and found a stranger in her room.
Bethany held tight to her mother's hand, taking each step one at a time.
Heather reached the foot of the stairs and turned to face her daughter. "Sweetie, we have two people visiting us. I want you to meet Emma 'cause she'll be staying in your bedroom tonight."
"Why?" Bethany scratched at her pink pajamas.
"Just to make sure you're safe. Sorta like your own personal guardian angel."
"Oh." Bethany blinked. "Does she have wings?"
"No, but she's as pretty as an angel." Heather led her daughter to the living room and spotted Jean-Luc at the coffee table. He stepped back and stood stiffly by the wingback chair.
Heather narrowed her eyes. She'd detected a hint of guilt in his expression before it had gone blank. What had he been up to? She glanced at the coffee table. The tarot cards had been gathered together into a neat stack.
She wondered what the seventh card had been. Had Jean-Luc seen it? She dragged her gaze from the stack of cards back to him and realized he was staring curiously at her and her daughter. "I brought Bethany to meet you."
"She looks so much like you."
"Yeah. It's called genetics." Heather got the impression he wasn't around children very much. "Sweetie, this is Mr. Echarpe."
Bethany raised a hand. "Hi."
Jean-Luc bowed. "I am honored to meet you, Bezanie."
She tugged on her mother's pajamas and whispered, "He talks funny."
"He's from France. Like Belle," Heather whispered back, aware of the wry look he was giving her.
"And the Beast?" Bethany asked.
Heather returned his wry look. "Exactly."
"Is he my guardian angel, too?" Bethany asked.
"No. Emma is yours." Heather glanced around, but Emma was apparently still on the front porch.
"I will be guarding your mother," Jean-Luc explained.
"Oh." Bethany nodded. "Then you get to sleep in my mama's room."
Heather coughed. "That's not going to happen."
"I will abide by your mother's wishes." Jean-Luc's eyes gleamed as his gaze raked over her. "It is my most fervent desire to see her well...pleased."
Heather's skin prickled with goose bumps. Good Lord, he was visually undressing her right in front of her daughter. He was a beast. Her cheeks grew hot.
He merely smiled.
A sound at the front door distracted her, and she saw Emma slipping inside.
"I checked the grounds after Angus left." Emma locked the front door. "It's clear."
Bethany wrapped an arm around Heather's leg. "Is that my angel?"
"Yes. Emma, this is Bethany. I wanted her to meet you since you'll be in her room tonight."
"Of course." Emma approached them, smiling at Bethany. "Good heavens, you're as pretty as a princess."
Bethany giggled and let go of her mother's leg. "I was a princess for Halloween. Mama made my costume."
"I'm sure it was lovely."
Bethany looked up at her mom. "She talks funny, too. Is she from France?"
Emma chuckled, casting an amused glance at Jean-Luc. "I'm from Scotland. I live in a castle."
Bethany wandered toward her. "I have a castle in my room. It's pink."
Emma leaned over. "Super. I'd love to see it."
Bethany glanced back at her mom. "Can I show it to her?"
"Of course." Heather held out her arms for a hug. "Let me kiss you good night."
As Bethany lunged into her arms, Heather continued, "Don't stay up too late."
"Okay." Bethany turned back to her new friend. "I have a dollhouse, too."
"I saw that." Emma took Bethany's hand to lead her upstairs. "It's so big."
"There's a family living inside," Bethany announced as she took the stairs one at a time. "There's a mommy and a little girl."
"I see," Emma murmured.
"There was a daddy," Bethany added, "but the mommy made him leave."
Heather winced.
"He's okay," Bethany continued as they reached the top of the stairs. "He lives in the closet now."
Heather covered her mouth to stifle a groan.
"The closet is too good for him," Jean-Luc whispered.
She spun about to find him standing right behind her. Heat burned her cheeks. She'd finally resigned herself to accepting his protection, but she wasn't comfortable with him learning so much about her personal life. "Maybe now you understand why I refused to stay at your place. Bethany's been through too much lately."
"How long ago were you divorced?"
"It's been over a year since it was legal, but we moved here almost two years ago." Heather sighed as she wandered toward the couch. "My mother had just died and left me the house. Thank God we had a place to go." She sat on the couch. "Not all women are so lucky."
"You were not so lucky with your marriage." He crossed the room, then