She hurried back into her small room and went back to her position. On the other side of the door, Farley grumbled angrily, “That’s whot Oi got and there wasn’t anything else to be had. Here, take the basket and put some food in yer mouth.”
Ally said nothing to this and Star assumed he was eating, when all at once Farley pulled open her door. She squinted against the light from the main room and he said, “Whot did ye do, Ally? Took away the gag? Whot’s wrong wit ye?”
“Well, who is she going to yell to way out here?”
“Oi suppose it don’t matter,” Farley said frowning at her. He threw over his shoulder, “Ever had a flash mort in yer bed, Ally?”
Ally chortled. “Whot? No, did ye?”
“No, but Oi’m thinking now…we could…”
“Eh? Ye must be mad. Sir Edward would skin ye alive,” Ally said screwing up his mouth. “Besides, Oi don’t hold wit taking a woman against her will. No…Oi’ve done many things in m’time, but not that.”
“Well then, ye can watch…” said Farley going toward her.
Star felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She could see the glint of a knife in his belt. What she needed was to stay calm and make certain she got her hands on that knife. Oh yes, because he wasn’t expecting her to have her hands free, was he, she told herself.
“Well now pretty mort, let’s see if ye are as good as ye look,” Farley leered at her.
Ally at his back said, “Hold, Farley…just wait a minute here…”
Chapter Twenty-Six
SIR EDWARD HEADED towards the dike. It was both wide and deep, but he meant to take it flying.
Jules pointed his hunter to follow and did just that. On the other side, he called after Sir Edward, “Well done, damn impressive, I doubt my horse would have taken it if he weren’t following yours.”
Sir Edward didn’t answer him. He was intent on getting to his destination. The sun was going down and neither he nor Jules knew Romney Marsh well enough to take any shortcuts in the dark. They would now have to stick to the road.
Jules looked around and called out, “Are we on the right road? Is this Lydd?”
“Yes, did you not see the fingerpost?” Edward answered sharply. “Just follow me, Jules and have your gun ready. These blackguards may hear us coming.”
It took them less than five more minutes to reach the turn in the road and bear down the deer path. Farley’s cottage loomed ahead and Sir Edward gritted his teeth. Never had he ever felt this way before.
He slowed his horse to a stop and Jules inquired worriedly, “What are you doing? What do we do now?”
“We go on foot,” Edward said as he dismounted. “Here…give me the reins. We’ll tether them here to this bush as there aren’t any trees around.”
A mist had formed and he looked around with some satisfaction. Mother Nature apparently meant to lend them a hand as they crept toward the cottage.
*
Farley sneered over his shoulder, “Ye don’t want her, Ally? So be it. But ye can’t be telling me whot to do, so stay out of m’way, fer Oi mean to have this one.” He winked at Ally and turned to Star and said, “Let me show ye how a man does it.”
Star got ready to fight for her life. If ever a man needed dying, this one did.
Ally reached for Farley’s arm and Farley roughly shrugged him off. Ally apparently wasn’t giving up easily, and he cried out, “Whot is the matter wit ye? Leave the mort be, Farley. She be promised elsewhere. It’s cash we need, not a piece of flesh.”
Farley hauled off and landed Ally a facer that sent him reeling backward. “Keep off me Ally, if ye knows whots good for ye, just stay back. If ye don’t have the stomach to watch, then go outside.”
“Farley…” Ally tried again as he held his jaw, “Oi never crossed ye before, but Oi don’t hold wit this. She ain’t a barmaid, is she? They’ll hunt us down they will…they won’t give up. Ye know what the gentry are about their women.”
Farley growled and reached down to grab Star’s upper arm and drag her to her feet. She allowed him to do just that and once on her feet with great agility she imperceptibly got into position, free ankles, free hands and reached out and grabbed his knife out of his belt. She caught him by surprise.
His eyes protruded and an ugly smile swept his face. “Now whot mort? Do ye mean to stick me with that? Ye best stick me good…make certain Oi’m dead…”
Ally set up a howl, “Now ye’ve gone and done it…”
All at once Star felt the entire building rattle with the force at the door as it exploded off its hinges.
Sir Edward stood, his gun leveled at Farley’s head as Star took a step away, the knife pointed at him and a warning glare in her eyes.
Farley lunged for her apparently in a last ditch effort to have something between him and the flash cove with the gun.
Ally had his back to the wall and Jules’ gun pointed at his heart. Other than to put his hands in the air, he made no move whatsoever.
Farley had her arm and as he pulled her to himself and she screamed and plunged the knife into the arm that held her fast. He bellowed with pain and she jumped aside giving Edward a clear shot and he didn’t hesitate as he took it.
Farley crumbled, for Edward’s bullet had struck him through the forehead. Seeing this Star ran into Edward’s waiting arms.
Her eye was swollen and black, her face bruised, her wrists bleeding but all she could feel was love. As he crushed her close and looked at her injuries, he said, “Would that I could revive him and kill him again.”
Star’s shaky laugh dissolved into tears. He covered her face with kisses. “My love, oh my love…let me get your home.”
Epilogue
A WEEK HAD gone by, and several things had occurred.
Farley’s body had been handed over to the local magistrate’s office, and Ally was given over to stand trial for his part in the abduction affair.
Mrs. Madison received Jules’s Stamford’s request to court her daughter with great pleasure and he had been busy all week doing just that.
Star was happy for Georgie and wondered just where she stood with Sir Edward.
He had not applied to her brother for her hand and although he had been a constant visitor, he had not tried even to kiss her. She realized of course that she was not looking her best. Her black eye had been healing and changing colors and that did nothing to help her appearance. Her ankle which had been badly bruised when she had taken the fall from Farley’s open fist still caused her to limp.
She looked up as the library door opened and saw Sir Edward standing there staring at her for a long moment.
Oh no, was he here to say goodbye?
He came forward, putting a hand out to stay her from moving off the sofa and came to sit beside her. His voice was a caress as he said, “Star.”
“Yes?” she peeped at him her heart full with hope for more.
“I have just come from a discussion with your brother,” he said with half a smile.
“Oh?”
“Indeed. I had hoped he would not find out until I told him, but apparently matters such as these move differently in a small town.”
“Matters? Told him?” This wasn’t what she thought he was going to say.
“I bought the mortgage to Berkley,” he said and eyed her pointedly.
She actually felt the color drain from her face. What did this mean? Was he indeed taking Berkley from them? “Oh?” she managed.
“Yes, it will be my wedding gift to you,” he said.
Her heart flipped and before it righted itself she reached out her hand and he took it to fervently kiss her fingers while she stupidly said, “Don’t think you must…because you and I…because…”
He laughed, “Minx of a woman. I must because I don’t want to live without you in my life. I must because I can and because you love your brother and want him solvent again. My gift to you will be your gift to him.” He took her into his arms then and his kiss though gentle a
t first grew into something as passionate as she felt, as she knew he felt.
He stopped and leaned back to take her chin in his fingers, “Have I not shown you? Do you not know how deeply and completely I love you?”
“Ah, but you had not said it yet and besides, I had my doubts,” she dimpled at him. “After all, you did not even contemplate paying the five hundred pounds to gain my freedom!”
He laughed, “You are a she-devil. You are. No. I came faster than I thought possible to get you out of his hands…and I still wasn’t fast enough.”
His face, his eyes were grim and she touched his cheek, “No, how can you say that? Your timing was perfect.”
“I couldn’t bear it, thinking of you at his mercy and then when I saw you…bruised and…”
“Hush. It is over. We have much better things to think about, but tell me, would you have paid if you found no other way?”
He eyed her mischievously, “If I had to.”
“Oh, you are the devil, not I,” she said and laughed as she snuggled against his chest.
The library door burst open and Vern said with a chuckle, “This is most improper, you two. You are only engaged and must obey the proprieties.”
“How do you know we are engaged? I might have said no,” Star said and giggled as she snuggled in Edward’s arms.
“Aha, there are some matters a man knows,” Vern answered grinning wide.
Miles Denning appeared at his back, took a sweeping look and said, “Aha, so that is how it stands. Right then, so be it. You know Star, if this chap doesn’t behave just as he ought, I am forever yours.”
“Indeed, mine and so many others,” Star laughed.
“Now, get out, all of you, for I mean to be alone with my future bride. We have a wedding to plan!”
*
Witches, warlocks and Immortals? Come on in and meet Riley Doogan and Finn Dunraven in JOURNEY.
One
HOW DID IT get to be so late? The morning was nearly gone, and I wasn’t halfway through all the chores I had set for myself. I am a work-alcoholic, or so I have been told, and I suppose it is the truth. I have no life. I am twenty-four years old and own an upscale store we—we being my partner Betty and I—started four years ago while I was still in my last year at Columbia University.
A groan made its way out of my mouth as I stared at the boxes of perfect knit infant-wear to be uniquely displayed in our substantial window overlooking New York City’s famous Fifth Avenue. How we had managed to get this location at the price we did, I still don’t know. That was all Betty!
Betty laughed at me and shook her head. “Why don’t you let Joe do that when he gets here? I mean, Riley, that’s what he does—windows. You can’t do it all, hon—you just can’t.”
Betty is not only my partner, but over the last four years she has become my best friend. I sighed and was about to cave and agree with her when I heard the bell that rings whenever the shop door opens. I stepped back from the display window and glanced absently over to the newcomer.
Damn, hot damn, but that absent glance turned into a stare as I nearly knocked over an entire shelf of infant sweaters. What have we here?
I am never bowled over by a good-looking man. I have always needed more, but one look at this hottie, and my eyebrows went up and my heart started thumping. I know, crazy. What happened next was not really something I was immediately able to control. Hormones are like that, you know. I felt them start marching to a fervent beat, and my throat went dry.
Everything about him was ‘money and power,’ which wasn’t unusual, as we run a very high-end children’s clothing store that features handmade items and custom-made clothing. Our customers are wealthy, and we even get our fair share of celebrities—again, due to Betty’s contacts. Even so, I discovered my usual calm completely blown apart.
He wore a smile that was more a cool smirk, and it boldly shouted, I’ve got it all, and I don’t care. I am rarely intimidated by this sort, and yet, there I was, right from my head to my toes, ready to hide and watch him from a hidden corner. Absolutely ridiculous.
I tried to turn away, but not before I took another survey and put him down to memory. I liked the way his thick, blue-black hair was styled in layers of shiny waves, some of which fell across his forehead and over his ears. I swallowed as my appraisal then determined that not only was he very tall—well over six feet—but he also had strong, football-man shoulders. All at once, I was oddly reminded of Wolverine, predatory and more than capable.
He was dressed in an expensive black sports jacket over what looked like a gray silk T-shirt. His black pants were also silky and hung over his hips in masculine lines. His green eyes opened wide and held a glint of something undefined as he looked me over, and I felt my cheeks suddenly burn. Did I say undefined? That’s not right. Those green eyes said, Bed … going to take you to bed.
My tongue slicked over my bottom lip, and I hurriedly decided I needed to study an article of clothing hanging on a nearby rack.
Even as I managed to look away and mentally slap myself, I couldn’t help glancing back over my shoulder at him. What is wrong with me? I don’t behave like this. I don’t, and there I was, not able to stop looking at him again.
I know better than to allow myself to be attracted to the kind of man I was sure he was, and yet, I couldn’t keep my eyes off him.
Then I noticed myself in the mirrored wall to my left and nearly rolled my eyes. I was a mess. Both my top and my skirt had hiked up when I’d bent over the display case, and not in that cute, ‘have a peek at my midriff’, way. No, I was a rumpled mess, with a little extra thigh thrown in as a bonus. And my hair? Don’t ask.
As it happens, I have an option most women don’t possess. I could right myself with a blink of an eye, but magic is a thing I don’t play with unless I absolutely have to do so. Magic is a natural option for me. I don’t need potions or chants or even my Rowan Wand, though I prefer to hold onto it when I actually perform magic. I can blink, think, point my finger and … magic.
He walked past me without a word and smiled at Betty as I pulled my blue cotton knit top back into place, smoothed out the wrinkles from my cream-colored pencil skirt, and undid the tie holding only some of my black hair up. I was still raking my fingers through the thick strands of my hair when he turned, swept his gaze over me, and smirked.
Everything about him had me off balance. He said something to Betty, but I couldn’t hear what it was, unusual as I have exceptional hearing—very exceptional hearing.
“Riley?” Betty called me over with a wave of her hand. “This gentleman would like a word with you.”
I turned around and slid a hand over my clothes again, frowning slightly. I mean, what could he want with me?
Holy shit! The way he appraised me made my knees wobble, and I almost tripped over myself. Almost. I managed to stay upright, although I couldn’t think straight.
If that wasn’t bad enough, I then made the mistake of meeting his eyes as I approached. He had a killer smile. At that moment that dangerous smile was all for me. I found myself changed from the capable business woman I had become into a pile of Jell-O. No mind, no bones, just Jell-O. In this state, staring at him, you see, full on, he had taken my breath away. He had reduced me to a thoughtless blob of gelatin.
As I said, I know better than to be affected by a good-looking guy. Been there, done that, got burned. Here is the thing: I was not looking for hot, or so I had convinced myself. I was a mature young woman and smarter than I used to be. What I wanted was sure and steady. So, the question was, what the hell?
I looked into those sultry green eyes of his and decided that I had to get control and keep this man and his hotness at arm’s length. He was everything I had made up my mind to stay away from.
I put on my business smile and the business exterior I had developed over the last four years and went forward, my hand extended and a professional welcome plastered on my face.
He took my fingers, and I fe
lt a super-charged laser beam of sensation singe my veins. The sensation shot through my arm and up to my head. It was like a blast of electricity, unexpected but not painful—rather, it was oddly titillating and pleasurable, more pleasurable than anything I had ever experienced before. His touch created an eruption of hot blood—or was it lava?—in my veins. It swept through me, turned me into an idiot that couldn’t speak at all.
Speak? I couldn’t form a clear thought. His touch had burned my brain into a pile of ash.
The sound of his voice was like a balm, dreamy and soft, and it held that Irish accent I love so well. “I thought I recognized ye from yer pictures, Miss Doogan. Maddy had them all over the house.” He inclined his head. “I am so very sorry for yer loss.”
“You … you know—knew my grandmother?” Who was this guy? I had lost my granny three months earlier, and I was still reeling from that loss. I couldn’t seem to stop thinking she would call … even now when the phone rings (which isn’t often these days unless it is business) I think for a second it is my grandmother, and I then remember she is gone.
“Aye, we really became quite close this past year after I moved back to Dunraven. I’m Finn, Finn Dunraven.”
I had a really difficult time processing anything beyond my reaction to him at that moment and the information that he and my grandmother had become, as he said, close.
Okay, bad enough that I was tongue-tied, absolutely intimidated by his hotness, his coolness, his overwhelming sexual vibe, but this was the Finn Dunraven my grandmother had spoken so often about! Everything she had gone on and on about in regards to him all came back to me in a wave of sudden clarity.
The Dunraven estate, this man’s estate, had always been in our town of Sutterville, Maine. The estate had been there for centuries, but no one had ever been in residence there while I was growing up. Now, out of the blue, here he was.
I was overwhelmed by his presence. There is no other way to describe how I felt. I wanted to say something intelligent, but all I could do was nod at him as I tried to regain my composure and hoped he wasn’t actually aware of my complete engine failure.
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