hardened as his hand gripped hers tighter. “None taken, my lady. And may I express my wish not to offend you either. Nevertheless, I insist on knowing what game it is you play with my brother.”
Amelia gasped, missed a step, and came down hard on his toe.
Her misstep barely registered on his face. “I will assume that was an accident, although I am beginning to suspect you are not as docile as you appear.”
Now that she was recovering from shock, a hot flush inflamed her body. “How dare you,” she whispered furiously.
The captain clamped her upper arm and dragged her toward the outer doors in the middle of the dance. She threw a desperate look over her shoulder for Jake, but she couldn’t see him through the jumbled bodies.
Captain Hillary didn’t pause as he marched across the veranda, down the stairs, and into the darkened garden. A scream bubbled up in her throat, but he released her before she let loose a howl.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Amelia.”
She shrank back, trembling. Men didn’t drag women to darkened gardens to play a friendly game of whist. “Please, let me go.”
Captain Hillary exhaled loudly. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. I promise you are safe. I only wanted to speak to you where Jake cannot overhear.” He took a step forward but didn’t touch her.
Amelia darted her eyes, searching for an escape, but he stood too close. He would grab her again before she moved.
“Speak to me about what, exactly?” she asked. “I’m not playing any games with your brother. I apologize, Captain Hillary, but I prefer him over you.”
He scoffed. “I realize you care nothing for me, nor I for you. You passed my test.”
“Your test?”
She sidestepped, but he matched her movement. His smug grin made her want to slap him.
“This afternoon you declared your interests. You chose Jake, so I feel confident you hold him in some esteem. However, if your interest is fleeting, I demand that you end your association now.”
“My feelings for Jake are none of your concern.”
Captain Hillary took a threatening step forward and Amelia backed into a shrub. “I will not see him suffer again. When you didn’t answer his letters, it crushed him. And then taking up with that rake. Have you no sense of decency?”
“I know nothing about any letters. You are insane.”
“That may be, but I’m certain you know the letters to which I am referring.”
Amelia had had quite enough of his accusations. She could scream and bring a host of gentlemen to her rescue. “When were these supposed letters to have arrived?”
He crossed his arms, his eyes boring in to hers. A shiver ran up her spine. Her scream might not deter him in the least.
“Jake wrote to you from Sussex. Don’t pretend with me.”
Her heart skipped a beat before accelerating to a rapid pace. Jake had written to her? “But I thought…”
She swallowed. She had never received any letters from Jake, but Captain Hillary didn’t seem amenable to believing her.
“Of course, you’re correct, Captain. I should seek him out at once.” She reached out a tentative hand to plead with him to believe her, but she jerked it back when he snarled. “I have no intentions of ever hurting Jake. My feelings for him are heartfelt.”
“See that they are. Don’t disappoint him again.”
His threat hung between them. She had no way to determine if he would truly hurt a lady, but he seemed sincere enough to set off another round of tremors.
Captain Hillary didn’t try to stop her when she slipped by him to hurry along the gravel path toward the house. Through the lighted windows, she could see guests dancing a quadrille. The lively music drifted through the open doors. She dashed up the stairs and into the crush to search for Jake.
Nine
Jasper downed two tumblers of brandy in preparation to approach a woman. Yet, the moment he took a step toward the ballroom, he questioned the wisdom of indulging in spirits. He wasn’t foxed, but
Amelia gasped, missed a step, and came down hard on his toe.
Her misstep barely registered on his face. “I will assume that was an accident, although I am beginning to suspect you are not as docile as you appear.”
Now that she was recovering from shock, a hot flush inflamed her body. “How dare you,” she whispered furiously.
The captain clamped her upper arm and dragged her toward the outer doors in the middle of the dance. She threw a desperate look over her shoulder for Jake, but she couldn’t see him through the jumbled bodies.
Captain Hillary didn’t pause as he marched across the veranda, down the stairs, and into the darkened garden. A scream bubbled up in her throat, but he released her before she let loose a howl.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Amelia.”
She shrank back, trembling. Men didn’t drag women to darkened gardens to play a friendly game of whist. “Please, let me go.”
Captain Hillary exhaled loudly. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. I promise you are safe. I only wanted to speak to you where Jake cannot overhear.” He took a step forward but didn’t touch her.
Amelia darted her eyes, searching for an escape, but he stood too close. He would grab her again before she moved.
“Speak to me about what, exactly?” she asked. “I’m not playing any games with your brother. I apologize, Captain Hillary, but I prefer him over you.”
He scoffed. “I realize you care nothing for me, nor I for you. You passed my test.”
“Your test?”
She sidestepped, but he matched her movement. His smug grin made her want to slap him.
“This afternoon you declared your interests. You chose Jake, so I feel confident you hold him in some esteem. However, if your interest is fleeting, I demand that you end your association now.”
“My feelings for Jake are none of your concern.”
Captain Hillary took a threatening step forward and Amelia backed into a shrub. “I will not see him suffer again. When you didn’t answer his letters, it crushed him. And then taking up with that rake. Have you no sense of decency?”
“I know nothing about any letters. You are insane.”
“That may be, but I’m certain you know the letters to which I am referring.”
Amelia had had quite enough of his accusations. She could scream and bring a host of gentlemen to her rescue. “When were these supposed letters to have arrived?”
He crossed his arms, his eyes boring in to hers. A shiver ran up her spine. Her scream might not deter him in the least.
“Jake wrote to you from Sussex. Don’t pretend with me.”
Her heart skipped a beat before accelerating to a rapid pace. Jake had written to her? “But I thought…”
She swallowed. She had never received any letters from Jake, but Captain Hillary didn’t seem amenable to believing her.
“Of course, you’re correct, Captain. I should seek him out at once.” She reached out a tentative hand to plead with him to believe her, but she jerked it back when he snarled. “I have no intentions of ever hurting Jake. My feelings for him are heartfelt.”
“See that they are. Don’t disappoint him again.”
His threat hung between them. She had no way to determine if he would truly hurt a lady, but he seemed sincere enough to set off another round of tremors.
Captain Hillary didn’t try to stop her when she slipped by him to hurry along the gravel path toward the house. Through the lighted windows, she could see guests dancing a quadrille. The lively music drifted through the open doors. She dashed up the stairs and into the crush to search for Jake.
Nine
Jasper downed two tumblers of brandy in preparation to approach a woman. Yet, the moment he took a step toward the ballroom, he questioned the wisdom of indulging in spirits. He wasn’t foxed, but
Similar Books
