“The same thing I am about to do to you, dear wife,” Warren said calmly as Bridget coughed and fought his surprisingly strong hold. “You will have to learn the hard way not to cross me.”
Stars began to fill her vision as Bridget fought to get out of Warren’s grip. She opened her mouth, trying to draw in air, but nothing came.
“What’s that?” Warren goaded, dragging her closer. “I cannot hear you.”
With all the strength she had left, Bridget forced her voice to rise through the strangulation.
“I amnotyour wife,” she seethed.
Then the world went black.
Chapter 29
“Ido not understand this change,” Damien grumbled, his eyes narrowed at Adrian as he lounged in his chair and lazily swirled his glass of whiskey. “Leaving our work early. It is not like you. We could take the papers to Redgrave ourselves. Stop at that tavern that serves those lamb pies.”
Adrian laughed as he closed the folder of papers and put it in the black leather attaché case for his steward. He and Damien had had to meet at the offices of their solicitor earlier that morning to obtain papers for a recent business venture they had chosen to enter together, but they had returned a short time ago to the Mason estate.
Adrian’s body had begged him to ignore his study and go directly upstairs, where he hoped Bridget was still waiting for him—hopefully still as deliciously bare as she had been earlier that morning—but he had to get the new documents to his estate in Redgrave. Thankfully, he had a steward who would take care of such matters, leaving Adrian free for the day very soon.
“Do not worry, my friend, you will understand soon enough. When you find the right woman, the world changes,” Adrianreplied.
Damien grunted as he moved from his chair and looked out the window.
“They truly change a man that much?” Damien murmured. Adrian watched as his friend became fixated on something particular out the window.
“Notthey. Her.A particular her. One woman destined for you and you destined for her,” Adrian corrected as he walked over to Damien.
Curious as to what had caught his friend’s sudden attention, Adrian peered over Damien’s shoulder. He saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just his sister, as usual, and of course, Caroline, who had been spending more time at their family home. Adrian glanced at Damien, saw the intense look of concentration on his chiseled face, then glanced back down at Elara and Caroline, who were giggling and speaking quite animatedly.
Suddenly, Adrian’s mind began to make the connection.
“You cad!” Adrian declared, punching Damien’s arm.
“Hey!” Damien roared, shoving Adrian as he stepped back and rubbed his arm. “What in God’s name was that for?”
“My sister? You are staring at mybabysister? That’s in very bad taste; we all grew up together!”
Damien’s laugh was loud and sudden, pausing Adrian’s sudden rage.
“Elara?” He chuckled, looking at Adrian as if he had gone mad. “What are you talking about? I am not looking at her.”
Adrian’s temper cooled, but only slightly. If it was not Elara then—
“Caroline?” he asked.
The tips of Damien’s ears turned red as he turned back to the window.
“I have told myself not to,” Damien murmured. “That she is as off-limits as Elara is. Yet every time I am in the same room with her, I am drawn to her. She looks at things and people as if she knows some deeply valuable secret about them. As if she knows more than the rest of us do. I find her… fascinating.”
Adrian’s brows flew up, both surprised and intrigued at this new bit of knowledge.
“I am not sure I have ever seen you speak to her much,” Adrian added. “Have you thought about courting?”
Before Damien could answer, the door to his study was flung open, and Nora ran in with a panicked expression. For a moment, Adrian balked, fearing that she had lost her way mentally again.
“Where is she?” Nora demanded, “Where is Bridget?”
Adrian’s heart dropped into his stomach as he closed the space between himself and Nora and gripped her arms, his conversation with Damien quickly forgotten.
