Author: Christina Dodd
Quotes of Author: Christina Dodd
Jermyn's breath stilled. He watched intently. So far, she had followed his instructions. Now he waited to see if she would follow his last, insistent direction.He bent his will on her. If thoughts had power, then his directive would surely be followed.She gathered the clothes, wrapped them in a piece of brown paper and tied them like a package with a string. She thrust the package into a large cloth bag that hung by her belt and started toward the sitting room.In frustration, Jermyn wanted to stick his fist through the wall.Why couldn't the girl just once do as she was told?At the doorway, she hesitated.Jermyn's heart lifted. he mentally urged. She glanced toward the bedside table, then away. Jermyn could almost see the tug-of-war between her good sense and her yearning.Had he baited the trap with strong enough desire? Had he played the meek, willing male with enough sincerity? With a soft "blast!" she hurried to the bedside table. Opening the drawer, she pulled out the wooden box and stared at it as if it were a striking snake.With a glance around her, she placed it on the table and raised the lid. She lifted the small, gilt-and-blue bottle. Pulling the stopper, she sniffed.Jermyn preferred a combination of bayberry and spice, and he held his breath as he scrutinized her face, waiting for her reaction. If she didn't savor the scent, he had no doubt she would put it back.But for a mere second, she closed her eyes. Pleasure placed a faint smile on her lips.She liked it.And he hoped she associated the scent with him, with the day she kidnapped him. That would be sweet justice indeed.Briskly she stoppered the bottle, replaced it in the box and slid the box in her pocket.Together the two men watched as she left the bedroom. Jermyn heard a click as the outer door closed. Guardedly he walked out, surveying the sitting room. Empty.Turning to the bewildered Biggers, Jermyn said, "Quickly, man. I need that bath! book-quoteWith great care, Amy opened the cellar door.With ladylike demeanor, she descended the stairs. And as her reward, she had the satisfaction of catching His Mighty Lordship sitting on the cot, his knee crooked sideways and his ankle pulled toward him, cursing at the manacle."I got it out of your own castle," she said.Northcliff jumped like a lad caught at a mischief. "My . . . castle?" At once he realized what she meant. "Here on the island, you mean. The old ancestral pile.""Yes." She strolled farther into the room. "I went down into the dungeons, crawled around in among the spider webs and the skeleton of your family's enemies-""Oh, come on." He straightened his leg. "There aren't any skeletons.""No," she admitted."We had them removed years ago."For one instant, she was shocked. So his family had been ruthless murderers! Then she realized he was smirking. The big, pompous jackass was making a jest of her labors. "If I could have found manacles that were in good shape I'd have locked both your legs to the wall.""Why stop there? Why not my hands, too?" He moved his leg to make the chain clink loudly. "Think of your satisfaction at the image of my starving, naked body chained to the cold stone-""Starving?" She cast a knowledgeable eye at the empty breakfast tray, then allowed her lips to curve into a sarcastic smile."You'd love a look at my naked body, though, wouldn't you?" He fixed his gaze on her, and for one second she thought she saw a lick of golden flame in his light brown eyes. "Isn't that what this is all about?""I beg your pardon." She took a few steps closer to him-although she remained well out of range of his long arms. What you talking about?""I spurned you, didn't I?"What? What was he going on about?"You're a girl from my past, an insignificant debutante I ignored at some cotillion or another. I didn't dance with you." He stretched out on the cot, the epitome of idle relaxation. "Or I did, but I didn't talk to you. Or I forgot to offer you a lemonade, or-""I don't you." She tottered to the rocking chair and sank down. "Are you saying you think this whole kidnapping was done because you, the almighty marquees of Northcliff, treated me like a wallflower?""It seems unlikely I treated you as a wallflower. I have better taste than that." He cast a critical glance up and down her workaday gown, then focused on her face. "You're not in the common way, you must know that. With the proper gown and your hair swirled up in that style you women favor-" He twirled his fingers about his head-"you would be handsome. Perhaps even lovely."She gripped the arms of the chair. Even his compliments sounded like insults! "We've never before met, my lord."As if she had not spoken, he continued, "but I don't remember you, so I must have ignored you and hurt your feelings-""Damn!" Exploding out of the chair, she paced behind it, gripping the back hard enough to break the wood. His arrogance was amazing. Invulnerable! "Haven't you heard a single word I've said to you? Are you so conceited you can't conceive of a woman who isn't interested in you as a suitor?""It's not conceit when it's the truth." He sounded quite convinced. book-quoteLet her go or I'll shoot you.""I've never met a woman who'd have the guts to shoot a man," he sneered. All the women he knew were too kind. Too gentle."I have the guts," the girl said. "Better yet, I to shoot you."That shook him. The words, and the tone, a kind of flat, plain aversion the like of which he'd never met in all of his privileged life. What had he ever done to deserve this girl's contempt? And why did he even care? "Which part of me will you shoot?" he mocked. "All that's showing is my head-and you can't be that good with a gun.""I am," the girl said. "On the count of three, I'll shoot. One . . .""You'd take the chance of hurting Miss Victorine?" he asked."I won't hurt her. Two . . .""Amy, please, let him go!" Miss Victorine begged. "He was such a sweet boy.""Three." Amy's eyes narrowed. Her finger began to squeeze the trigger.And he released Miss Victorine, spinning her away from him and into a cabinet.She landed with a thud and fell. The pistol roared.He dived to the floor.A shot whistled past the place where his head had been."Damn, that was close. Good thing you surrendered, my lord!""Don't swear, dear, it's not ladylike. book-quote
