“What the devil are you doing?”
Startled, Susannah jumped and dropped the key ring onto the carpeted floor of the corridor with a loud thud that seemed to reverberate through the whole house.
Her cheeks flamed with heat. “Oh, by the saints in heaven, Race, you frightened the life out of me,” she whispered.
“Obviously not,” he said, bending to pick up the keys. “You seem to still be breathing.”
She frowned. “No thanks to you. What are you doing here?”
“Following you.” He held up the keys. “How did you get these?”
“By making a poor servant girl spill a tray of glasses, and no, I am not proud of myself for doing that but I am pleased. I’ve found Captain Spyglass’s bedchamber, and now I intend to look for the pearls.”
Race reached behind her and pulled the door quietly closed.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Once again, I’m saving you from a fate worse than death. Spyglass is not the kind of man you can cross, Susannah. He may look innocent enough, but I assure you if he caught you in his bedchamber you would find out just how dangerous he really is.”
“Give me back those keys and go away. I don’t need you to help me find the necklace.”
His gaze swept over hers. “Why didn’t you listen to me? I told you I have an expert who is doing just that. I can’t believe you would put yourself in this kind of danger all for a few strands of pearls.”
“I am not concerned about myself,” she insisted. “Have you never listened to anything I have said?”
His eyes searched her face, and softly he said, “I have heard everything you have said to me. I will find the pearls, Susannah.”
“I don’t want your help,” she said indignantly. “As you can see, I’m making progress on my own. You have said you would look at my documents, but I don’t trust you to turn the pearls over to me. If you find them, you will keep them.”
Voices sounded from just around the corner behind them. A chill flew up Susannah’s spine, and she felt as if her heart jumped into her throat.
Race pulled Susannah to his chest.
“Which key locks the door?”
Susannah looked down at the keys. They all looked alike. “I’m not sure.”
“Bloody hell,” Race mumbled.
The voices drew nearer.
“Let me do the talking, and you had better kiss me like you mean it.”
There was no fear of that not happening as Race’s mouth came down on hers in a demand so great it took Susannah’s breath. She felt his hand working feverishly, trying keys in the lock as his lips roved over hers. Forgetting that danger was mere seconds away, Susannah surrendered completely to the power Race had over her. Their lips were ravenous, exploring with no thought of parting as their breaths mixed, their bodies pressed.
“See here, what are you doing? Come away from there.”
Race broke the kiss, and Susannah heard a click. The door was locked. Race dropped the key ring into his coat pocket.
“Did you hear me? I said move away,” the man demanded again.
Susannah and Race jerked apart as a tall, thin man with black hair walked toward them.
Race cleared his throat and pushed Susannah behind him, shielding her as much as possible. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand and pulled on the tail of his coat.
“Sorry, we were just strolling down the corridor. No harm in that, is there?”
As the man advanced, Race moved them away from the three doors at the end of the corridor and continued to protect Susannah as much as possible from the perturbed man’s view.
