A Masquerade in the Moonlight - By Kasey Michaels Page 0,69
and all but dragged her completely into the shrubbery, out of sight, then pushed her onto her knees beside him. “Be quiet. I think it’s Harewood.”
Marguerite stilled in her struggle to be free of his embrace but obviously took umbrage with the placement of his hand over her mouth. Thomas didn’t sense this through any intuitive knowledge of the young woman, but because of the way her sharp teeth pinched his palm, forcing him to release her.
“Ralph?” she questioned him in a whisper, her head pressed close to his as he shook his stinging hand. “Are you sure? You’re not just saying that to have me clinging to you in fear, like some flea-witted female? That would be cheating, Donovan, and I’d never forgive you.”
Thomas silently congratulated himself on his assessment of Marguerite’s courage. She wasn’t going to faint or scream or do anything else vaguely resembling usual feminine reactions to being discovered in the dark with a man. “He followed me back from Richmond earlier, but I thought I’d lost him. Tenacious little bastard, isn’t he?”
“Followed you? And you led him here? My God, it’s not a charade—your brain really is to let.” She leaned past him, to peek through a gap in the shrubbery. “Do you think he’s been here long? Oh, Lord—do you think he heard us?” She sat back on her haunches, glaring at Thomas. “Damn you, Donovan, I knew you were trouble. If he heard us—”
“He didn’t, and he won’t, if you keep silent. I doubt he’ll come any closer.”
“I’m not about to start singing at the top of my lungs,” she fairly hissed, her eyes wide. She looked right and left, then behind her, as if at last realizing they were safely hidden by the trees and shrubs. “This is above everything stupid. I can’t believe I’ve allowed you to get me into such a ridiculous fix. How long do you think we’ll have to hide here before he gives up and goes away?”
Thomas shrugged, inching closer to her, as he was never one to miss an opportunity when it landed so close to his lap. “I don’t know, sweetings—an hour? No? You know the man better than I do.”
Marguerite dropped her head forward into her hands. “This wouldn’t have been his idea. Ralph likes the comfort of his own home much too much to spend the night skulking around in alleyways.” She raised her head and grinned at Thomas. “I feel silly, Donovan. I haven’t played hide-and-seek since I was a child.”
He tenderly lifted a stray spring green leaf from her curls. “I’ll wager you always found the best hiding places.”
“Not really. I always went first to the pantry, hoping Cook had baked that day, then hid myself away in a nearby cupboard with tarts piled in my lap. I was fairly roly-poly as a young child, I’m embarrassed to say. Papa said he could always find me by following the trail of crumbs. One moment I’d be sitting in the dark, delighted with my brilliance, and the next the door would open and Papa would see me, strawberry jam dribbling from my chin.”
“You had a happy childhood.” Thomas didn’t ask the question, but merely stated what he was sure was a fact, for he could see Marguerite’s eyes light with the memory of her younger days and felt a stab of jealousy that he had missed seeing her grow up.
The reminiscent glow in her eyes died. “Yes. Yes, I did. But we all must put away childish things sooner or later. Donovan—look out again. He must be gone by now.”
Thomas did as she bid and saw Sir Ralph standing in the middle of the alleyway, his hands on his hips. Damn Dooley! He had told him to hide the horse out of sight at the far end of the square before returning to the hotel. Obviously Harewood was better at finding things than Paddy was at hiding them. He pushed himself back onto his heels once more and shook his head. “Not yet,” he told her, slipping an arm around her shoulder when she shivered. “Are you cold?”
“The ground’s damp,” she said, shifting slightly, and he took advantage of her words by pulling her onto his lap. “Have you slipped your wits entirely? What are you doing?” she whispered, glaring at him even as she wrapped one arm around his shoulders to steady herself.
“I’m just trying to keep you from catching a chill,” he answered, easing her against his chest. Her closeness