Page 114 of Her Beast

Tommy’s rage drained away, leaving him looking sick. “A life for a life,” he whispered.

“Good,” Malcolm said. His eye narrowed and he jabbed a finger in Tommy’s stunned face. “Just remember: if you don’t take care of it, I’ll make the choice for you. And I don’t care which of one of you will pay the price.”

Chapter 24

Julia wanted to scream.

After leaving Malcolm and Mr. Smith in the library she’d hurried back to her rooms only to find Kemp pacing her chambers while two men did something that involved a lot of banging and clanging in her bathing chamber.

“What in the world is going on, Kemp?”

“I’m so sorry Miss Julia. I discovered a leak in your showerbath not long after I dressed you for dinner. These gentlemen,” she scowled at the men, “promisedme they would be gone by the time you came back.”

“We’re ‘bout done, missus,” one of them men said.

“That is what you said three hours ago.” When the man didn’t answer, Kemp pursed her lips and shook her head.

Julia looked from the men to Kemp, her hope of searching the secret corridor while Malcolm was occupied rapidly dwindling.

“Why don’t you just help me into my dressing gown and then go off to bed,” Julia suggested. If Kemp left then Julia could sneak away while the men worked.

“I won’t leave you unattended! What would Mr. Barton say?”

She considered pointing out that Malcolm was not only her abductor, but he was alone with her all the time. But one look at Kemp’s determined face told her that excuse wouldn’t work.

And so she paced and waited.

It took overtwo hoursfor the men to repair the leak, which meant it was slightly before two in the morning when Julia finally managed to slip into the corridor.

As much as she wanted to rush to the window and spy, she took her time, making sure to examine every inch of floor as she went.

But by the time she reached Malcolm’s study, she was beginning to despair. If the bracelet wasn’t in this stretch of hallway, then she had no idea where it—

“Looking for this?” a deep voice asked.

Julia jumped and shrieked.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Malcolm emerged from an alcove Julia had somehow never noticed before. Something glittered in his outstretched hand: the clasp on the pearl bracelet, which was set with small brilliants.

Julia took the bracelet without speaking.

He stepped into the middle of the corridor and gestured to the alcove. “Come inside.”

Julia peered and saw it wasn’t an alcove at all, but another panel doorway, this one into his study.

The room looked different now that she was inside it—bigger, the colors richer, the smell of books, leather, and the lingering scent of Malcolm’s cologne combining to form a heady mix.

“I’m going to have a whiskey. Would you like one?”

Julia startled; nobody had ever offered her spirits before—even though she’d sneaked a sip or two when she was younger—because it wasn’t the sort of thing a lady drank.

“Yes, please,” she said, deciding she would probably need something stronger than ratafia to get her through the next few minutes.

Malcolm turned to pour two glasses, leaving Julia with her thoughts, which were zinging around the inside of her head like so many moths banging against light cover.

You’d better think of something to say, Julia.

What could she possibly say? He knew that she’d watched him, the only question waswhatexactly she’d seen.

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