That Would Be a Fairy Tale - By Amanda Grange Page 0,70

sore, and without proper lungfuls of air she could do no more than collapse onto the bed.

But at least he had been foiled. He had not managed to harm her. Nor would he be able to harm Sophie or her aunt. She must content herself with that thought, she realized, as the pin dropped out of her nerveless fingers and fell to the floor.

Outside in the drive, Alex was finishing his cigar. He had not smoked inside as he knew Mrs Lessing did not like it, but he had lit a cigar on leaving the villa. He was making it last as long as possible because he was loth to go. He did not want to leave Cicely. He wanted to stride back into the villa, take the stairs three at a time to her room, throw open her door and demand that she give up the idea of marrying Lord Chuffington.

His cigar finished, he threw the butt down onto the drive and ground it beneath his foot, as he wanted to grind anyone who threatened to take Cicely away from him.

The strength of his feelings took him by surprise. He had never felt so strongly about anyone before, but Cicely provoked in him all manner of new emotions. She was the most surprising, perplexing yet adorable woman he had ever met, and she drove him to distraction.

If only he could go back into the villa . . . But he knew he could not. Even though his cigar was now finished, he could not bring himself to leave. He walked round to the side of the villa, looking up at the windows.

He was behaving like a lovesick boy, he thought uncomfortably. And yet he could not help himself.

He wondered which room was hers.

A moment later he had his answer, as he could see her graceful figure silhouetted against the blind at the last window. Her hand was raised. She must be about to unpin her hair. How long was it? he wondered. Strands of her hair had come loose on several occasions, and he had revelled in the sensuous feel of them beneath his hand as he had pushed them back into place, but he did not know exactly how long her tresses were. Would they fall to her shoulders when her hair was unpinned? he wondered longingly. Halfway down her back? Or to her waist?

But no. She was not unpinning her hair, he realized with a frown. What, then, was she doing? She was standing in a most unnatural attitude, leaning backwards as though she were in fear of being attacked. He was immediately alert. Something was wrong. His instinct was confirmed a moment later when he saw a second figure outlined at the window, the figure of a man.

He began to run towards the window, covering the ground with long strides. Then the window was thrown open and the man, whoever he was, climbed out.

Alex froze for a second as he recognised the gleaming blond hair of Martin Goss in the moonlight.

Goss? Here? But how?

There was no time for further thought. In one fluid movement he moved to intercept him, tackling him as he dropped to the ground. There was a scuffle, and then Alex ended it with a well-placed blow.

As he did so, the two detectives came running up.

‘What is going on?’ demanded Alex furiously as he handed Goss over to them.

‘He gave us the slip,’ said the first man, shifting his feet, whilst the second one looked sheepish.

‘Your excuses will have to wait. I haven’t got time for this now,’ he said, knowing Cicely was in the villa, possibly frightened or hurt. ‘Later,’ he said commandingly before rushing into the villa.

Pushing aside the startled butler who opened the door, he was about to climb the stairs to Cicely’s room when he saw her coming down. She was white and shaken but appeared to be unhurt.

‘Are you all right?’ he demanded. His body flooded with relief at the sight of her, for he had feared the worst.

‘Goss.’ The word came out as a hoarse whisper.

‘It’s all right. He won’t bother you any more. He’s outside now, in the charge of the detectives. They won’t let him escape again.’ He was about to go on, but she had by now reached the bottom of the stairs and he could see by the glare of the gaslight that she was far from well. ‘What is it?’ he asked in concern. Then saw the bruises which were beginning to