Page 24 of Blackthorne's Bride
Maddie had been afraid he was going to ask her that. She’d seen no sign of Lord Nicholas or Lord Blackthorne since she’d stepped outside. Slowly, she turned to look at the coach. The box was empty, but she couldn’t see on top of the roof. Surely both brothers couldn’t have hidden up there without being spotted.
But if they weren’t on top of the carriage, they had to be—
The howl that came from underneath the carriage confirmed her theory and sent her stumbling back in fear. In a blur, Blackthorne rushed at the men. At least she’d thought he was rushing for them. Instead, he grabbed her, pulled her arms behind her back and dragged her toward the panting horses.
“Don’t move,” he shouted to the village men, who were staring at her, and to Dover, who was coming after them. Dover ignored the order.
Maddie didn’t know whether to beg her fiancé to rescue her or encourage him to escape now, before Blackthorne did something worse. Poor Mr. Dover. What had she gotten him into?
“Don’t make me hurt her, Dover,” Blackthorne growled as Maddie’s fiancé came closer. Blackthorne twisted her arms, and she squeaked in protest.
But Dover must have thought she was hurt because he slowed. Blackthorne called, “Another step, Professor, and I kill her.”
JACK WATCHED AS THE professor halted. Surprisingly, the man looked ready to attack. So Lady Madeleine’s fiancé had some passion in him after all.
By the look of him, the professor wasn’t going to be put off for long, which meant Jack would have to act quickly.
He pulled Lady Madeleine farther back, into the shadows and behind a copse of trees. “Hurry up,” he growled when she dragged her feet.
“I’m not going to help you kill me,” she retorted.
Jack snorted and paused to survey their location. Satisfied that they couldn’t be seen from the road, he said, “I’m not planning to kill you. I don’t even have a pistol.”
“Mr. Dov—”
Jack slammed a hand over her mouth. The little chit would ruin everything. Holding his hand over her lips, he backed her up against a tree and peered into her eyes. “Bad idea, my lady.”
She glared at him and mumbled something from under his fingers. He paused a moment, deciphering her muffled syllables.
“Actually, I do have a better idea.”
Though at the moment he was having a hell of a time remembering it. He hadn’t anticipated what it would be like to be so close to her. Her big blue eyes blinked up at him, and he noticed that her lashes were incredibly long and thick. She had that worried line between her eyebrows again, and he wanted to smooth it away.
But it was hard enough concentrating with his hand pressed innocently against her lips. His fingers grazed one soft, satiny cheek, and Jack knew he’d never touched skin so soft. He imagined her lips were equally soft. And warm. And if he moved his hand, and bent lower, he could . . .
Jack cleared his throat. “I do have a plan.”
And the plan did not involve seducing Lady Madeleine. He had to rescue five people. He didn’t have time to fantasize about kissing the Earl of Castleigh’s daughter and another man’s fiancée.
“Lady Madeleine!” Dover called from beyond their cover of trees. Her eyes widened, and Jack swore.
“Listen,” he told her in a low voice, “my brother is innocent.”
“Mow, mo mou mow?”
“I know because the girl tried to corner me as well.”
Her eyes widened. “May mon’t memieve mat.” She gestured toward the men with the pistols.
“I know they won’t believe it. No father wants to hear that his daughter isn’t pure and innocent. And even if he does believe it, he’ll kill us for insulting his daughter.”
“Mo, mat—” She broke off and pulled at his hand.
Jack gave her a warning look. “No shouting.”
She nodded, and he lifted his hand. But he didn’t move back. He might not be touching her face, but he had her backside against the tree trunk, which meant the rest of her was pressed intimately against him.
She was petite and womanly, curved in all the right places. And he knew in his head that he shouldn’t be enjoying feeling all those sweet curves press against him, but he couldn’t get his body to agree. He was obviously a scoundrel, but as long as he had Lady Madeleine close, he didn’t care.
