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Authors: Michelle Marcos
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lock. The key fits into the lock only from the inside.”
She harrumphed. “Why should it worry you that this door can only be locked from the inside? I have the only key; therefore, I am the only one who can unlock it.”
“Hmm. Perhaps it is nothing.”
“Seems your abilities have been subject to hyperbole.”
He shot her an irritated look. Slowly, illumination dawned on his masculine features. “Or perhaps …”
He stood up and looked around the room. The emerald eyes scoured each wall, pausing over every inch of them, until finally they narrowed suspiciously on the wardrobe on the far side of her bed.
The massive cherrywood armoire stood in the middle of the long wall at the foot of her bed. It was weighted with all her garments and accessories. Nevertheless, he stood to one side of it, and began to push on it with all his might.
A sheen of perspiration broke out on his forehead as he grimaced with the effort. He strained against it until the monstrous wardrobe shifted with a heavy screech, revealing the wall behind it.
Serena jumped up and stood beside him. Hidden behind her wardrobe was a secret door that had been papered to blend in with the rest of her room. A small hole served as a doorknob, obscured by one of the larkspurs printed on the wallpaper. Malcolm pulled on it, and the panel creaked open.
A cobweb streamed from inside the darkened space, and Serena backed away in fright. The mere possibility of the presence of spiders made it a certainty that she would not follow him in there. She waited for him to emerge.
“What do you see in there?”
He came back out of the mouth of the doorway. “Looks like a lover’s corridor.”
“A what?”
He slapped his hands together, shaking the dust from his gloves. “Some old houses like this one used to be built with a secret passageway leading to a bedroom. It permitted the man of the house to sneak into a lady’s room at night without being discovered. That brass plate on the outside of the door kept a curious wife or efficient housemaid from walking in on the couple while they were … together.”
“Randy old sods!”
He smiled, revealing another hidden surprise … a row of beautiful white teeth. “Mayhap his attentions were not always unwelcome.”
“Hmm,” she grunted dubiously. “Well, where does this corridor lead?”
“I don’t know. Probably a study or pantry. But I canna see the opposite door from here. There are crates and old furniture piled up in there. Looks as if the space hasn’t been used in decades.”
“Thank goodness for that. Otherwise, Lord Askey would have a lot to answer for. Imagine what a horrible
experience to be asleep and have a strange man creeping into your room.”
“All while giving the lady in the room a false sense of security.” He looked down into her eyes. “Just as ye seem determined to feel.”
“It isn’t a false sense of security at all,” she said defensively. She had already been proven wrong once. “There’s no reason for alarm. I’m in no real danger.”
“How can ye be so sure?”
She looked askance. “I just am.”
Sarcasm dripped from his deep voice. “Well, as long as ye’ve thought it out carefully.”
Her brows drew together. “I don’t have to explain myself to you. I’m making a point.”
“Ye’re also missing one. All this time, ye’ve been sleeping in a room that a man might slip into to strangle ye as ye slept. I dinna call that ‘safe.’”
“Well, he’d be welcome to try if he can push a fiveton armoire out of the way without waking me.”
He shook his head. “Ye are bullheaded when ye want to be, aren’t ye? Still,” he said, glancing at the larkspur wallpaper, “I’m glad of the discovery. That room will make ideal sleeping quarters for me.”
The thought of that made the blood drain from her face. “Do you mean to tell me you’re going to sleep in that room?”
“Aye.”
“With unfettered access into mine?”
“Aye.”
“Where
She harrumphed. “Why should it worry you that this door can only be locked from the inside? I have the only key; therefore, I am the only one who can unlock it.”
“Hmm. Perhaps it is nothing.”
“Seems your abilities have been subject to hyperbole.”
He shot her an irritated look. Slowly, illumination dawned on his masculine features. “Or perhaps …”
He stood up and looked around the room. The emerald eyes scoured each wall, pausing over every inch of them, until finally they narrowed suspiciously on the wardrobe on the far side of her bed.
The massive cherrywood armoire stood in the middle of the long wall at the foot of her bed. It was weighted with all her garments and accessories. Nevertheless, he stood to one side of it, and began to push on it with all his might.
A sheen of perspiration broke out on his forehead as he grimaced with the effort. He strained against it until the monstrous wardrobe shifted with a heavy screech, revealing the wall behind it.
Serena jumped up and stood beside him. Hidden behind her wardrobe was a secret door that had been papered to blend in with the rest of her room. A small hole served as a doorknob, obscured by one of the larkspurs printed on the wallpaper. Malcolm pulled on it, and the panel creaked open.
A cobweb streamed from inside the darkened space, and Serena backed away in fright. The mere possibility of the presence of spiders made it a certainty that she would not follow him in there. She waited for him to emerge.
“What do you see in there?”
He came back out of the mouth of the doorway. “Looks like a lover’s corridor.”
“A what?”
He slapped his hands together, shaking the dust from his gloves. “Some old houses like this one used to be built with a secret passageway leading to a bedroom. It permitted the man of the house to sneak into a lady’s room at night without being discovered. That brass plate on the outside of the door kept a curious wife or efficient housemaid from walking in on the couple while they were … together.”
“Randy old sods!”
He smiled, revealing another hidden surprise … a row of beautiful white teeth. “Mayhap his attentions were not always unwelcome.”
“Hmm,” she grunted dubiously. “Well, where does this corridor lead?”
“I don’t know. Probably a study or pantry. But I canna see the opposite door from here. There are crates and old furniture piled up in there. Looks as if the space hasn’t been used in decades.”
“Thank goodness for that. Otherwise, Lord Askey would have a lot to answer for. Imagine what a horrible
experience to be asleep and have a strange man creeping into your room.”
“All while giving the lady in the room a false sense of security.” He looked down into her eyes. “Just as ye seem determined to feel.”
“It isn’t a false sense of security at all,” she said defensively. She had already been proven wrong once. “There’s no reason for alarm. I’m in no real danger.”
“How can ye be so sure?”
She looked askance. “I just am.”
Sarcasm dripped from his deep voice. “Well, as long as ye’ve thought it out carefully.”
Her brows drew together. “I don’t have to explain myself to you. I’m making a point.”
“Ye’re also missing one. All this time, ye’ve been sleeping in a room that a man might slip into to strangle ye as ye slept. I dinna call that ‘safe.’”
“Well, he’d be welcome to try if he can push a fiveton armoire out of the way without waking me.”
He shook his head. “Ye are bullheaded when ye want to be, aren’t ye? Still,” he said, glancing at the larkspur wallpaper, “I’m glad of the discovery. That room will make ideal sleeping quarters for me.”
The thought of that made the blood drain from her face. “Do you mean to tell me you’re going to sleep in that room?”
“Aye.”
“With unfettered access into mine?”
“Aye.”
“Where
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