without being accosted.”
Chilcombe . Was that who she’d seen Mr. Hadley haul into the darkness? And all on account of card playing? And Mr. Hadley hadn’t returned. What on earth would he do with the earl? And which one should she worry about?
Lord Chilcombe appeared to be unconscious, heaven knew where. But in her heart, she was much more concerned about Mr. Hadley, should anyone discover he’d clocked the earl after fleecing him, to use Nathaniel’s words. After all, it was no secret that Mr. Hadley wasn’t regarded well by the gentlemen of her father’s house party. In fact, all the Hadleys, including Lord Radbourne, were bad ton . They were marginally accepted at functions because of Lady Eynsford’s devotion to the trio, but something of this nature could destroy what shred of goodwill the Hadleys still maintained in society.
“I suppose I’ll have to ask him tomorrow then,” Maddie mumbled, then started back in the direction from which she’d come.
As soon as she was certain Robert had returned to their guests in the drawing room, Maddie bolted around a corner toward the garden entrance, thankful her kid slippers made no sound. She rushed outside into the chilly garden and started toward the last place she’d seen Mr. Hadley from the gallery window, the path leading to the stables. Perhaps he was still there.
Maddie lifted the hem of her skirts and dashed across the dew-dampened ground, lit by the full moon above, and didn’t stop until she reached the stables, which were mercifully void of any grooms at the moment. Of course, the houseguests were so deep in their cups that not a single one of them would be calling for a mount any time soon.
As soon as Maddie reached the stables, the odor of horses and hay hit her nose like rancid smelling salts. The darkness pressed in around her like a heavy counterpane. Not a single light broke the quiet night, but then a match flared as she heard someone shuffle. Maddie stepped farther into the shadows and pressed her back against the wall.
Seven
Wes cursed loudly as he dropped Chilcombe’s inert body to the stable floor and looked around the cavernous room. Over the past few days, he’d daydreamed of ridding England of the obnoxious gentleman, but he hadn’t planned to have to haul the earl’s body around on the night of the full moon. Already, the power of the moon tugged at his senses. His ears itched to elongate and his snout tingled, anxious to grow long and pointy.
Typically, Wes loved the pain of changing, but tonight, he’d lingered a bit too long beyond nightfall. But he’d figured that arrogant earl and his inept partner couldn’t possibly have better cards than his or Lavendon’s. The earl certainly hadn’t had one all night. Wes hoisted Chilcombe beneath his arms and dragged his body into a stall. The earl would remember Wes hitting him in the morning and then there would be hell to pay, if not from Chilcombe then from Dash when he learned of the altercation.
As Wes straightened and stepped from the stall, the itch of his ears and the tingle of his nose turned to an ache. The moon would take him whether he wanted it to or not. He unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged it from his shoulders. Then he proceeded to disrobe right there in the stables. After all, where else could he go? He’d waited too long to leave as it was. Wes folded his clothes and tucked them into the corner of a stall. He’d come back for them in the morning.
A shaft of moonlight filtered in through the loft and Wes stepped into it, allowing the moonbeams to caress his naked body. The shift from man to beast began, claiming all of his attention. It wasn’t until he stood on four feet that he looked up and saw her standing there in the shadows. Her face was as pale as the moon, and she’d certainly fall over from the lack of air in her lungs any moment if she didn’t run screaming first. It was too bad she chose the latter.
Lady Madeline didn’t just scream. She had
Chilcombe . Was that who she’d seen Mr. Hadley haul into the darkness? And all on account of card playing? And Mr. Hadley hadn’t returned. What on earth would he do with the earl? And which one should she worry about?
Lord Chilcombe appeared to be unconscious, heaven knew where. But in her heart, she was much more concerned about Mr. Hadley, should anyone discover he’d clocked the earl after fleecing him, to use Nathaniel’s words. After all, it was no secret that Mr. Hadley wasn’t regarded well by the gentlemen of her father’s house party. In fact, all the Hadleys, including Lord Radbourne, were bad ton . They were marginally accepted at functions because of Lady Eynsford’s devotion to the trio, but something of this nature could destroy what shred of goodwill the Hadleys still maintained in society.
“I suppose I’ll have to ask him tomorrow then,” Maddie mumbled, then started back in the direction from which she’d come.
As soon as she was certain Robert had returned to their guests in the drawing room, Maddie bolted around a corner toward the garden entrance, thankful her kid slippers made no sound. She rushed outside into the chilly garden and started toward the last place she’d seen Mr. Hadley from the gallery window, the path leading to the stables. Perhaps he was still there.
Maddie lifted the hem of her skirts and dashed across the dew-dampened ground, lit by the full moon above, and didn’t stop until she reached the stables, which were mercifully void of any grooms at the moment. Of course, the houseguests were so deep in their cups that not a single one of them would be calling for a mount any time soon.
As soon as Maddie reached the stables, the odor of horses and hay hit her nose like rancid smelling salts. The darkness pressed in around her like a heavy counterpane. Not a single light broke the quiet night, but then a match flared as she heard someone shuffle. Maddie stepped farther into the shadows and pressed her back against the wall.
Seven
Wes cursed loudly as he dropped Chilcombe’s inert body to the stable floor and looked around the cavernous room. Over the past few days, he’d daydreamed of ridding England of the obnoxious gentleman, but he hadn’t planned to have to haul the earl’s body around on the night of the full moon. Already, the power of the moon tugged at his senses. His ears itched to elongate and his snout tingled, anxious to grow long and pointy.
Typically, Wes loved the pain of changing, but tonight, he’d lingered a bit too long beyond nightfall. But he’d figured that arrogant earl and his inept partner couldn’t possibly have better cards than his or Lavendon’s. The earl certainly hadn’t had one all night. Wes hoisted Chilcombe beneath his arms and dragged his body into a stall. The earl would remember Wes hitting him in the morning and then there would be hell to pay, if not from Chilcombe then from Dash when he learned of the altercation.
As Wes straightened and stepped from the stall, the itch of his ears and the tingle of his nose turned to an ache. The moon would take him whether he wanted it to or not. He unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged it from his shoulders. Then he proceeded to disrobe right there in the stables. After all, where else could he go? He’d waited too long to leave as it was. Wes folded his clothes and tucked them into the corner of a stall. He’d come back for them in the morning.
A shaft of moonlight filtered in through the loft and Wes stepped into it, allowing the moonbeams to caress his naked body. The shift from man to beast began, claiming all of his attention. It wasn’t until he stood on four feet that he looked up and saw her standing there in the shadows. Her face was as pale as the moon, and she’d certainly fall over from the lack of air in her lungs any moment if she didn’t run screaming first. It was too bad she chose the latter.
Lady Madeline didn’t just scream. She had
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