A Rogue No More - Lana Williams Page 0,82

couldn’t write them down fast enough. Now there was only a void.

She’d decided sometime in the middle of the night that she should simply find another publisher. After all, she’d thought she might have to do so before Thomas had taken over Artemis Press. But the idea held no interest at the moment.

Each time she relived him telling her that his press wouldn’t publish her work, hurt rolled over her. Crushing hurt. While he hadn’t specifically said so, the worry that he didn’t believe in the book or her writing made her want to hide under the bed covers and remain there for the foreseeable future. Especially after having a heady taste of what it might be like to have his full support and admiration.

She knew some publishing houses preferred to focus their efforts on particular types of books, so it should come as no surprise that Artemis Press had decided to do so as well. She just wished they’d wanted her book enough to honor the contract. While she knew she could insist Thomas do so, the idea of him publishing her book with reluctance held no appeal.

The more practical side of her insisted she move forward and push past this bump in the road. But it felt like far more than a bump. It felt like a mountain she didn’t have the skills or ambition to climb.

All because of Thomas.

His rejection of her book felt like a rejection of her. Where did that leave their relationship? Did he even wish to marry her? The changed circumstances shifted the balance of their relationship, removing it from a solid foundation to something shaky and unstable.

She set aside the blank sheet, the sight of it disheartening. No purpose would be served by further staring at it. She needed to turn her attention to a more productive task and hope her gift re-emerged once time had passed and her heart had settled.

If it ever did.

Her first book sat on the low table nearby and she reached for it, smoothing a hand over the leather binding as she remembered the pleasure she’d felt upon receiving it. Holding it in her hands had been a dream come true. One she was determined to experience again.

She opened the pages, coming to the marker she’d placed at the first murder scene and read it once again. Knowing that someone had deliberately copied her words in real life was terribly disturbing. The second marker pulled her, and she read that passage as well. She continued reading through the third murder then retrieved the blank paper to jot down a few notes as she reviewed the pivotal scenes again.

It didn’t make sense for Sir Alexander to have someone commit murder simply to buy the two docks. If he wanted them so badly, why not make each owner an offer they couldn’t refuse and be done with it? Why go to all the trouble and expense, not to mention the risk, of involving himself in a crime? As she knew from her study of characters, people didn’t do things without a reason. While she appreciated that her father’s dock, as well as the other one in question, might be in excellent locations, that was no reason for him to involve himself in murder.

Then why would he go to such lengths to have them?

There had to be a more personal reason behind Sir Alexander’s actions than what she and Thomas knew thus far. Murder could be committed in the heat of passion or with cold-blooded determination. Based on the few facts they had, she’d say it was the latter.

An idea came to mind, and while she wasn’t certain if she would be able to uncover any answers, she had to try. She set aside her notes and the book then went downstairs in search of her father. Perhaps his memory was intact today, and he could shed some light on the subject.

Chapter Nineteen

“Hello, Annabelle.” Thomas drew a relieved breath as she joined him in the Gold drawing room later that morning. Though concerned he would be told she wasn’t receiving, the butler had greeted him warmly and shown him inside.

As he took in her presence, he realized how much he missed her. How much he wanted their relationship to return to the way it had been. He prayed that within the next two days, it would.

But first, he needed her help. His plan to force Sir Alexander to acquiesce could fail, so he wanted a secondary plan in place. However,