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At any rate, he couldn’t give in to his need for her…not now.
~ Fourteen ~
SIR JACOB PACED back and forth, his hand wildly running through his hair as Hunter stopped short at the library doorway and watched him for a short moment and said, “Good evening, Jake.”
“Aye then, Hunter, yes, yes…”
“Why don’t we make it better by discussing how to solve yer problem lad?”
“Problem? I didn’t say I had a problem.”
“Doona play a fool, lest I think ye one.”
Jacob plopped onto the sofa and threw his head back, closed his eyes and sighed long and hard before he sat upright and said, “Hunter, let me ask you this…and we are speaking hypothetically, understood?”
“Of course,” Hunter agreed.
“Supposing a man had gone and… well become involved in something totally private, Supposing that man had gone as far as to placate a blackmailer. What then?”
His lordship regarded Jacob gravely. “Blackmail is an ugly thing, Jake. It never stops. People who make a business out of blackmail, will do so forever. Is any secret worth carrying on your…er…one’s back forever?”
The library doors opened and closed once more and this time Swit stood grinning before he declared, “Ah, is that brandy you have there Jake ‘ole man?” With which he strode toward the wall table and proceeded to pour himself a generous glass.
“Well well. Did you win our wager this afternoon, Lord Scot?” Swit sneered as he said the words.
* * *
His lordship stiffened. “What the devil are ye thrashing aboot now?”
“Why all the heat? Just want to know if you won our wager. Horwich seems to think you were with his little guest. None too pleased.”
His lordship’s eyes narrowed and a dangerous underlining edged his tone. “Devil ye say!”
“Well did you bed the wench?” Swit wasn’t about to give it up and his lordship?
?s fists clenched and unclenched.
“Go to perdition ye blasted idiot,” his lordship snapped. “What is more, the wager is off! If I find ye even trying to talk to the lady in question, I’ll bury ye. Are we understood?”
“Seems to me if the wager is off, she is open game,” Swit was unwise enough to utter.
He found himself knocked to the floor in the flash of a moment, and his lordship gave every impression of wanting to do it again.
He rubbed his chin and said, “Ho there,” as he got up. “What is all the heat? Only wanted to tell you that David Horwich said to tell you to stay away from her.”
“Did he? By all that is wind, earth and fire!” His lordship felt the magic swirl inside of him, but it wasn’t his light magic. It was his dark and it wanted blood. He didn’t say another word as he got himself under control. The problem with learning dark magic…it called for payment.
Jake stepped in. “Enough. If you are speaking about Miss Radley, then I won’t have it—not in my home. She is a friend and I won’t have her name bandied about in this fashion.”
Swit had gotten up, downed his brandy, and poured another glass which he raised to Jacob and said, “Here is to the lad then. Mayhap, in the end he will be the one to win the lady’s hand.”
Jacob looked at him oddly, but said nothing as he turned away.
* * *
Dinner was torturous, and Exerilla quickly excused herself as she hurried to her room. David had stayed for dinner and had made uncomfortable innuendos that had both his parents frowning and asking questions.
In addition to that, he was staying the night which he announced as they took the dinner dishes away. He said he didn’t feel like the ride back to his lodgings.
