The Bareknuckle Groom - Holly Bush Page 0,67

you wanted. But not just any woman. She would have to be special, like Eleanor was to MacAvoy. Lucinda’s face in the throes of her passion for him came to mind and even though there’d only been the one time, he wanted to make love to her often and forever.

He was not sure he would ever be interested in another woman in that way. How could he be? Whoever she was would not be Lucinda, his woman, who, for all her formality, had abandoned all her reserve in bed. But how could a woman so far superior to him ever be his?

He was still thinking about her when he walked from the alley into the kitchen of the Locust Street house. Mrs. McClintok was stirring something in a pot that smelled delicious, and he could hear chatter in the front of the house.

“Hands off the cake, Mr. Thompson. It’s for tonight’s dinner.”

“Are you mad at me too?”

“Hmmph.”

James wandered through to the parlor, where his aunt, brother, brother-in-law, and all of his sisters were gathered. “Are we having a family meeting no one has told me about?” he asked, smiling at each of them.

“Are you ready for Saturday, James?” Payden asked.

“I am,” he said and sat on the arm of Kirsty’s chair. “I am in the best shape of my life.”

“I’m sure your opponent is in fine shape as well,” Muireall said, pulling a needle through her embroidery.

He looked at Alexander. “Will you be there? Your father and uncle too?”

“We will. I’ll be in your corner with MacAvoy.”

“What?” Kirsty screeched. “How could you, Alexander? Elspeth! Can’t you stop your husband?”

“Asking Alexander to stay away would not stop this fight,” Elspeth said. “The only person who can stop this fight is James. And I personally feel better knowing there are two men with our brother to talk some sense into him if necessary.”

James chuckled darkly. “It is comforting to know my family has so much faith in me.”

Kirsty, Elspeth, and Aunt Murdoch all protested loudly that they had faith in him, but they thought he was a numskull, at least according to Kirsty, all the same.

“What does Miss Vermeal have to say about your match, James?” Muireall asked.

He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve not discussed it with her.”

“That’s because she won’t speak to you,” Kirsty said. “Not because she doesn’t have an opinion.”

“I am below Miss Vermeal’s notice. Undoubtedly, she has much to keep her occupied other than a ragtag boxer,” he said, feeling some bitterness creep into his voice.

“I think you’re wrong, James,” Elspeth said. “I think Miss Vermeal is very worried. I think she cares deeply about you.”

He shook his head, and Muireall picked up the argument. “You did not see her when you were injured before. For all her outward calm, she was terrified.”

He wondered if that was what had prompted her to lead him to her bed. She’d gone from shaking an angry finger in his face to making love to him as if it were the last time she’d ever see him. He thought it was likely he’d fallen in love with her. He was certain of it, in fact. And what could he possibly do about that? How could his future include her? Because he really did not think that he wanted to live without her, and he was certain she did not want to live with a man in constant danger of having his brains scrambled.

Chapter 16

James’s fight was the following day and Lucinda intended to spend much of today with Aunt Louisa to keep her mind off him having his brains scrambled, as his aunt would say. But as she was dressing with Giselle’s help, she heard a commotion in the entryway and sent her maid to see what was going on, hoping it wasn’t Carlton Young asking her to join him on some outing, which he’d done three times the previous day. Thank God James was not nearby. She’d heard the derision in his voice when he called Carlton her suitor.

But perhaps it was worse. It was her father.

“Do not harass my servants, Papa,” she said as went into the parlor.

“The only person I am here to harass is you,” he said. “It has come to my ears that you snuck out of our home and went to see that ruffian, that James Thompson, fight. Let alone that an arena such as that is no place for a lady, especially my daughter, but that you would risk your reputation over a man such