Page 7 of A Heart Worth Loving

With a sigh, she crossed the large room to the trapdoor. She shoved the trapdoor bolt aside—not for the first time, cursing whoever designed the door to be opened only from the inside. Mister Mallatratt stared down at her. Her taper illuminated the displeasure written on his mutton-chop, whiskered face.

“Are you trying to see me hanged?” he grated as he jumped down onto the floor beside her. “What took you so long?”

“The abbey is no longer empty,” she hissed.

He let out a low whistle. Two heads peered down at them from above.

“Tom. George. Be quick, now,” he ordered.

The men dropped through the open door and began tackling the crates and barrels stacked against the walls.

Mister Mallatratt smiled, showing a row of crooked teeth. “Oh, I have something for you.” He fished in his coat pocket and withdrew a letter. “From your father.”

A letter? Kyla reached for the paper.

Mister Mallatratt held tight.

Kyla frowned and tugged harder. She was in no mood for games. With a twist of her wrist, she snatched the letter from his grasp and ignored his laugh as she broke the seal.

The letter consisted of one short line: I will be home soon, take care of your mother and sister.

Relief flooded her. At least, he was alive. When he returned, she would make him understand the abbey was no longer a viable option for hiding his stolen goods. That, she prayed, would be enough to cause him to give up smuggling for good.

Kyla tucked the note in her cloak pocket. “I will leave you to your task, Mister Mallatratt.” She started to turn.

The man held out a blocking arm. “No need to run off, now, lass. What about locking the trapdoor after we leave?”

Kyla halted and looked at him. With her father gone, he’d been behaving differently. She didn’t care for his forwardness. God willing, her father would put an end to his association with the man, as well.

“As we will no’ be using the abbey again, it makes no difference if the door remains unlocked. I must be going,” she said firmly. “I cannot risk my mother waking and finding me gone.”

“Aye, well, ye had better hurry home, then,” he said.

She considered leaving through the trapdoor, but had the sudden worry that Mister Mallatratt would take that opportunity to corner her alone on the abbey grounds. He despised the narrow stairs that led back to the refectory, which made that the safer choice. She hurried back the way she’d come. She emerged into the refectory, closed and locked the door, then turned. A large figure stepped into her path, an arm’s length away, a low burning taper in hand. Kyla’s heart jumped into her throat. She barely repressed a cry and recognized the man from his sheer size. Viscount Kilbreck.

He gave a low laugh.

“I-I was out for a walk,” she blurted.

Ninny. Out for a walk, half a mile from home, inside his abbey?

“Ghost or no, you are beautiful,” he replied his Scottish burr deeper than she’d remembered.

Kyla blinked. “Ghost?” Was he mad?

He didn’t move.

She hesitated. “Forgive the intrusion.”

If she inched sideways, she might succeed in darting past him. Before she could move, he set the candle on the table and yanked her into his arms.

“Damn, but ye feel real,” he murmured.

Kyla opened her mouth, but his lips covered hers before she could cry out. The scent of whisky filled her nostrils, sweet, but strong. Blast the man, he was drunk. She knew just how rowdy men got when they were drunk. She pushed against his chest, but he held fast.

She lifted her foot to stomp down on his foot, then froze when his tongue traced the seam of her lips. His hand slid up and fisted a handful of her hair, gentle but firm, and held her head in place as he sucked on her bottom lip. Her heart skipped a beat. This would not do at all. She shouldn’t allow him such liberties. So why was she melting against his broad chest?

Oh, Father, yet another fine mess you’ve gotten me into.

The arm around her waist tightened and she drew a sharp breath when his hard length dug into her belly. He was—he was aroused! It had been a mere moment since he’d grabbed her. She had to—

He abruptly released her. Kyla staggered back two steps.

“Be gone, beautiful apparition,” he said. “Even you deserve more than I can give.”

Kenna stared for two heartbeats, then turned and fled.