Her Lord's Desire (The Forbidden Saga #3) - Maggie Ryan Page 0,35

and he just grabbed me.” She wasn’t about to let this Neanderthal’s actions cause her to be punished for something that she’d had absolutely no control over. “If he doesn’t know his own hostess, you can hardly blame me!” She saw that the man’s grin had been replaced by a look of confusion which only grew when he heard Edward’s voice.

“Lucas Huntington,” Edward called, as he and Louisa walked into the library. Lucy watched as he released his wife’s hand and strode across the library. The two men were soon wrapped in a bear hug. Looking around, Lucy was glad to see she wasn’t the only one watching in amazement as they pounded each other on the back. Molly looked as surprised as Louisa as her twin walked over to join them.

“Who is that?” she whispered.

Lucy shrugged, “Apparently he’s your house guest.”

“What?” Louisa said, her gaze going from Lucy to where the two men had separated and yet stood grinning at each other.

“Don’t ask me,” Lucy said, shaking her head which was beginning to pound with everything that had occurred.

“Come, I want you to meet my wife,” Edward said and pulled the man toward the girls. Lucas took a step and then froze.

Lucy’s head felt a bit better at seeing the man’s expression. Served the man right. It wasn’t her fault he’d made a fool out of himself. After all, she had tried to correct his error.

“There are two of them?” Lucas said, his eyes moving from Lucy to Louisa and back again before looking at Edward. “You could have told me.”

“And spoil my surprise?” Edward said with a laugh as he reached out to draw Louisa to his side. “Lucas, may I present my wife, Louisa.”

Lucas looked down her and made a small bow. “It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Wintercrest,” he said and bent to kiss her cheek. Edward gave his shoulder a push.

“She’s mine, Lucas, so no more kissing my wife. You may address her as Louisa,” Edward said, reminding his friend of his wife’s station. “Louisa, this huge oaf is my childhood friend, Lord Lucas Huntington.”

Louisa nodded, smiled and made a small curtsy. “Welcome to Wintercrest, Lord Huntington,” Louisa said. “I know Papa has been looking forward to your arrival. It is a delight to have you visit our home.”

Lucy wasn’t watching her sister; her eyes were glued to Lucas. If he was surprised to hear Louisa refer to her husband as ‘Papa’ he hid it well. So well that Lucy was even more certain that the two men shared far more than childhood memories.

“I assure you, the pleasure is all mine, Louisa,” Lucas said, giving her another small bow before turning his attention back to Lucy. “Then this little feline’s name must be Miss Furniss,” Lucas said.

“Feline?” Edward said, his brow lifting.

Lucy tensed waiting to be chastised for striking his guest, but Lucas only chuckled. “Just a little misunderstanding,” he said, turning to her again. “I owe you an apology, Miss Furniss,” he said, his tone far more soothing than it had been when he’d been scolding her. “I didn’t mean to either scare you or embarrass you.”

Despite Lucas’ brushing off their encounter, Lucy saw Edward’s eyebrow lift at the confusing conversation.

“Can someone please enlighten me? What exactly has happened here, Lucille?” Edward asked.

Lucy took a deep breath, noticing the man had not apologized for spanking her! “I was just getting a book, sir,” she began. “Lord Huntington yanked me off the ladder and wouldn’t put me down. I never once said I was Louisa. In fact, I repeatedly try to tell him he was mistaken, but… he… he just wouldn’t listen!” Lucy said in a rush.

Lucy saw Anna shaking her head and though she prayed the woman wouldn’t find it necessary to intervene now that she’d explained what happened, that prayer went totally unanswered.

“She was screaming as if being murdered, my lord. Nearly put me in an early grave,” Anna said, pressing her hand over her heart. Lucas dropped an arm around her to offer her comfort while Lucy couldn’t help but think the woman had missed her true calling as she should have be on the stage.

“Edward, I take full blame,” Lucas said. “I wanted to surprise you. I didn’t knock; I just came in. I found this little one teetering from the ladder and decided to rescue her—”

“I was not teetering!” Lucy declared, rolling her eyes and then realized she had just interrupted a very important guest of Edward’s. “Oh, I’m