Blood Secret by Sharon Page Page A

surprise. Lucy threw open both doors and stalked inside. She planned to face Greystone and crisply ask, “What happened to my brother? You were the last person to see him.”
    But she was taken by surprise.
    There was one astonishing thing in this room she had seen before, but quite a few things she hadn’t. Dark paneling covered the walls. Glowing light came from a huge fireplace and tapered candles set in tall, wrought-iron stands. A large cheval mirror stood near a bench, reflecting the flickering candle flames. Strange wooden objects littered the room—stands and benches with ropes tied to them. A swing with a small velvet seat hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room. And manacles also dangled from the ceiling. This room looked as though it had nothing to do with pleasure.
    “Lady Lucy. How delightful. You are early.”
    The duke’s voice flowed to her. He stood in front of the fireplace, illuminated by the glow. She had been trying to look everywhere at once, and not at him. As the day before, he was not wearing any clothes.
    But this time, when she saw him, her traitorous brain thought of what his body had felt like under her fingertips. What it had felt like when his narrow hips had been between her legs and his chest had been a wicked pressure against her naked breasts—
    Lucy crossed her arms over her chest, refusing to blush, to show any intimidation. “Your Grace, I have learned you spoke to my brother on the night he disappeared,” she said sharply. “He left a seedy tavern in your company, and then he has not been seen again. And you accused my father of kidnapping your nephew. That’s impossible!”
    Greystone plucked something off the mantel. He strode to her, at ease in his nudity. He held out a glass to her—a delicate glass with amber liquid within. Sherry. After what she had just said, he was offering sherry.
    “Your Grace, what happened to my brother?”
    He set the glass on one of the strange benches. There were chains attached to the legs. “And how did you learn of this, Lady Lucy?”
    “I hired a man to hunt for my brother. He has been missing for a week! He vanished after telling me about his debts to you. I feared—I feared he had done something foolish.”
    “Hurt himself?”
    “No—run away. Left England.”
    “Yes, your brother is the sort of wastrel who would do that.”
    “You have no right to say such a thing,” she flared. “What did you do to him? Did you injure him because he has not paid his debts?” Bothered, she looked down. He was now very erect, as though their argument aroused him.
    She glared into his eyes. “What did you do to him?”
    “I questioned him. Which is a better treatment than he deserves, since he would not tell me where my nephew is being held.”
    “That is madness. My family did not kidnap your nephew.”
    “They did. And you must be very well aware of the fact. So you tell me, Lady Lucy, where is the boy? Where is your family hiding my nephew, James?”
    “How could you think my family did such a thing? I do not know anything about your nephew. I am sorry if he is missing. I know how terrifying that is, since I have no idea what happened to my brother . But my family had nothing to do with his disappearance.”
    “Not true. They did, and I suspect you know where he is. It is a known fact that your family is a closely knit clan.”
    The way he looked into her eyes ... as though he knew ... but he couldn’t ...
    Unless her brother, Jack, had told him they were dragons.
    No, Jack would never do that. They had all been taught they must never reveal the truth.
    His Grace walked around her slowly. She stood her ground—until he came against her from behind. His erection poked her bottom through her skirts. She tried to step away, but his arms went around her waist. “You are being loyal to your family, and you are lying to me.”
    “I’m not!” Lucy half-turned to protest, and her lips almost touched his. Breathing hard, she turned