Kisses and Scandal (A Survivors Series Anthology ) - Shana Galen Page 0,18
and close below them, and James tensed and pushed her back toward the door she’d entered through. “If he or she starts up, I’ll go down and hold them off,” James whispered. “Ye go to yer chamber.”
Phil nodded, and they both listened intently. The footsteps grew fainter as the servant descended the steps. Phil blew out a breath. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“Be careful, lass.”
“Don’t worry about me.” She kissed him again then opened the door, but before she could slip through it, he pulled her back for one last kiss. Her lips tingled for the rest of the night.
SEEING HER AND NOT having her created a special kind of torture for James. When she was in his arms, he couldn’t get enough of her, and when she was not, it felt as though one of his lungs had been ripped out of his body. He couldn’t seem to take a deep breath.
Then there were the brief glimpses he had of her. These were through cracks in doors and sometimes were nothing more than the sound of her voice as he passed a room. Those were enough to make him feel as though a knife had wedged in his gut and nothing but touching her again, kissing her, would relieve the ache.
James had been waiting for word from Sean and Patrick that they were in London. It came the evening after he had kissed Phil in the stairway in the form of the number eleven in chalk on the outer wall of the courtyard. James wiped it away with his sleeve and hoped no one else had seen it, or if they had, didn’t wonder about it. And then at eleven, when the duchess and Lady Philomena were in their bedchambers and only the servants who had mending to do or who didn’t need to be up early sat in the servants’ dining hall to gossip, he slipped out the back door and into the courtyard. The gate creaked, and he oiled it before he opened it and closed it again behind him. Where the eleven had been chalked, there was now an arrow. He wiped it away then followed it toward the Duke of Mayne’s mews.
Before he reached them, he spotted Sean at the end of the alley. Sean’s reddish blond hair was light enough to be easily visible. It was another few seconds before Sean spotted James, and then he motioned for James to follow. Sean led him to Patrick, who was leaning against a tree in the park not far from Mayne House. “I see ye made it,” Patrick said.
“So did ye.” James looked about the park, empty at this time of night but full of shadows. He’d heard thieves prowled the park after dark, and judging by the two in front of him, what he’d heard was correct.
“So?” Sean began. “What can ye tell us?”
“It’s a cold night, so it is,” he said. “That’s about all.”
Patrick scowled. “I can see the weather with my own eyes. What can ye tell us about Lady Philomena? Where will she go tomorrow or the day after?”
“Sure and the family gives me a detailed itinerary. They write it out for me every night.” James gave a mirthless laugh. “I know about as much as ye do.”
He’d meant it when he’d vowed to protect Phil this afternoon, and he wouldn’t break that vow. He had to hold Sean and Patrick off until they returned to the country. Then he could figure out how best to deal with them. Maybe he could decide what to do about his growing feelings for Lady Philomena as well. Only a fool would think they could go on as they had been.
“Did she go out tonight?” Patrick asked.
“No.” And then because he knew Patrick expected some information, he added, “She went to her dressmaker this morning. I don’t know where else. The town house staff accompanied her.”
“What’s the name of the dress shop?” Sean asked
“I couldn’t tell ye.” This was true. He had no idea who made her clothing, and he thought it better if he didn’t know.
“If she didn’t go out tonight, she’ll go tomorrow,” Patrick said, rubbing a thumb along the whiskers on his chin. “If ye aren’t sent along, no reason we can’t go. We’re lodging at Mrs. Lindlam’s. It’s a boarding house in Covent Garden, not far from here. Send word to us there as soon as ye know. We can follow and snatch her if she’s out in public and we