An Unsinkable Love - By Terri Benson Page 0,72

has her well in hand." Eldon chuckled at his joke and sauntered off.

Bree slumped in her chair. She couldn't, wouldn't believe it. Malcolm had likely been detained by a friend. Eldon was 230

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just trying to upset her. Malcolm loved her. Didn't he? But he had mentioned he had something important to talk to her about. And if he and Melody really were together, maybe Eldon had told the truth. Needing to be alone to think, Bree quickly stood and walked down the hall to the library. The door was closed, discouraging guests from entering, and she found it empty. She crossed the room slowly to the trio of tall floor-to-ceiling doors, mates to those in the parlor. Flaming torches lit the garden at intervals and light spilled into the darkened room through the undraped windows. At first glance the garden was empty, the cool breeze and hunger having driven the guests indoors, but then she caught a flicker of movement.

A pair of figures stood close together at the edge of the torch glow—the man, taller than average and the woman with hair gleaming gold in the firelight. Even though she couldn't see his face, Bree knew it was Malcolm held so tightly in the blonde's embrace, Malcolm's head dipping down to the pale upturned face. It was true. Malcolm had chosen Melody. She truly was alone again. The dream of a new start in a new land was turning into a nightmare.

As tears coursed unheeded down her cheeks, Bree fled to the hallway, instinctively turning away from the noise of the party. A few yards down the parquet floor the door to the working areas of the house yielded to her urgent flight. Head bent to shield it from the startled cook, Bertie, and the servers working in the kitchen, she hurried across the room.

Bree passed through the open door to the porch then pushed through the swinging screen door. In her haste, she nearly 231

An Unsinkable Love

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missed the step down to the lawn, and if not for the sudden appearance of Carlisle at her elbow, might have fallen ignominiously on her face.

"Here, now, miss. That could have been a bad tumble." He looked into her tear-stained face. "Are you all right? Should I call the missus?"

Bree shook her head, trying to stifle the sobs threatening to escape. "N-n-no, thank you, Carlisle. I needed some fresh air."

"Umm, if you ... Well, I'm going into town to fetch a few more cases of, umm, wine. Yes, that's right. A few cases of wine. If you'd like to go anywhere, I'd be glad to take you.

It's a lovely evening. You ever ride in Rolls Royce? Oh, yeah,

'course you did. When I brought you from the station." He glanced around, as if he were searching for something.

Bree was surprised at his eagerness to take her for a ride.

But she looked closer and saw a deep blush on his clean-shaven cheeks. He was a nice young man, a bit simple perhaps, but always polite. Her sudden arrival had obviously embarrassed him. She started to offer a polite refusal when a possible escape from her impossible situation came to mind.

"Yes, thank you, Carlisle. I think I would like to go to town.

Do you know the schedule at the station? I forgot I need to visit my aunt in Boston, to ... well, to tell her about Malcolm.

With all the excitement, it slipped my mind. She'd be so upset if I don't explain. I'll just run up and get my reticule." Bree hesitated. If she went back into the house someone would ask questions, or worse yet, she'd run into Malcolm and Melody. She couldn't face them.

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Carlisle frowned and tapped his chin, then said, "There's a train leaves in about an hour."

She jumped as another deep voice spoke from the darkness.

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An Unsinkable Love

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Chapter 36

Fred Dunby watched the group from his perch in the big oak tree. He recognized the pretty copper-haired girl as the itty bitty thing he'd seen at the station and later through the window. The young man with her was vaguely familiar. The third party, although hidden in shadow, was his quarry.

Fred had rented a horse and ridden to the estate earlier in the afternoon. It had been an unpleasant trip to say the least.

As a sailor, he'd never had much use for horses, and even less skill. The nag had nearly unseated him several times, even