direction until she pointed out the heavy vines which concealed a
few chinks in the bricks. Without a word,Victoria wedged the toe of her boot into the first opening and
grabbed a vine.
Beneath her, Lucas shook his head in grim disapproval as he watched her climb the garden wall.Victoria
felt awkward and clumsy under his close scrutiny. She had not as yet had much practice scaling garden
walls. She could only hope the fitful moonlight hid the shape of her snugly clad derriere as she went over
the top.
Behind her, Lucas grabbed a trailing bit of ivy, found the chink in the wall with the toe of his boot, and
followed. On the other side of the wall,Victoria dropped lightly to the ground and looked up to see that
Lucas was almost on top of her. She stepped back quickly as he dropped down in front of her. She
noticed he took most of his weight on his strong right leg and did not stumble as he caught his balance.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"My lord," she hissed," y u should be getting back to the carriage. The Lyndwoods will be waiting."
"I have one or two things to say to you first." He stood in the midst of the fragrant, deeply shadowed
garden, a tall, lean, menacing figure as dark and dangerous as the night.
Victoriasummoned up her courage.
"I must tell you, Stonevale, that I have no wish to endure a lecture for what happened this evening. I am
already quite aware that none of us would have been in jeopardy if I had not insisted upon going to the
fair."
"In that, Miss Huntington, you are correct."
The total lack of emotion in his voice was far more unnerving than a scolding would have been.
ButVictoria suddenly remembered the way he had defended her in the alley. Impulsively she touched his
sleeve.
"I know I am deeply indebted to you, my lord, but I must tell you quite truthfully that up until the moment
the crowd turned violent, I was having a fine time. I cannot remember when I have enjoyed an outing
more." She took a deep breath when there was no response and rushed on." I would also have you
know, my lord, that I thought you were quite wonderful. Very cool under fire, as they say. You got us
free of the mob and I assure you I shall never forget the way you handled those two footpads in the alley.
For that, my thanks."
"Your thanks," he repeated in a considering tone." I am not certain that is sufficient reward under the
circumstances."
Victorialooked up at him, suddenly aware that Aunt Cleo's botanical garden was a very dark and lonely
place at this hour of the night. She wondered for one awful moment if Stonevale was going to lose his
grip on the reins of his temper, and then she started wondering what she should do if he did. Belatedly
she took a step back.
" My lord?"
"No," he said, as if having reached a conclusion. "Your paltry thanks are not enough for what I have
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
been through and what I undoubtedly have yet to endure."
Without any warning Lucas's hands closed around her shoulders, and in one smooth, swift motion he
backed her up against the garden wall. BeforeVictoria could react, Lucas moved in close, so close that
the hard, unforgiving length of his body pressed against her much softer frame.
Lucas's booted foot slid between her legs.Victoria froze for an instant, held still by the shock of his
muscled thigh alongside her own leg. Her eyes widened in the moonlight as she looked up into
Stonevale's starkly etched face.
"You are a hotheaded, reckless hoyden; a little shrew who is badly in need of taming before she lands in
serious trouble. If I had any sense, I would end this here and now,"
Lucas rasped.
Victorialicked her dry lips." End what, my lord?"
"This." His mouth came down on hers with a fierce, plundering heat that made her fully aware, at last, of
the true extent of his dangerous mood. She had been prepared for his
few chinks in the bricks. Without a word,Victoria wedged the toe of her boot into the first opening and
grabbed a vine.
Beneath her, Lucas shook his head in grim disapproval as he watched her climb the garden wall.Victoria
felt awkward and clumsy under his close scrutiny. She had not as yet had much practice scaling garden
walls. She could only hope the fitful moonlight hid the shape of her snugly clad derriere as she went over
the top.
Behind her, Lucas grabbed a trailing bit of ivy, found the chink in the wall with the toe of his boot, and
followed. On the other side of the wall,Victoria dropped lightly to the ground and looked up to see that
Lucas was almost on top of her. She stepped back quickly as he dropped down in front of her. She
noticed he took most of his weight on his strong right leg and did not stumble as he caught his balance.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"My lord," she hissed," y u should be getting back to the carriage. The Lyndwoods will be waiting."
"I have one or two things to say to you first." He stood in the midst of the fragrant, deeply shadowed
garden, a tall, lean, menacing figure as dark and dangerous as the night.
Victoriasummoned up her courage.
"I must tell you, Stonevale, that I have no wish to endure a lecture for what happened this evening. I am
already quite aware that none of us would have been in jeopardy if I had not insisted upon going to the
fair."
"In that, Miss Huntington, you are correct."
The total lack of emotion in his voice was far more unnerving than a scolding would have been.
ButVictoria suddenly remembered the way he had defended her in the alley. Impulsively she touched his
sleeve.
"I know I am deeply indebted to you, my lord, but I must tell you quite truthfully that up until the moment
the crowd turned violent, I was having a fine time. I cannot remember when I have enjoyed an outing
more." She took a deep breath when there was no response and rushed on." I would also have you
know, my lord, that I thought you were quite wonderful. Very cool under fire, as they say. You got us
free of the mob and I assure you I shall never forget the way you handled those two footpads in the alley.
For that, my thanks."
"Your thanks," he repeated in a considering tone." I am not certain that is sufficient reward under the
circumstances."
Victorialooked up at him, suddenly aware that Aunt Cleo's botanical garden was a very dark and lonely
place at this hour of the night. She wondered for one awful moment if Stonevale was going to lose his
grip on the reins of his temper, and then she started wondering what she should do if he did. Belatedly
she took a step back.
" My lord?"
"No," he said, as if having reached a conclusion. "Your paltry thanks are not enough for what I have
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
been through and what I undoubtedly have yet to endure."
Without any warning Lucas's hands closed around her shoulders, and in one smooth, swift motion he
backed her up against the garden wall. BeforeVictoria could react, Lucas moved in close, so close that
the hard, unforgiving length of his body pressed against her much softer frame.
Lucas's booted foot slid between her legs.Victoria froze for an instant, held still by the shock of his
muscled thigh alongside her own leg. Her eyes widened in the moonlight as she looked up into
Stonevale's starkly etched face.
"You are a hotheaded, reckless hoyden; a little shrew who is badly in need of taming before she lands in
serious trouble. If I had any sense, I would end this here and now,"
Lucas rasped.
Victorialicked her dry lips." End what, my lord?"
"This." His mouth came down on hers with a fierce, plundering heat that made her fully aware, at last, of
the true extent of his dangerous mood. She had been prepared for his
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