and
darted toward it as a thought came to mind. As anticipated,
Derrick moved with her, only to be struck in the face with her
descending foot as she ran up the side of the crate and spun
her body around, bringing her foot down. She landed a foot or
so away from Derrick. He snaked his arm out from under
himself and grabbed her ankle, then turned his body over and
spun out his leg, hitting her legs and knocking her to the
ground. He immediately grabbed her wrists and straddled her
to keep her from getting up.
“Well, I must say I expected more from you, Kristen.
Nevertheless, a deal's a deal, so how 'bout a kiss to seal the
bargain?”
As he leaned in for the kiss, Kristen slammed her head
into his, causing him to release her wrists and lean back just
enough where she could wrap one leg around his neck and
the other to kick him off of her. She quickly scrambled behind
him and held him in a choke hold.
“I gather you didn't expect that, Lord Shane. But, it
seems I've won and as such, I'll be leaving. I think you are a
disgusting pig and I hope never to see you again, so since I
can't have you following me...”
She reached for the nearest object to her. Grasping it
firmly in her hand, she hit him over the head with the heavy
object, a vase as she glanced at it, knocking him unconscious
and shattering the vase to pieces around them. Letting him go,
she got to her feet and backed away from him. Keeping a wide
berth between herself and Derrick, just in case he was faking
it, Kristen went back to retrieve her dagger. Getting too close
was out of the question, it was how people got themselves
trapped.
She looked around the cave. Boxes were smashed
where heavy bodies had collided into them, the silks were
strewn about, and many of the other goods were smashed to
bits. She noted that two of the three men she had fought
before were still unconscious, but the other had left the cave,
presumably to have his wound tended. That meant others
would be coming soon and it was best she wasn't there when
they arrived. She looked at Derrick again and felt a slight
twinge of guilt.
It was actually odd, her emotions playing havoc with
her mind. She had liked him immensely until he suggested
she be his mistress, and even then she felt all tingly. If she
were honest with herself, she might realize she didn't mind
being that close to this particular man.
But, she had her own agenda and had to ensure her
safety. He had chosen not to move forward with the betrothal,
so she didn't think he would fit into her plans.
He was no longer for her. She left the cave as quickly as she
could, not sparing another glance back, but knowing the man
would never be far from her thoughts.
Chapter 6
Kristen paced in front of Meloney Atchkinson's parlor
window. She had arrived so early that morning that the maids
had to be roused in order to prepare a room for her. She felt
horrible for the trouble, but she didn't have anywhere else to
go just then, and she was desperate, exhausted, and looked
terrible to boot. Meloney's butler, Chester, clucked his tongue
disapprovingly, quite freely telling her of the hour. She had
been in no mood, and had promptly told him to prepare her
room and save his sermons for someone who gave a damn.
He had puffed up his chest at that, and she immediately
wished she could take it back. It wasn't his fault that she was
going through this, but Kristen hadn't slept in several days,
anxious to find a way out of the mess she was in. Her one and
only hope at an easy solution turned out to be an awful cad,
and now she was back at square one, needing a husband and
having no idea where to begin with such a task. Not to
mention the fact that she was worried someone was trying to
kill her based on several seeming attempts on her life recently.
Another reason she had been so short on temper lately. At
any rate, she would certainly have to apologize to the old
butler for she had no call to be that way with him.
It seemed she
darted toward it as a thought came to mind. As anticipated,
Derrick moved with her, only to be struck in the face with her
descending foot as she ran up the side of the crate and spun
her body around, bringing her foot down. She landed a foot or
so away from Derrick. He snaked his arm out from under
himself and grabbed her ankle, then turned his body over and
spun out his leg, hitting her legs and knocking her to the
ground. He immediately grabbed her wrists and straddled her
to keep her from getting up.
“Well, I must say I expected more from you, Kristen.
Nevertheless, a deal's a deal, so how 'bout a kiss to seal the
bargain?”
As he leaned in for the kiss, Kristen slammed her head
into his, causing him to release her wrists and lean back just
enough where she could wrap one leg around his neck and
the other to kick him off of her. She quickly scrambled behind
him and held him in a choke hold.
“I gather you didn't expect that, Lord Shane. But, it
seems I've won and as such, I'll be leaving. I think you are a
disgusting pig and I hope never to see you again, so since I
can't have you following me...”
She reached for the nearest object to her. Grasping it
firmly in her hand, she hit him over the head with the heavy
object, a vase as she glanced at it, knocking him unconscious
and shattering the vase to pieces around them. Letting him go,
she got to her feet and backed away from him. Keeping a wide
berth between herself and Derrick, just in case he was faking
it, Kristen went back to retrieve her dagger. Getting too close
was out of the question, it was how people got themselves
trapped.
She looked around the cave. Boxes were smashed
where heavy bodies had collided into them, the silks were
strewn about, and many of the other goods were smashed to
bits. She noted that two of the three men she had fought
before were still unconscious, but the other had left the cave,
presumably to have his wound tended. That meant others
would be coming soon and it was best she wasn't there when
they arrived. She looked at Derrick again and felt a slight
twinge of guilt.
It was actually odd, her emotions playing havoc with
her mind. She had liked him immensely until he suggested
she be his mistress, and even then she felt all tingly. If she
were honest with herself, she might realize she didn't mind
being that close to this particular man.
But, she had her own agenda and had to ensure her
safety. He had chosen not to move forward with the betrothal,
so she didn't think he would fit into her plans.
He was no longer for her. She left the cave as quickly as she
could, not sparing another glance back, but knowing the man
would never be far from her thoughts.
Chapter 6
Kristen paced in front of Meloney Atchkinson's parlor
window. She had arrived so early that morning that the maids
had to be roused in order to prepare a room for her. She felt
horrible for the trouble, but she didn't have anywhere else to
go just then, and she was desperate, exhausted, and looked
terrible to boot. Meloney's butler, Chester, clucked his tongue
disapprovingly, quite freely telling her of the hour. She had
been in no mood, and had promptly told him to prepare her
room and save his sermons for someone who gave a damn.
He had puffed up his chest at that, and she immediately
wished she could take it back. It wasn't his fault that she was
going through this, but Kristen hadn't slept in several days,
anxious to find a way out of the mess she was in. Her one and
only hope at an easy solution turned out to be an awful cad,
and now she was back at square one, needing a husband and
having no idea where to begin with such a task. Not to
mention the fact that she was worried someone was trying to
kill her based on several seeming attempts on her life recently.
Another reason she had been so short on temper lately. At
any rate, she would certainly have to apologize to the old
butler for she had no call to be that way with him.
It seemed she
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