The Belligerent Miss Boynton AND The Lurid Lady Lockport (Two Companion Full-Length Regency Novels) by Kasey Michaels Page B
Authors: Kasey Michaels
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hastily, Miss Boynton. I'm not quite finished. You will allow me to accompany you to your former nurse's home—eventually. But first, my dear, you'll journey with me, to be my guest at my estate, Storm Haven. Let me see, how can I put this delicately? Oh yes. I might say that I fancy your company for a few weeks in the country."
Amanda sprang up in a high temper, the chair crashing unheeded to the floor. "How dare you!" she exclaimed, and reached across the table to deal him a resounding slap across the face.
Jared raised his hand to ease his stinging cheek as he looked at her levelly. "That was unfortunate, Amanda. I had thought you above such things."
"And I thought you above nothing! You have to be foxed if you think Harrow will let you take me off to your estate willy-nilly."
"How very true. However, Harrow will not know, for you wouldn't jeopardize his future secure life at Storm Haven by telling him. If, however, you are so foolish as to confide in him, I'll simply have to rescind my generous offer and still carry you off—biting, screaming, or kicking. You see, I've made up my mind to tame you, my little tiger-cat, and tame you I will. You still owe me satisfaction for that incident at the inn."
Amanda backed slowly toward the door, her face a study in anguish. "You—you monster !" she cried, then turned and fled into the night, almost colliding with Harrow, who shook his head sadly as she flew past him.
"You were a mite hard on the child, my lord, if I may say so. I was a–standin' outside and could not help but ta hear you," he said as he entered the room and sat down in front of the fireplace.
"Was I? The girl needs a lesson, thinking she can ramble all over England unescorted. Besides, I'll never get her to travel with me to Storm Haven any other way. I showed you the special license, Harrow, and I mean what I say when I tell you I will marry your Miss Mandy. But do you really think she'd believe me if I attempted to tell her as much—and if she did, that she would consent?"
Harrow shook his head sadly. "No, my lord, not my Missy. But she'll come about when she sees you mean ta keep her safe from her stepfather."
Jared took a long drink of ale from the mug by his side. "I hope you're right, Harrow, although I have to say I'm rather looking forward to her anger for a while. Where has she gone?"
"If I know Miss Mandy she's up ta her room by now, rainin' down curses on your head. I spoke pretty plain in front of her all these years, my lord, and she picked up some unladylike sayings, I fear. Later, she'll sleep well enough, she be that tired, and we'll all be able ta set out in the morning. I can take the young fella up with me on the horse Miss Mandy was riding. My few belongings will take little room. I don't like leavin', but stayin', and watchin', has been too sad for a long time."
Jared rose and walked toward the door. "Good enough, my friend, but I'll sleep near Tempest just to be sure our enterprising Miss Boynton doesn't decide on another moonlight flit. It won't be the first time I've bedded down in a stable." He gave Harrow a jaunty salute, bent his head so that he wouldn't bang his forehead on the low lintel, and left the room.
Out in the stable yard he lit a cheroot and raised his gaze to the large stone house sitting on a higher patch of land. He could see candles burning in one of the bedrooms. He waited until they were extinguished, then ground out his cheroot and returned to the stable where he made himself a bed out of fragrant straw and the blanket Harrow had put out for him, and laid down in his clothes. He chuckled to himself, thinking that if Simmons, his valet, could see him now the affronted man would surely hand in his notice, and then almost immediately fell into a deep sleep.
#
Jared awoke to the sound of Tom singing a bawdy ditty in a voice that threatened to break on every high note, and there were several in the song. "Stop that curst caterwauling, you young
Amanda sprang up in a high temper, the chair crashing unheeded to the floor. "How dare you!" she exclaimed, and reached across the table to deal him a resounding slap across the face.
Jared raised his hand to ease his stinging cheek as he looked at her levelly. "That was unfortunate, Amanda. I had thought you above such things."
"And I thought you above nothing! You have to be foxed if you think Harrow will let you take me off to your estate willy-nilly."
"How very true. However, Harrow will not know, for you wouldn't jeopardize his future secure life at Storm Haven by telling him. If, however, you are so foolish as to confide in him, I'll simply have to rescind my generous offer and still carry you off—biting, screaming, or kicking. You see, I've made up my mind to tame you, my little tiger-cat, and tame you I will. You still owe me satisfaction for that incident at the inn."
Amanda backed slowly toward the door, her face a study in anguish. "You—you monster !" she cried, then turned and fled into the night, almost colliding with Harrow, who shook his head sadly as she flew past him.
"You were a mite hard on the child, my lord, if I may say so. I was a–standin' outside and could not help but ta hear you," he said as he entered the room and sat down in front of the fireplace.
"Was I? The girl needs a lesson, thinking she can ramble all over England unescorted. Besides, I'll never get her to travel with me to Storm Haven any other way. I showed you the special license, Harrow, and I mean what I say when I tell you I will marry your Miss Mandy. But do you really think she'd believe me if I attempted to tell her as much—and if she did, that she would consent?"
Harrow shook his head sadly. "No, my lord, not my Missy. But she'll come about when she sees you mean ta keep her safe from her stepfather."
Jared took a long drink of ale from the mug by his side. "I hope you're right, Harrow, although I have to say I'm rather looking forward to her anger for a while. Where has she gone?"
"If I know Miss Mandy she's up ta her room by now, rainin' down curses on your head. I spoke pretty plain in front of her all these years, my lord, and she picked up some unladylike sayings, I fear. Later, she'll sleep well enough, she be that tired, and we'll all be able ta set out in the morning. I can take the young fella up with me on the horse Miss Mandy was riding. My few belongings will take little room. I don't like leavin', but stayin', and watchin', has been too sad for a long time."
Jared rose and walked toward the door. "Good enough, my friend, but I'll sleep near Tempest just to be sure our enterprising Miss Boynton doesn't decide on another moonlight flit. It won't be the first time I've bedded down in a stable." He gave Harrow a jaunty salute, bent his head so that he wouldn't bang his forehead on the low lintel, and left the room.
Out in the stable yard he lit a cheroot and raised his gaze to the large stone house sitting on a higher patch of land. He could see candles burning in one of the bedrooms. He waited until they were extinguished, then ground out his cheroot and returned to the stable where he made himself a bed out of fragrant straw and the blanket Harrow had put out for him, and laid down in his clothes. He chuckled to himself, thinking that if Simmons, his valet, could see him now the affronted man would surely hand in his notice, and then almost immediately fell into a deep sleep.
#
Jared awoke to the sound of Tom singing a bawdy ditty in a voice that threatened to break on every high note, and there were several in the song. "Stop that curst caterwauling, you young
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