only take a moment.” He motioned Cray to follow him.
After Bradford left, Karen approached Harmon. “Do you take care of all the animals here?” she asked, gesturing at the twenty full stalls.
“Yes. Only five belong to Mr. Troyington. The rest are all boarded here for his neighbors.” His eyes narrowed as he watched her go to the first horse and stroke its nose.
“You do a great job. They all look in fine health.” Karen didn’t dare take her eyes from the horse. She knew she’d try to look outside to see what was happening with Randall and then they’d both be in trouble.
Harmon’s posture relaxed a little. “They’re like my children. Mr. Troyington says I like them more than people.”
“I guess you don’t like the others interfering out here,” she said, turning to watch him closely.
He scowled. “No, I don’t. And I really don’t like Dupré being out here. He upsets my animals.”
Why? she thought. How does he upset them? “Would it be all right, if when you’re here, I can come see them?” Karen asked. She petted the horse, feeling Harmon’s gaze penetrating her.
Apparently satisfied by his scrutiny, he said, “Yes, but only when I’m here.”
Bradford came in. “Everything’s all sorted out. Ready to continue our walk?” They headed outside, continuing on the same route they’d been on earlier.
Karen linked her arm through his. “Absolutely. Mr. Harmon said I can come down to see the horses, but only when he’s there.”
“He must trust you.” He sounded impressed. “Harmon lets no one near his children unless he has to.”
They walked the grounds around the house. Jeffries stood on the drawing room porch as they drew closer. “Mr. Troyington, you have a business call.”
He turned an apologetic smile to her. “Would you excuse me again? I’m sure this won’t take long.” He kissed the back of her hand.
“Sure. I’ll wait for you out here.” She breathed a mental sigh of relief. A few minutes to herself was just what she needed to collect her thoughts.
She resisted the urge to wipe her hand on her pants after he kissed it, smiling at him instead. After he’d gone, she heard angry voices coming from the side of the house. She crept forward, calling on her ability to hide herself from view. Cray stomped away, and she peered around the corner to see Randall enter the wood shed. She dropped her invisibility and darted inside.
She stopped short when she saw him. Randall leaned against the wall, the back of his shirt torn. She walked over to him and moved the fabric aside, her eyes widening when there was nothing there, just smooth, unblemished skin.
“You’re completely healed,” she whispered.
“I’m a fast healer.” He smiled at her. His eyes crinkled at the corners, giving him an impish look.
Karen’s knees went wobbly. “Why do you let them do this to you?” she asked softly.
“I thought our friend explained it to you,” he said, pain coloring his words. “Any sign of defiance on my part and the children will suffer.” He winced and rubbed his side. “Until the guardian’s charges are found, I’m stuck with Troyington’s abuse.”
Karen crossed to him, laying her hand on his shoulder. She tried to ignore the hardness of his muscles, the heat that radiated from him. She swallowed audibly. She forced herself not to start kneading that shoulder, to relieve the tenseness she found there. She moved closer to him.
“What—” She cleared her throat, trying to make her voice not quite so shaky. “What can I do to help you?”
He straightened and took a small step nearer to her. “Keep Troyington happy. Do that and he’ll stay out of my way.”
Karen’s mouth went dry. She hesitated before raising her hand to his jaw. She just stood there, staring at him, memorizing every line of his face.
He captured her hand, placing it over his heart. “I know what the guardian
After Bradford left, Karen approached Harmon. “Do you take care of all the animals here?” she asked, gesturing at the twenty full stalls.
“Yes. Only five belong to Mr. Troyington. The rest are all boarded here for his neighbors.” His eyes narrowed as he watched her go to the first horse and stroke its nose.
“You do a great job. They all look in fine health.” Karen didn’t dare take her eyes from the horse. She knew she’d try to look outside to see what was happening with Randall and then they’d both be in trouble.
Harmon’s posture relaxed a little. “They’re like my children. Mr. Troyington says I like them more than people.”
“I guess you don’t like the others interfering out here,” she said, turning to watch him closely.
He scowled. “No, I don’t. And I really don’t like Dupré being out here. He upsets my animals.”
Why? she thought. How does he upset them? “Would it be all right, if when you’re here, I can come see them?” Karen asked. She petted the horse, feeling Harmon’s gaze penetrating her.
Apparently satisfied by his scrutiny, he said, “Yes, but only when I’m here.”
Bradford came in. “Everything’s all sorted out. Ready to continue our walk?” They headed outside, continuing on the same route they’d been on earlier.
Karen linked her arm through his. “Absolutely. Mr. Harmon said I can come down to see the horses, but only when he’s there.”
“He must trust you.” He sounded impressed. “Harmon lets no one near his children unless he has to.”
They walked the grounds around the house. Jeffries stood on the drawing room porch as they drew closer. “Mr. Troyington, you have a business call.”
He turned an apologetic smile to her. “Would you excuse me again? I’m sure this won’t take long.” He kissed the back of her hand.
“Sure. I’ll wait for you out here.” She breathed a mental sigh of relief. A few minutes to herself was just what she needed to collect her thoughts.
She resisted the urge to wipe her hand on her pants after he kissed it, smiling at him instead. After he’d gone, she heard angry voices coming from the side of the house. She crept forward, calling on her ability to hide herself from view. Cray stomped away, and she peered around the corner to see Randall enter the wood shed. She dropped her invisibility and darted inside.
She stopped short when she saw him. Randall leaned against the wall, the back of his shirt torn. She walked over to him and moved the fabric aside, her eyes widening when there was nothing there, just smooth, unblemished skin.
“You’re completely healed,” she whispered.
“I’m a fast healer.” He smiled at her. His eyes crinkled at the corners, giving him an impish look.
Karen’s knees went wobbly. “Why do you let them do this to you?” she asked softly.
“I thought our friend explained it to you,” he said, pain coloring his words. “Any sign of defiance on my part and the children will suffer.” He winced and rubbed his side. “Until the guardian’s charges are found, I’m stuck with Troyington’s abuse.”
Karen crossed to him, laying her hand on his shoulder. She tried to ignore the hardness of his muscles, the heat that radiated from him. She swallowed audibly. She forced herself not to start kneading that shoulder, to relieve the tenseness she found there. She moved closer to him.
“What—” She cleared her throat, trying to make her voice not quite so shaky. “What can I do to help you?”
He straightened and took a small step nearer to her. “Keep Troyington happy. Do that and he’ll stay out of my way.”
Karen’s mouth went dry. She hesitated before raising her hand to his jaw. She just stood there, staring at him, memorizing every line of his face.
He captured her hand, placing it over his heart. “I know what the guardian
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