The Belligerent Miss Boynton AND The Lurid Lady Lockport (Two Companion Full-Length Regency Novels) by Kasey Michaels Page A
Authors: Kasey Michaels
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precisely what I wanted to take up with you, perhaps over that stew you mentioned..."
#
When hunger finally forced Amanda to return to the stables she saw Jared sitting in Harrow's modest room, his legs propped up on the table and a mug in his hand. Tom was fast asleep in the corner, dirty as ever, and Harrow was just ladling out more stew.
Although secretly amazed the debonair Lord Storm would condescend to spending his evening in the stables, she ignored him as she crossed to the old groom and planted a light kiss on his cheek. "Is that for me, dear Harrow? I'm famished!"
"That it is, lass, that it is. Sit yourself down and tuck into this while I go rub down Tempest. I wager you ran him to a standstill."
"Harrow! As if I would ever do such a thing! I walked him all the way back to the stables, and well you know it." She playfully made a face at her old friend's departing back, and then dutifully sat down and attacked her meal.
Jared watched in silence until she was finished, then swung his feet to the floor and sat up. "All right, imp, now that you've eaten I think we had best get down to cases. Where do we go from here?"
Amanda put her fork down carefully and stared at Jared.
" We are not going anywhere, my lord. I am going to Nanny. You may go to perdition for all I care."
"Really? And what of young Tom over there?"
Amanda's eyes went to the slight figure lying on Harrow's narrow bed. She answered in a small voice, "I don't know."
Jared pursued his advantage. "And what of Harrow? When your stepfather discovers his part in this escapade of yours he'll turn him off. Have you stopped to think of that, or of anything but your own selfish desires?"
Amanda was thoroughly dejected. She knew she had planned badly, but the need to hurt her stepfather and rescue Tempest had made her act hastily. His lordship was right, of course. Her stepfather would sack Harrow and the old man would be cast off to roam the countryside. That would leave no place for Tom, either. Pushing her mind even further, she could well imagine her stepfather tracking her to Nanny's door. Oh, she was so tired—too utterly exhausted to think.
"All right," she admitted at last, sighing. "You've made your point. I've made a horrid jumble of everything." She put her head in her hands, the picture of defeat.
Jared, who had been patiently waiting for this moment of realization on Amanda's part, was more than ready to offer his suggestions for the solution of her problems. "I would be willing to have Harrow at Storm Haven. If your father trusted him, that's all the reason I need to employ him. I would even be willing to have him bring Tom along. The boy seems to like Devil, and Harrow could train him for some small duties around the stables."
Amanda's head flew up like a shot. "You'd do this for me? After all the trouble I've caused? Oh, thank you, my lord, thank you!" A slow flush crept up her cheeks as she saw the mischievous gleam in Jared's eye. "No, I don't think I should be grateful. Should I, my lord? At least not until I learn why you're suddenly being so amenable."
Jared got up and paced the small room, looking as if his head would brush the low rafters at any moment. "Well, now I'm insulted. Once again, after I offer my aid in all sincerity, you question my motives." He swiveled about to face her, grinning like the proverbial cat caught out with canary feathers between his teeth "But, alas, in this instance you're quite correct. I do have a condition you must agree to before I offer your friends a home."
Amanda was too exhausted to argue. "State it," she said, leaning back in her chair and looking up into his face. His handsome, smiling, all too intelligent face.
"You will allow me to accompany you to your nurse."
So, he wanted to continue playing the dashing rescuer, did he? "Agreed. We'll leave at first light, as I'd like to be shed of you as soon as possible—before your shining armor begins to tarnish."
"Don't agree too
#
When hunger finally forced Amanda to return to the stables she saw Jared sitting in Harrow's modest room, his legs propped up on the table and a mug in his hand. Tom was fast asleep in the corner, dirty as ever, and Harrow was just ladling out more stew.
Although secretly amazed the debonair Lord Storm would condescend to spending his evening in the stables, she ignored him as she crossed to the old groom and planted a light kiss on his cheek. "Is that for me, dear Harrow? I'm famished!"
"That it is, lass, that it is. Sit yourself down and tuck into this while I go rub down Tempest. I wager you ran him to a standstill."
"Harrow! As if I would ever do such a thing! I walked him all the way back to the stables, and well you know it." She playfully made a face at her old friend's departing back, and then dutifully sat down and attacked her meal.
Jared watched in silence until she was finished, then swung his feet to the floor and sat up. "All right, imp, now that you've eaten I think we had best get down to cases. Where do we go from here?"
Amanda put her fork down carefully and stared at Jared.
" We are not going anywhere, my lord. I am going to Nanny. You may go to perdition for all I care."
"Really? And what of young Tom over there?"
Amanda's eyes went to the slight figure lying on Harrow's narrow bed. She answered in a small voice, "I don't know."
Jared pursued his advantage. "And what of Harrow? When your stepfather discovers his part in this escapade of yours he'll turn him off. Have you stopped to think of that, or of anything but your own selfish desires?"
Amanda was thoroughly dejected. She knew she had planned badly, but the need to hurt her stepfather and rescue Tempest had made her act hastily. His lordship was right, of course. Her stepfather would sack Harrow and the old man would be cast off to roam the countryside. That would leave no place for Tom, either. Pushing her mind even further, she could well imagine her stepfather tracking her to Nanny's door. Oh, she was so tired—too utterly exhausted to think.
"All right," she admitted at last, sighing. "You've made your point. I've made a horrid jumble of everything." She put her head in her hands, the picture of defeat.
Jared, who had been patiently waiting for this moment of realization on Amanda's part, was more than ready to offer his suggestions for the solution of her problems. "I would be willing to have Harrow at Storm Haven. If your father trusted him, that's all the reason I need to employ him. I would even be willing to have him bring Tom along. The boy seems to like Devil, and Harrow could train him for some small duties around the stables."
Amanda's head flew up like a shot. "You'd do this for me? After all the trouble I've caused? Oh, thank you, my lord, thank you!" A slow flush crept up her cheeks as she saw the mischievous gleam in Jared's eye. "No, I don't think I should be grateful. Should I, my lord? At least not until I learn why you're suddenly being so amenable."
Jared got up and paced the small room, looking as if his head would brush the low rafters at any moment. "Well, now I'm insulted. Once again, after I offer my aid in all sincerity, you question my motives." He swiveled about to face her, grinning like the proverbial cat caught out with canary feathers between his teeth "But, alas, in this instance you're quite correct. I do have a condition you must agree to before I offer your friends a home."
Amanda was too exhausted to argue. "State it," she said, leaning back in her chair and looking up into his face. His handsome, smiling, all too intelligent face.
"You will allow me to accompany you to your nurse."
So, he wanted to continue playing the dashing rescuer, did he? "Agreed. We'll leave at first light, as I'd like to be shed of you as soon as possible—before your shining armor begins to tarnish."
"Don't agree too
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