Page 44 of Sweet Siren
"I say! My lord! Come back!" A man shouted in the hall. "My lord, you cannot goupstairs."
Killian whirled toward the door, a hand out to waylay her. "Stayhere."
"Who is that?" she asked him as he jogged away and flung the doorwide.
He stepped into thehall.
"Sir!"A man yelled. "Stop! You can't go upthere!"
Liv recognized the voice of Perkins, the Seton familybutler.
"Where is he?" shouted anotherman.
"My lord," Perkins bellowed, "His Grace is nothere!"
A stocky man ran up to Killian and tried to go round him. "Out of my way,Hanniford."
Taller and more muscular, Killian grabbed his arm. "Carbury! Stop rightthere!"
Liv picked up her skirts and raced to the doorway. The earl whom she'd seen on a few occasions recently looked nothing like he had months ago at his wedding. He'd gained weight, a considerable amount. His round face was red, apoplectic. And his anger was arage.
"Let me go, you cur!" he blustered atKillian.
Killian had him by his lapels. "What's the meaning of charging in here like a madbull?"
"To hell with you, Hanniford. Where'sJulian?"
"Sir?" the butler, panting, had caught up to Carbury andKillian.
"I have him, Perkins,"Killian assured theservant.
"Where's Julian?" Carburydemanded.
"His Grace," Killian took care to enunciate his son-in-law's title, "is out consulting with histenants."
"I need to seehim."
"I doubt you will be granted an audience with His Grace when you barge into his house like alunatic."
Carbury, up on his toes because Killian held him at attention, sneered at his captor. "Oh, I'll see him to be sure. His idiot sister is a whore. He'll see me or I'll throw her out. How will he like that,eh?"
"You'recrazed."
"I am. No doubt with cause, Hanniford. Get me Julian. Get himnow."
"I'll go," the butler said. "I'll send a footman down to thecottages."
"You do that," Carbury said, his wicked little eyes onKillian.
"Where can we put this man?" Killian asked the butler while his gaze remained onCarbury.
The earl scoffed. "You will address me as I should be. I am, to you, 'mylord'."
Killian scoffed. "You are, to me,nothing."
"The small parlor, Mister Hanniford," said Perkins. "We'll put him downstairs in the backparlor."
"Very well. Do come along, Carbury." Killian pulled him from the wall and walked him toward thestairs.
