Bewitched by His Kiss (May Day Mischief) Read Online Free PDF Page B

by nature, but rather influenced by magic. Disclosing their entanglement would probably break the engagement, but it might also destroy his friendship with Alexis. It certainly wouldn’t help his cause with Lucasta. Not only that, his sexual feelings for Lucasta and, more important, hers for him, were private business. They were intense, intimate and eternal.
    Enchantments were the devil to break, and often death was the only way out.
    He didn’t intend to die anytime soon, but without Lucasta, his life had become purposeless and gray. She didn’t realize it, but unless she married him, a tedious fate hung over her, as well. She might become hard and brittle; she might simply fade away. Probably the former, but contemplating either option made him ill. Such a bright, vital woman deserved a full life.
    When he heard soft footsteps outside his door, a wild hope sprang to his breast—and then died away as the footsteps passed. Another set passed a minute later. Curious now, he opened the door.
    Alexis turned, scowling at him, putting a finger to his lips.
    To hell with that. “Where the devil are you going?”
    Taken aback, Alexis stared at him for a long second before saying, “None of your damned business.”
    Fury roiled up inside David. If Alexis had arranged a tryst with Lucasta... He watched his friend through a door at the end of the corridor, cursed, and went to put on his boots. If Alexis so much as touched Lucasta, he would bloody well kill him.
    A minute later, armed with a candle and his rage, he hastened down the passageway in the same direction as Alexis. The door at the end led onto a secondary staircase. He descended quickly and quietly.
    “Oof!” Lucasta Barnes bumped into him as she exited a room at the bottom of the stairs, brandishing the muff pistol again. His candle flame wavered, flickered and went out. Dense darkness enveloped them.
    “What in God’s name are you doing down here?” she demanded, a tremor in her voice.
    “I could ask you the same question,” he drawled. The darkness was a drug, luring him to her musky sweetness. His fingers itched to take hold of her.. He reminded his rapidly swelling cock that she had probably loaded the gun again.
    She brushed past him, sending a shudder of lust to his loins, and pushed open another door. Moonlight flooded a small vestibule, and he followed her outdoors. “Not that it’s any of your business,” she whispered, “but I’m going out to keep an eye on Peony.”
    “Miss Whistleby is outdoors?”
    “Yes, and don’t ask me why, because I don’t know. All I do know is that she’s innocent and foolish.”
    “What sort of harm is likely to befall her in this backwater?” He paused. “Good God, is she by any chance meeting a lover?”
    “Of course not,” Lucasta scoffed. “Knowing Peony, it’s something to do with magic. Until she realizes that magic doesn’t exist, she will continue to put herself in danger. I must see that she comes to no harm.”
    “You needn’t worry,” he said. “She’ll be fine.”
    “How can you possibly know that?” Lucasta hurried ahead of him to the orchard. The gate stood open. “How careless of her to leave the gate ajar. That’s not like Peony.” She barely gave David time to squeeze past before she shut it and hurried toward the wood.
    “She wasn’t the last one through. I believe Alexis has gone after her,” David said.
    * * *
    “You saw him follow her?” Lucasta hissed. Good God, if Peony had decided to roll naked again...
    “Less than two minutes before me, he crept down the passage toward the same staircase.”
    Lucasta strode onward, unsure what to think. Alexis wasn’t the sort to tryst with the housemaids, and he was chivalrous in the extreme, but how could he know Peony needed someone to protect her? It didn’t matter. He wouldn’t take advantage of a naked girl, nor would he let anyone else do so.
    “Shall we go verify that she’s safe?” Elderwood’s voice was a silky