“Hobbes, old chap, I thought you liked me.How about a bit of appreciation for my timely intervention last night?”Aylesbury cajoled lightly.
The butler relented with a sigh.“As I am quite grateful for your intervention last evening, my lord, I might recommend that it would be to your advantage to visit the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club this morning.”
“The Roy—” the marquis parroted with brows lifted in disbelief.
Bloody hell, the tournament.He couldn’t believe that she had gone after everything had happened.Well, he did believe, but he simply couldn’tbelieveit.And to think he had brought a carriage around for her, thinking she might be too fragile to ride this morning.Instead, she was out playing golf.
Though dread was already tempting him to pinch the bridge of his nose, the marquis felt he had to ask.“Please tell me she didn’t go alone.”
“I’m afraid I cannot do that, my lord.”
Good God, she hadn’t told her brothers then.What on earth had she been thinking?Did she truly have no comprehension of how dire a threat was out there, or did she consider herself invincible?
“Will there be anything else, my lord?”
Rope to tie Fiona down until she came to her senses sounded good to him.Handcuffs, ankle shackles.
“An acknowledgement that Lady Fiona is by far the most willful, independent, careless woman in all of Britain would be nice.”
“As you say, my lord,” the butler answered, but Aylesbury was already heading back to his carriage, imagining the many ways he might wring her neck when he found her.
* * *
The grace and beautyof the sight were almost enough to strip Aylesbury of his anger and fear.Fiona stood poised at the first tee box, focusing on the ball before her.She drew back her club and swung through with a smooth stroke that sent her ball sailing through the air.As still as a statue, she watched it go, her body turning and arched where the swing had ended.
Polite applause told him that the drive along the fairway at Wimbledon Commons had been a good one, but he couldn’t take his mesmerized eyes off her.There shouldn’t have been anything alluring about her in her prim, double-breasted red linen jacket, white linen skirt, white shirt and tie done up just so.Despite that, she was oddly seductive.The narrow cut of her jacket molded to her lithe figure.Her skirt clung to her hips and was hemmed well above her ankles, showing off the slender curve of her calves before they disappeared into her high leather boots.Fiona bucked convention even more, hatless and with her navy-blue dotted tie loosened enough to leave one button on her collar open.
She was everything that was adventurous and daring.But too daring.He still couldn’t credit that she’d come here alone after all that had happened.
He should have known she wouldn’t miss it.
Torn between worry, annoyance, and reluctant respect for her nerve, he fell in among the spectators to watch the play as the four ladies in Fiona’s group finished teeing off and moved down the scenic fairway.And to keep a watchful eye on her.
Though it was a long par three-hole, her drive had reached the green.While other ladies stopped to play along the fairway, she didn’t take another turn until they reached the green.Making par on the hole, she was off to a great start.
Aylesbury relaxed his guard as she handed her putter off to her caddy and moved with the group to the second tee box.The nine-hole tournament had drawn a fair number of spectators, and other players surrounded Fiona as well.Though mature trees bordered the course, there were no dark corners, no alleys for a potential kidnapper to hide in.
Public and full of people.Just what she had promised to seek out days ago.
It seemed his fears had been ungrounded.She likely had more to fear from the ravine that dominated the first hundred and forty yards of the second fairway.
For the moment, at least, she was safe.
And aware of his presence.
Having the best score on the first hole, she was the last to tee off on the second.After sending another beautifully executed drive sailing through the air and over the chasm, Fiona shot him a sidelong glance from beneath her lashes.Aylesbury wasn’t sure if she was daring him to say anything or wondering about his opinion, but he gave a short nod, mouthing the wordbravo.
A broad, dimpled smile was his reward, along with a flush of pleasure that brought lively color to the apples of her cheeks.Just when he thought she couldn’t look more beautiful!
* * *
Fiona traded her driverfor the iron Aylesbury assumed she expected to use for her second shot and swung it merrily by her side as they moved on.After crossing the bridge that spanned the ravine, she and her caddy set off for the opposite side of the fairway, searching for her ball while the others in the foursome found theirs.He crossed his arms over his chest and watched with a grin as she used her club to poke through the rough grass bordering the short fairway until they found it near the tree line.
Apparently, it hadn’t met her expectations since she called for her caddy to bring her another club.Over the applause from the spectators watching as other players took their turn in play, he couldn’t hear what she was saying from the distance, but displeasure was written in every line of her body as she shook her head and handed the proffered club back to the caddy, who was carrying her wicker golf bag.
When he again handed her what Aylesbury could only assume was another incorrect club, she stomped her foot and took the bag from the caddy.Chuckling to himself with a shake of his head, he watched as she exchanged the clubs herself while scolding the man at her side.The caddy drew a handkerchief from his pocket, and though Aylesbury might have thought it might be used to do nothing more than wipe the sweat from his beleaguered brow, the caddy clamped it over her mouth as his arm caught her around the waist.
Aylesbury was sure his eyes widened the same shock and alarm as Fiona’s did as they realized instantaneously what was happening.Pushing off from the tree, he sprinted across the fairway with a shout of warning as she struggled against the man’s hold, scratching at his hands but he was already pulling her away into the cover of the trees.
