Page 31 of Reckless Desire

Whap! Something hit his chest. Bryson bolted upright.

She batted his chest with her fist. “Why did you do that?”

He grabbed her wrists. “Do what?”

“Drag me into the water.” A good portion of her hair had come loose of its chignon and hung across her face. She yanked, and he released her.

“To save you from your captor,” he said.

Miss Ramsay shoved her hair out of her eyes. “You think nearly drowning us both is a way to save me?”

“He was very large and had a pistol,” Bryson replied.

She pushed to her feet, wobbled, then promptly fell on her backside. “He did not intend to kill me. You almost did.”

Bryson frowned. “Perhaps I should have let him keep you.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you,” he said through tight lips.

“Looking for me? Why?”

“Because Hensley kidnapped you.”

Her mouth fell open. “You know about that?”

“Not just me, everyone knows.”

“How interesting,” she murmured.

“Interesting?” Bryson narrowed his eyes. “You left with him of your own accord?”

“Are ye daft? Of course not. He had the large man steal me from the garden.” Her brow furrowed. “How is Mister Davis? That terrible man hit him over the head and knocked him unconscious.”

“I am well aware you were kidnapped under that fool’s nose,” he muttered, despite knowing he was being unfair.

Her brows shot up. “You nearly drowned us in order to avoid a confrontation with the man. I do not think you are in a position to disparage anyone.”

“Indeed, I am,” he snapped. “There is a huge difference between saving you from a man who has a pistol and that man getting the drop on me.”

She barked an unladylike laugh. “Spoken like the man who wasn’t hit over the head by that large man.”

She was right, of course. Still, his new friend jealousy stabbed. “I suppose you feel sorry for Davis.”

“Of course, I do. It is not his fault that man conked him over the head.”

“Whereas, I should have let him make off with you.”

“Nae, but you could have formed a better plan then charging willy-nilly down the hill like a madman and—”

“Nearly drowning you,” he finished for her. “I heard you the first time.”

What stung was that she was right. Still, one would think she would understand the risk he’d taken to save her, and offer at least a small thanks. Nae, she was saving her gratitude for Davis.

Chapter Eight

Kenna couldn’t believe she’d escaped one madman to be saved by another. First, he had almost killed Lord Wilshire and now had nearly drowned them. Well, he hadn’t truly almost killed Lord Wilshire, but he had most certainly almost drowned her. Not to mention, he’d become a general nuisance by interfering in her life. Not to mention, despite the sun that shone down on them, cold had begun to seep through her clothes. She hated being cold.