Mistletoe and Mayhem - Cheryl Bolen Page 0,375

clothes and warm. We also need to protect her reputation, so get your father to reveal she’s taken ill, and the announcement is delayed.”

“And what of Fallon?” Trello’s voice was filled with the same rage that was gripping his body like a vice.

“He’ll keep. Harriet’s a bigger concern; she’s fainted from the cold.” By now he was striding up the backstairs towards her bedchamber, and Trello had left to find Lord Hearthstone.

Warmth. She could feel the heat seeping into her frozen limbs, and her hands and feet were tingling in a terrible way. Warmth and pain was all she felt. That wasn’t true. She felt safe. Blade had come for her.

She snuggled into his hard chest, trying to distract herself from the pain, but she let out a whimper. She felt herself being lowered to a bed, her clothes being stripped from her body, while a deep voice barked orders. Soon she was wrapped in quilted blankets and a large male body was cuddling her close.

However, the warmer she got, the more painful it became, until she was crying like a little girl.

Someone made her drink a sickly sweet liquid, and soon she was falling into a lovely dreamless sleep where the pain couldn’t find her.

She didn’t know how long she’d slept, but the sun was shining when her eyes fluttered open. She could see it had stopped snowing through her bedroom window. Disappointment rippled under her contentedness because she no longer felt the two strong, safe arms of Blade. He’d left her during the night.

But he’d saved her.

She sighed against the pillow. What a mess. Lord Fallon had tried to abduct her.

But Blade saved her, and on that lovely thought she snuggled back under the blankets, happiness making her hum a little song.

She rolled onto her side and saw Ariane sleeping in the large wingback chair near the fire, and Diane was curled in a blanket on the end of her bed. Diane was awake, and she smiled at her.

“Gosh, what a night.”

Diane scoffed. “Indeed. We told everyone you’d taken ill. Which you sort of have. Your fingers and toes were red raw with cold, but the doctor doesn’t think there is any permanent damage. Do they hurt much?” Diane had moved up to cuddle her. “If you need it, the doctor left you more laudanum for the pain.”

“I’m fine.” She hoped Diane would tell her where Blade was before she had to ask, but her sister rose from the bed to stoke the fire as there was a sharp chill in the air. “We shall ensure all the guests leave today. Some had to stay overnight because of the snow.”

Ariane awoke stretching out her neck and arms before coming to sit on the bed beside her, wrapped in a shawl for extra warmth. “Blade was quite the hero. Rushing you inside up the back stairs and barking orders to get hot bricks.”

Harriet remembered strong masculine arms holding her even as they stripped her wet clothes from her body. Her body flushed at the idea he saw her naked.

“Your brother had to pry you off him. They made him wait outside your room in the end as it was very inappropriate. Only his declaration of love and that you would be his wife saw your brother allow him to stay in the room until the doctor arrived.”

“He said he loved me?”

Ariane stroked her hair. “He was frantic with worry for you.” Harriet pushed back the bedding and made to rise, but Ariane’s hand stayed her movement. “He’s not here.”

“He’s gone? He left before Christmas day, before seeing me?”

“He and Trello have gone after Lord Fallon,” Diane told her.

She sunk back against the pillows. She should have known the men in her life would revenge this slight. “What do you think they will do when they find him?” She tried to breathe evenly. Would Trello or Blade challenge him to a duel? Would they get hurt? Or worse, if Lord Fallon was mortally injured they may be in terrible trouble.

Diane looked at Ariane. “I’m not sure. Hand him to the magistrate one would hope.”

Ariane’s words didn’t convince Harriet. A court case would lead to scandal about her, and both men would try to protect her from that. Please don’t do something irreversible. Fallon is not worth it.

Ariane tried to take her mind off the situation. “I’ll organize a bath for you and some food. You must be hungry.”

“Thank you. A bath sounds like? the perfect plan. I just hope the