aside. “Go and get the information. I’ll wait for you.”
She nodded her head, flew out the door and down the stairs. Justin walked over to the window and pushed open the glass. The cold breeze washed over his heated body. He kept reminding himself that he had to stay in control. She was only grateful because of his assistance in finding her father. Besides that, a duke would expect his daughter to marry a duke or a future duke. Justin had only inherited his title because of his brother’s death, and still had difficulty relegating himself to the title. He would also eventually be an earl, but found himself in no hurry of inheriting that title from his father.
***
When Clarissa reached the bottom of the stairs, she paused a moment to get herself under control. She had not meant to throw herself at Justin in that manner. She was excited to have her father with her once more, but she had to be honest with herself and admit that was not the only reason she had catapulted herself into his arms. Justin made her heart beat faster and want to do things she had no business doing. Parts of her body that were chaste betrayed her attraction to him even during their heated arguments.
But she had made herself a promise that she would never marry. Besides that, what man would want a woman so embroiled in a scandal of this magnitude? And then her father had established that ridiculous stipulation in his new will. No, Justin was merely a dream. She had to control herself better around him, not show her feelings. She would save him so that he could marry someone that would bring dignity and honor to his marriage, not someone embroiled in scandal. Why am I even thinking of marriage? She wondered. Didn’t one of their earlier arguments involve my reading more into his actions than what was there?
Clarissa pushed off from the wall and went in search of Molly. She found her in the back cleaning up the bathing room.
“Molly, I need to ask you a favor.”
“Why, ma’am, you startled me.”
“I’m so sorry. Can we talk a moment?” Molly nodded her head in the affirmative, looking a bit curious. “Molly, my father is being held by an old woman not far from here. The earl’s widow and her brother,” she almost choked on the words, “are behind it. Papa is very ill, and we need to get him away from them. Could you tell me of four or five strong men who used to be in the earl’s employ who might help us?”
Molly quietly considered for a moment what she had been told and what she should say.
“They will be compensated for their trouble.”
Molly thought a minute more. “My brother James’ll help, and he’ll know who t’ bring with ‘im. I’m sorry ‘bout your da’.”
“Thank you, Molly,” Clarissa gave the little maid and a quick hug that seemed to shock her. “Can your brother and the others meet us here after the evening meal?”
“I’m sure they can.”
“Good. I will let So... my husband know,” she finished with a blush, almost forgetting the ruse behind the words. “Thank you again, Molly,” she pulled out a few coins and slipped them into the maid’s hands. Clarissa turned and rushed up the stairs to share the good news with Southerby.
***
Justin looked at the group of men surrounding him. They were a motley bunch to be sure, but had been loyal to the former Earl of Malmouth. Clarissa insisted they know why they were helping them. Upon hearing the reason, they were even more eager to help keep someone else from the earl’s fate.
“Does everyone understand what they’re supposed to do?”
“Yes, sir,” the group echoed around him.
“I still say you should let us take care of those two ourselves. I don’t care if she is a woman.”
“No,” a feminine voice said firmly next to Justin. “Lord Southerby is right. We must have proof to see them brought to justice.
She nodded her head, flew out the door and down the stairs. Justin walked over to the window and pushed open the glass. The cold breeze washed over his heated body. He kept reminding himself that he had to stay in control. She was only grateful because of his assistance in finding her father. Besides that, a duke would expect his daughter to marry a duke or a future duke. Justin had only inherited his title because of his brother’s death, and still had difficulty relegating himself to the title. He would also eventually be an earl, but found himself in no hurry of inheriting that title from his father.
***
When Clarissa reached the bottom of the stairs, she paused a moment to get herself under control. She had not meant to throw herself at Justin in that manner. She was excited to have her father with her once more, but she had to be honest with herself and admit that was not the only reason she had catapulted herself into his arms. Justin made her heart beat faster and want to do things she had no business doing. Parts of her body that were chaste betrayed her attraction to him even during their heated arguments.
But she had made herself a promise that she would never marry. Besides that, what man would want a woman so embroiled in a scandal of this magnitude? And then her father had established that ridiculous stipulation in his new will. No, Justin was merely a dream. She had to control herself better around him, not show her feelings. She would save him so that he could marry someone that would bring dignity and honor to his marriage, not someone embroiled in scandal. Why am I even thinking of marriage? She wondered. Didn’t one of their earlier arguments involve my reading more into his actions than what was there?
Clarissa pushed off from the wall and went in search of Molly. She found her in the back cleaning up the bathing room.
“Molly, I need to ask you a favor.”
“Why, ma’am, you startled me.”
“I’m so sorry. Can we talk a moment?” Molly nodded her head in the affirmative, looking a bit curious. “Molly, my father is being held by an old woman not far from here. The earl’s widow and her brother,” she almost choked on the words, “are behind it. Papa is very ill, and we need to get him away from them. Could you tell me of four or five strong men who used to be in the earl’s employ who might help us?”
Molly quietly considered for a moment what she had been told and what she should say.
“They will be compensated for their trouble.”
Molly thought a minute more. “My brother James’ll help, and he’ll know who t’ bring with ‘im. I’m sorry ‘bout your da’.”
“Thank you, Molly,” Clarissa gave the little maid and a quick hug that seemed to shock her. “Can your brother and the others meet us here after the evening meal?”
“I’m sure they can.”
“Good. I will let So... my husband know,” she finished with a blush, almost forgetting the ruse behind the words. “Thank you again, Molly,” she pulled out a few coins and slipped them into the maid’s hands. Clarissa turned and rushed up the stairs to share the good news with Southerby.
***
Justin looked at the group of men surrounding him. They were a motley bunch to be sure, but had been loyal to the former Earl of Malmouth. Clarissa insisted they know why they were helping them. Upon hearing the reason, they were even more eager to help keep someone else from the earl’s fate.
“Does everyone understand what they’re supposed to do?”
“Yes, sir,” the group echoed around him.
“I still say you should let us take care of those two ourselves. I don’t care if she is a woman.”
“No,” a feminine voice said firmly next to Justin. “Lord Southerby is right. We must have proof to see them brought to justice.
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