Page 23 of Mistress of Misfortune

“Yes. No.” She closed her eyes. “Kiss me again, please.”

He seized her by the waist again, lifting her off her feet to bring her mouth to his. After another extended, deep kiss so passionate Meredith could barely breathe he hauled her even higher, nuzzling her bare breasts with his face. She tangled her fingers in his hair and thought she might faint from the sheer thrill of his closeness, and the heat of his mouth.

“We must stop,” he muttered against her lips. “Or I will have you here.”

A cracking sound made her peer up, and then she cried out as Thorne seized her and pushed her against the curved wall. A huge chunk of rotted wood smashed to the floor where Meredith had been standing, showering them both with shards and splinters. She stared at it as she felt her knees start to shake.

Without ceremony Thorne scooped her up in his arms, carrying her out of the tower and through the kitchen. He stopped when he reached the reception room, where he sat her down beside the fire and straightened her clothing.

“Look at me, are you hurt?” When she shook her head he pulled her close, holding her against his chest. “By God, Meredith.”

The fear faded as his warmth sank into her.

“As you see, my luck never improves.” She drew back and made herself smile at him. “Truly, I am well. Thank you for moving me out of the way.”

“You are very pale.” His mouth thinned. “I will fetch your cousin, and some wine for the shock.”

As soon as he left Meredith buried her face in her hands, her whole body trembling with reaction. His kisses had thrilled her, and she wanted more of them. To be followed by such a terrible mishap felt like a punishment for her wanton behavior. Since the rig accident nothing terrible had occurred, and she had dared to feel hopeful that nothing would again for a long time. Yet her misfortunes had followed her here, and now would ruin everything she might have had with Thorne.

You have nothing with him. He is not yours. You will never be with anyone.

Tears welled into Meredith’s eyes faster than she could blink them back.

* * *

Thorne insistedthat his steward drive them home in his carriage to give Lucetta the chance to comfort Meredith, who despite her brave face had been badly shaken by the incident. Harshad took the longer route to Starling House to allow them time to talk.

Lucetta had already seen the bruises, and the tear in Meredith’s bodice, and wasted no time in demanding an explanation for them. “Meredith, I must ask you, has the colonel in any manner behaved inappropriately toward you?”

She averted her gaze. “Not in the slightest. He has been exceedingly attentive, as you have witnessed.”

“What I have not seen is my concern.” She hated the harshness in her voice, so she took a moment to compose herself. “I should not interfere, but my duty as your chaperone is to protect you. What happened between you and the colonel in the tower?”

“He pulled me aside to prevent me from being struck by the falling wood, just as he told you.” Meredith followed her gaze and touched the darkening finger marks on her upper arm. “He was forceful, of course, but he was as surprised as I was. He did not mean to bruise me.”

She sighed. “My dear, you are very young, and you have no experience with men. Please tell me the truth now. Did the colonel make any unwanted overtures? Did he put his hands on you? Is that the real reason for those marks? You can tell me the truth.”

“No. Well, yes, he did put his hands on me, but only to carry me back to the reception room. I was close to swooning.” Meredith reached for her mouth, only to move her hand to rub the bruises. “He is a gentleman, Cousin.”

Lucetta’s mouth tightened. “That is not a recommendation to me.”

She said nothing more about the matter, and a short time later they reached Starling House. Harshad climbed down to help Meredith from the carriage.

“I am recovered, Mr. Naveya,” Meredith told him before she gave Lucetta a wary look. “I will see you in the morning, Cousin?”

Lucetta heard the note of strain in her voice, and saw how she had twisted her hands together to conceal their trembling. She decided to indulge in another falsehood. “I am sorry, but I promised to help my brother at the parsonage tomorrow, so the next day would be better for me.” That would also provide her with more time to determine what had truly happened between Thorne and her cousin.

“Of course.” Meredith glanced up at the steward. “Mr. Naveya, would you be so kind as to tell Mr. Thorne I look forward to seeing him at Lady Hardiwick’s assembly tomorrow night?”

Harshad nodded. “Yes, Miss.”

Lucetta felt worried as she watched her cousin walk in the manor. She should return to the parsonage now, but Jeffrey and Deidre would wish to talk to her over dinner, and she needed time to sort out her thoughts. “Mr. Naveya, do you need to drive back to the hall immediately?”

“No, Miss,” Harshad said as he closed the carriage door. “Do you wish to go for a drive? The road through the trees to the river has a pretty view, and very few use it.”

She agreed, and felt better as he turned away from the village and drove through the woods beyond the Starlings’ estate. The whole incident at the hall disturbed her deeply. Thorne had given her scant details about the mishap, and when doing so his anger had been quite visible. It seemed almost cruel that part of the tower landing should choose to fall when Meredith had just stepped inside. The bruises matched the sort of grip a man used when he didn’t wish someone to escape him. The tear in her bodice suggested someone had pulled the fabric down too quickly.

The timing of the calamity seemed a little too perfect as well.