by Connie Mason
She opened her mouth and screamed.
Julian and Randall were just parting company when a muffled scream pierced through the darkness.
“What’s that?” Randall asked sharply.
Somehow Julian knew. He felt it in the deepest marrow of his bones. Something had happened to Lara. His face contorted with terror as he raced along the path toward the house. He came upon her abruptly, sprawled on the ground in a puddle of moonlight. Her face was as pale as death and a trickle of blood oozed down her forehead.
He dropped to his knees and cradled her head in his lap, his fingers dashing the blood from her eyes.
“Lara, can you hear me? Oh God, Lara, speak to me.”
“What happened to her?” Randall asked when he reached them a moment later.
Just then Lara moaned and opened her eyes. “She’s been injured,” Julian snarled, touching the lump rising on her forehead. “I’ll kill the bastard who did this.”
“What happened?” Lara asked groggily.
“Did you see who attacked you?”
“No. I heard someone behind me, but didn’t see him. Help me up. I’m fine, my lord, really.”
Julian helped her to sit up, then to stand. She swayed, but quickly gained her equilibrium.
Julian swept her into his arms. “I’m taking you home.”
“Julian, wait, I just remembered something,” Lara said. “Moments before I blacked out, my attacker spoke to me. He said to let this be a warning for Scorpion. What did he mean?”
Julian and Randall exchanged meaningful looks over Lara’s head.
“It means you’re not leaving your house without me or an escort,” Julian growled.
Chapter 10
Julian spirited Lara away from the musicale without causing a scene. He circled around to the front or the house where his coach awaited and set Lara on her feet. But as luck would have it, they ran into Stanhope and Tolliver, who were just arriving.
“Mansfield, Lara,” Stanhope greeted. “Leaving already?”
“Uh, Lara has a headache,” Julian said, stepping before Lara to shield her from view.
Concern furrowed Stanhope’s brow. “I’ll come with you.”
“No need,” Julian said. “I’ll see Lara home.”
“Nonsense,” Stanhope blustered. “I wouldn’t enjoy the musicale knowing Lara is unwell.” He turned to Tolliver. “Please excuse me, my lord. I must see to my daughter’s welfare.”
“Of course,” Tolliver said smoothly. He peered at Lara through darkness eased only by moonlight. “Have you injured yourself, my dear? Is that not blood on your forehead?”
Julian cursed beneath his breath as Stanhope maneuvered his daughter so he could get a better look at her. “My God, what happened?” Stanhope exclaimed.
“ ’Tis nothing, Papa,” Lara said weakly. “I … I fell.”
Julian glanced at Tolliver, but could read nothing in his shuttered expression. Then his attention was diverted when Lara slumped against him. Fear lanced through him. She could be badly injured. He had to get her home and summon a doctor.
Scooping her into his arms, he placed her inside the coach while his tiger held the door open, and clambered in beside her.
“Wait for me,” Stanhope said, hurrying after them. The door had barely closed behind him when Julian thumped on the roof and the coach lurched forward. Lara groaned and opened her eyes.
“How did it happen?” Stanhope asked. Julian sensed Stanhope’s anger and couldn’t blame him. He felt the same way. This shouldn’t have happened.
“I fell,” Lara said before Julian could answer. “Julian had gone to fetch refreshments and I felt in need of air. I stepped outside to catch a breeze and tripped on a tree root when I started down the path toward the fountain. I … I must have hit my head on a rock.”
Stanhope sent her a skeptical look. “ ’Tis not like you to be clumsy, Lara. Are you telling me everything?”
“Aye …”
“No,” Julian contradicted. It was time to test Stanhope’s devotion to his daughter. “Lara was attacked in the garden.”
“Attacked!” Stanhope gasped. “Someone attacked my daughter? How dare they? Who was it, Lara? I’ll have his hide. I’ll bring charges.”
Lara sent Julian a disgruntled look. “Really, Julian, there’s no need to frighten Papa.”
“There’s every reason in the world,” Julian maintained. “He’s your father. He has a right to know.”
Stanhope glared at Julian. “What should I know?” Suddenly his brow cleared and he smiled. “I say, Mansfield, have you declared yourself to my daughter?”
“I was going to speak to you tomorrow, my lord. I want your blessing to court your daughter. I intend to marry her.”
Stanhope stared at him. “What does Lara have to say about it? I’ll not force her to marry someone she dislikes.”
“I don’t dislike Lord Mansfield, Papa,” Lara explained. “I’m not ready to marry yet.”
“We’ll marry in one month, in the chapel at Thornton Hall,” Julian said over her objection. “Meanwhile, Lara is to go nowhere alone. I intend to hire a guard to watch over her when I’m not available.”
Stanhope looked thoroughly confused. “I don’t understand. Why was Lara attacked? Why would anyone want to harm her?” His eyes narrowed with sudden comprehension. “What are you involved in, Mansfield? Is Lara’s life in danger because of you?”
“What are you involved in, Stanhope?” Julian returned.
“Me? I’m involved in nothing that could hurt my daughter. Can you say the same? I’m not sure I approve of your suit.”
Unfortunately, like it or not, without his offer, Lara’s future prospects were grim. “I’m an honorable man, Stanhope. I’d offer my name to any lady I’ve compromised.”
“Julian!” Lara cried, stunned by Julian’s words. “How dare you!”
“I dare because I care what happens to you.”
“Now hold on just a bloody minute,” Stanhope blustered. “You owe me an explanation. When did you compromise my daughter?”
Julian realized he had blundered, but there was no help for it. Since he couldn’t mention the Gypsy camp, he quickly improvised. Besides, it was the truth.
“The day we rode out in my carriage. We were seen in a … uh … compromising position. Don’t blame Lara, my lord. I thoroughly compromised her without her consent, and I’m more than willing to marry her.”
Stanhope looked thunderstruck. “Well, ahem,” he could barely look at Lara, “I can hardly refuse you after what you’ve just told me. I must say I’m disappointed in both of you, but I’m pleased Lara is making a suitable match.”
The coach rattled to a halt before the Stanhope mansion. The tiger opened the door and pulled down the steps. Stanhope stepped down first, then Julian. When Lara would have followed, Julian lifted her out and carried her past her father.
“Put me down, my lord, I’m perfectly capable of walking.”
Stanhope hurried to open the door, and Julian carried Lara inside. “Which room is Lara’s?” Julian asked.
“I can take her from here,” Stanhope insisted.
“Show me the way,” Julian said curtly as he started up the stairs.
“My lord, Julian, I’m not badly injured. Put me down.”
Stanhope opened a door off the hallway and Julian pushed through to Lara’s bedchamber. Her maid, who waiting for her mistress to return home, jumped to her feet.
“Oh, my lady, what happened?”
Julian placed Lara in the center of the bed, then issued crisp orders to the maid as if he had every right to do so.
“Cold water and cloths,” he barked as he moved the lamp closer to the bed.
“What are you doing?” Stanhope asked.
“Trying to determine if a doctor is needed.”
Stanhope watched closely as Julian ran his fingers over the purple lump on Lara’s forehead.
“Really, Julian, must you act the tyrant?” Lara complain
ed. “ ’Tis only a small bump.”
“I don’t believe it will need stitching,” Julian remarked, “but I’ll know more as soon as that infernal maid returns with the water and cloths.”
The maid returned a moment later and set the basin of water and cloths on the nightstand. Julian wet a cloth and gently probed the wound. Lara winced but uttered no sound.
“The skin is broken but the wound is shallow. It appears that she was struck with a rock, or a hard object of some sort. The bleeding has slowed to a trickle.”
“I told you I was fine,” Lara maintained. “Just go away and leave me alone.”
“Come along, Mansfield,” Stanhope ordered briskly. “Let’s leave Lara to her maid. I think a stiff brandy is in order.”
“I’ll be back tomorrow, Lara,” Julian promised. “You’re to remain inside until I can arrange for an around-the-clock guard.”
“Despot,” Lara hissed as Julian strode out the door behind Stanhope.
Once in Stanhope’s study, Julian accepted the snifter of brandy and dropped down into a chair.
Stanhope chose a chair opposite him. An uneasy silence ensued as Stanhope frowned into his drink. He lifted his head. “You owe me an explanation, Mansfield. You and my daughter appear to know one another quite well, despite having met a few days ago. Have you and Lara met prior to your introduction?”
“You’re going to have to trust me on this, Stanhope,” Julian said. “I have your daughter’s best interests at heart. No one is going to hurt her. I’m announcing our engagement in the papers tomorrow.”
“Lara appears reluctant to marry you.”
“She has no choice.” He emptied his snifter and rose. “I must go. There is much to do tomorrow before the announcement appears in the paper. Good night, Stanhope.”
“Are you in danger, Mansfield?” Stanhope asked abruptly as Julian reached for the doorknob. “What secrets are you keeping from me?”
“I can’t divulge that information. Suffice it to say, Lara will come to no harm. But,” he added on an ominous note, “if I find you’re involved in … something that could hurt Lara, you’ll have me to answer to.”
Lord Stanhope’s brow furrowed in consternation as Julian took his leave.
* * *
It was very late when Julian reached his town-house. He let himself in and went directly to his room. Ames was seated before the fire, awaiting him.
“Go to bed, Ames, I won’t need you tonight,” Julian said. “See that I’m awakened at seven. I have a full day ahead of me.”
“Very good, my lord,” Ames said. “I shall have your bath drawn at precisely seven. Good night, my lord.”
“Good night, Ames.”
Julian lay awake a long time, pondering the irony of his situation. For a man who had sworn never to marry, he was damn anxious to make Lara his wife. Perhaps it was because he’d never compromised a lady of quality before and was beset by guilt. He and Diana hadn’t made love until after they had set the date for their wedding. After Diana’s death he had taken mistresses, and occasionally he’d bedded bored wives of his peers who themselves kept mistresses. But he’d never taken an innocent, or debauched a woman of his own class. Until Lara, the lively beauty who had married him in a heathen ceremony and lied to him about her identity.
The memory of Lara’s sweet body clinging to his was still with him when sleep finally claimed him.
Lara was in the breakfast room when the newspaper arrived the next morning. Her head ached and her hands shook as she picked up the paper to look for the announcement of their engagement. She found it posted prominently on the second page and groaned aloud. He could announce their engagement in every broadsheet in the country but she’d still refuse to marry a man who didn’t love her.
Julian arrived promptly at ten o’clock. Lord Stanhope had already left for the Exchange and Lara was preparing to go out for a ride in the park, despite her father’s admonition that she wasn’t to go out alone. Julian took one look at her riding habit and nearly hit the ceiling.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
She raised her chin. “Riding.”
“You aren’t supposed to leave the house alone. Does your father care nothing for you?”
“Leave Papa out of this. He told me not to go out alone but I saw no danger in riding in the park with a groom to accompany me.”
“You’re not in a Gypsy camp,” Julian asserted. He grasped her shoulders and gave her an ungentle shake, then he pulled her against him. “Little fool. This is London. You were assaulted once. What will it take to convince you to heed my warning?”
“I saw no danger,” she repeated.
“ ’Tis all around you.”
“No, ’tis all around you. I’m but a pawn in your secret affairs. The best thing you can do to ensure my safety is stay away from me. Once you lose interest in me, the danger will die of natural causes.”
Julian wasn’t convinced the solution was that simple. Or maybe he didn’t want to see it as clearly as she.
“If you’re so eager to ride, I’ll join you. I rode my horse over today. Come along.”
With marked reluctance, Lara picked up her crop and preceded him out the door. Once they were both mounted, they walked their horses onto the thoroughfare.
The moment they entered the park, Julian knew he had made a mistake. There were too many people and Lara was too obvious a target should someone wish to hurt her. A frisson of apprehension rolled down his spine. Though he recognized no one who might hurt Lara, he had a gut feeling that they were being watched.
Lara headed down the bridle path and Julian followed, alert for trouble. The pistol he always carried was tucked snugly into the waistband of his trousers, and the short dagger he’d placed in his boot at the last minute was a comforting weight against his leg.
“It feels wonderful to be out riding,” Lara said as Julian rode up beside her. “My loss of freedom in London makes me long for the country. I rode every day at our country estate in Kent. And my life is simple when I’m with Ramona and Pietro.”
“London has its charm, but one must be on guard when out and about. That’s why I’m so strict with Emma. I know the dangers that exist for unsuspecting innocents.”
The bridle path made a jog through a wooded area. Traffic had thinned out to an occasional rider or two and Julian grew tense, watchful.
“I’ll race you to the other side of the woods,” Lara threw over her shoulder as she spurred her horse into a full gallop.
A relentless fear pierced him. “No! Stop!” An errant breeze could have picked up his words and flung them away for all Lara heeded them.
Lara raced away. Her hat flew off, hairpins scattered, loosing a silken curtain of curly black hair. Her laughter floated back to him as he touched his crop to his horse’s flank and gave chase. Had Lara gone mad? Or had the wild Gypsy blood in her taken charge, obliterating any sign of Lady Lara?
He caught up to her on the other side of the woods. She had already dismounted and stood waiting for him.
He leaped to the ground and hauled her roughly against him. “Don’t ever do that again. You were out of my sight far too long.”
“You can’t watch me twenty-four hours a day,” Lara defied.
“Why do you think I want to marry you?”
“I was hoping for more,” Lara said on a sigh.
Julian didn’t catch what she’d said, but her lips looked so damn inviting he couldn’t find the breath to ask her to repeat it. Resisting the lure of sweet, red lips was suddenly beyond his control as he lowered his mouth and tasted her. That one taste wasn’t enough. He deepened the kiss, pulling her closer, his tongue delving deep to savor her sweet essence. His kiss grew frenzied; he guided his hands over her back, her hips, cupping her bottom and bringing her into the vee of his legs, making her aware of his almost painful erection.
Lara broke off the kiss and looked up at him, her eyes huge and luminous. “Julian … I …”
“
No, don’t say anything.” He lowered her to the ground, his arms cushioning her descent.
Suddenly the world around them exploded. Something hot singed his ear. It took but a brief moment for Julian to realize they were being shot at, and instinctively he covered Lara’s body with his own. Another bullet whizzed past his head. Grasping Lara firmly in his arms, he rolled with her behind a tree and lifted her to her feet, flattening her against the thick trunk.
“What is it? What happened?” Lara asked breathlessly. “Was that a shot?”
“Damn bloody right it was,” Julian growled. “Now do you understand why I don’t want you going out alone?”
“That bullet doubtlessly was meant for you,” Lara ventured.
“Maybe,” Julian allowed. “And maybe not. Needless to say, London is becoming too dangerous.”
Lara shuddered. Since meeting Julian, her life had become remarkably complicated. Ramona had predicted danger, but Lara never imagined she’d become a target. Julian led a secretive life, and because of him, danger stalked her.
The shots had stopped. She glanced at Julian to ask him if he thought the shooter had departed and was stunned to see blood streaming down the side of his neck.
“Julian, you’re hurt!”
“A bullet nicked my ear. The bleeding has already stopped. Don’t fuss, Lara, ’tis nothing.”
Lara peered over his shoulder, toward the open space where they had been kissing a few moments ago. “Do you think the shooter is gone?”
“Stay here, I intend to find out.” He pulled his pistol from his belt and stepped out from behind the tree.
“Julian, no! Don’t expose yourself.”
Lara’s admonition was ignored as Julian stepped out into the open.
“Be careful!” Lara hissed.
Nothing stirred in the ominous silence.
“It’s all right,” Julian called back as he returned his pistol to his belt. “He’s gone. You can come out now.” After a tentative look around, Lara joined him.
“Let’s get out of here,” Julian said. “Our horses bolted at the first shot but I doubt they went far.”
Julian whistled and his horse obediently trotted out from the woods. Lara’s mount followed close behind. Julian helped her to mount and swung himself into his saddle.
