Amanda Quick - Dangerous

She peered into the darkness, watching for candlelight beneath the door that connected Mrs. Leacock's bedchamber to the next room. Mrs. Leacock had said that the ghost carried a candle.

Another muted thud made Prudence's pulse race more swiftly. She started to reach for the pistol in the drawer.

She froze when she caught sight of the dark shadow of a man standing on the ledge outside the window. Panic assailed her. Nothing had been said about the ghost entering from that direction.

The window opened abruptly. Cold air swept into the room.

Prudence found her voice. "Who goes there?" She wrenched open the drawer and grabbed the pistol.

The cloaked figure that had been looming outside on the ledge stepped into the room.

"Stop, whoever you are." Prudence pushed aside the covers and scrambled out of bed. She clutched the pistol with both hands.

"I pray you won't use that pistol, my dear," Sebastian said calmly. "Only think of the gossip that would ensue were you to shoot your fiance a day after announcing your engagement."

■ ft

Allow me to compliment you on your enchanting nightclothes, my dear." Sebastian surveyed the plain woolen gown and muslin cap that Prudence was wearing. "I should have expected that your choice in such garments would be spectacularly original."

"What on earth do you think you're doing, sir?" Prudence slowly lowered the pistol. The moonlight streaming through the window glinted on her spectacles and revealed her strained expression. "You gave me a terrible start. I might have shot you."

"It was a near thing, was it not? My life does seem to be filled with adventure these days. First Thornbridge tries to shoot me and then my fiancee takes aim at my vitals. I am not certain how many of these encounters my nerves can tolerate."

She gave him an annoyed look. "I asked you a question, my lord."

"So you did." Sebastian glanced around the shadowed bedroom, taking in the dark, heavy furnishings and the massive bed. "The an­swer is that I came here tonight in order to give you the benefit of my expertise."

"And what is that supposed to mean, pray tell?"

He smiled slightly at the suspicious tone of her voice. "Isn't it obvious?" He swung his greatcoat off his shoulders and tossed it over a chair. He was wearing only his shirt and breeches beneath it. He had decided a coat and cravat were not called for on such an occasion. "I'm here to help you investigate your newest case of spectral phe­nomena."

"I do not require your assistance, my lord. I thought we agreed this afternoon that we would not work together on our cases."

"As to that," Sebastian said easily, "I've reconsidered the matter."

"You have?" The pale light illuminated the hopeful look on her expressive face. "That is wonderful news."

"It's not as if I had a great deal of choice in the matter," Sebastian muttered under his breath.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Never mind." There would be time enough at some later date to explain precisely how their new partnership would work.

It was very simple, really. Sebastian fully intended to supervise Prudence's more adventurous investigations, but he had no intention of letting her risk her neck helping him with his own cases.

Prudence put the pistol on the end table. "How did you find me in this particular bedchamber?"

Sebastian shrugged. "I watched for the last light to be extinguished in this wing."

"Very clever of you." Prudence went to the window and looked down into the gardens. "Good heavens, it is a sheer drop. However did you climb up the wall?"

"I didn't. I entered the house through the kitchens and climbed the stairs to this floor. Then I opened a window in an empty room and discovered that very convenient ledge outside. It led me straight to this bedchamber."

"An excellent approach to the problem, my lord."

"It was nothing, really. A matter of simple logic and reason," Se­bastian said modestly.

"Yes, of course, but I doubt that many people would have thought of that approach."

"Possibly not," he admitted, gratified by her admiration.

It occurred to Sebastian that although he had not given a damn about anyone's opinion since his parents and brother had died, lately he found himself increasingly hungry for Prudence's approval.

She was the only female he knew who was capable of appreciating his peculiar talents and interests. He wondered if she had any notion of how badly he wanted to bed her.

He watched her standing at the window and contemplated the possibility that he was going slightly mad. No woman had ever had such an effect on him. When he was with her the icy barrier inside him seemed much smaller and farther away. He could almost forget it and the emptiness that it concealed.

At that moment Prudence turned her head to look at him. The weak moonlight fell across her features, revealing her glowing smile. Desire swept through Sebastian in a great wave, leaving him shaken.

It had become painfully clear during the past few days that the sensual hunger Prudence had aroused in him that first night was no fleeting fancy.

It was equally clear and profoundly annoying to realize that Pru­dence's interest in him appeared to be inspired primarily by his hobby. He wondered again how much Underbrink had meant to her. He had been gnawing on that question ever since he had returned from the drive in the park that afternoon.

"Now that you are here, we ought to make some new plans." Prudence cast a thoughtful glance at the wardrobe. "We must discover a way to conceal you in case the apparition appears."

"You may forget the wardrobe," Sebastian said. "I have no inten­tion of spending the rest of the night in it."

"Where will you hide, then? Under the bed?"

Sebastian swore softly. "I don't think it will be necessary for me to conceal myself until we have some indication that the ghost is about to make his appearance."

"But if the apparition proves to be one of Mrs. Leacock's nephews, we don't want to let him know you're here. We cannot light a candle and we must be very quiet."

Sebastian raised his brows. "I assure you, I can be extremely quiet. There is plenty of light from the moon, so we do not need a candle. For once there is no damned fog, although I suspect it will arrive again at dawn. Our only concern now is how to pass the time until our ghost chooses to appear."

She looked at him expectantly. "We probably should not converse. We might be overheard."

"I agree." Sebastian walked toward her.

"I suppose we could play a hand of whist," Prudence suggested. "Unfortunately, I do not happen to have any cards with me."

"Then we shall have to think of some other method of amusing ^k ourselves." Sebastian caught her chin between thumb and forefinger. He gently raised her face so that he could see her eyes more clearly.

Prudence stood very still, as if the touch of his hand had stunned her into immobility. She looked up at him with a wide, searching gaze that held both curiosity and wariness.

"My lord?" she whispered breathlessly. I

"There is something I wish to know, Prue."

Her lips parted slightly. The tip of her tongue touched the corner of her mouth. "What is that?"

"Do you think it possible that you can discover something more to recommend me than just my amusing little hobby?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Allow me to show you," he said softly.

Sebastian bent his head and brushed his mouth slowly across her lips. She made a small, inarticulate little sound that utterly captivated him.

Deliberately he deepened the kiss and traced the fine line of her jaw with his thumb.

A delicate shiver went through Prudence. Sebastian felt it in­stantly. Relief and satisfaction poured through him. He could make her want him, he told himself.

Prudence moaned softly as he eased apart her lips. He felt her hands move first to his shoulders. Then her arms stole around his neck. She pressed herself closer.

Heat rose within him. He could hardly feel the cold at all now. It had been temporarily banished by the fire of his need for Prudence.

Prudence gasped when he temporarily freed her mouth to explore her soft neck. "Sebastian, I don't know if this is a sound notion."

"Trust me, Prue."

"I do trust you," she said quickly.

"Good." He slid his hand down her back, deliberately urging her closer until her soft breasts were crushed against his chest and the gentle curve of her mound pressed against his shaft. His body was already hard with arousal.

"Sebastian, you make me feel so very strange." Prudence gently touched the nape of his neck. The caress sent a thrill of anticipation through him. She stood on tiptoe and tangled her fingers in his hair. Then she began to return his kisses with untutored passion.

She had obviously n'ot learned much from Underbrink, Sebastian thought with deep satisfaction.

His blood surged through his veins like heavy lightning. All thoughts of trapping a ghost fled. He could handle an apparition or two if one happened to appear tonight. In the meantime there were far more important matters.

He was going to make love to Prudence, who, whether she knew it or not, would soon be his wife.

"Sebastian?"

"It's all right, my sweet." He drew her toward the vast bed. "Every­thing will be all right."

"I cannot seem to think clearly when you are kissing me," she complained.