Page 34 of Captivating the Earl (Lords and Ladies in Love 5)

Hawk fixed a cup of tea for himself. “I have been promised luncheon when I return downstairs.” He settled into the chair alongside her bed once more.

Lizzie took a sip of her tea, closed her eyes, and let out a soft sigh. The hot tea sliding down her throat rejuvenated her. A choking sound coming from Hawk had her eyes snapping open. He stared at her, his jaw slack, his cup halfway to his lips.

She licked a drop of tea from her lips. “What?”

He shook his head. “Nothing.” Then he immediately stood and returned the cup to the dresser. “If you are all settled, I will head down for my meal.”

Before she could say a word, he was out the door, the door was closed, and she was left staring at it. The warmth from the tea had made her drowsy, so she carefully placed the teacup on the floor alongside the bed and shifted the pillow under her head. With a faint moan, she closed her eyes and was soon asleep.

Someone is in my room.

Lizzie opened her eyes. The room was dark, and the candle that had been burning steadily when she’d fallen asleep had been snuffed out. She could barely see her own hand, but the hairs had risen on the back of her neck.

For some reason her instincts told her it was not Hawk. She lay still, hardly breathing, praying that she had been mistaken and any sound she’d heard was a remnant from a dream.

Despite the darkness, she saw a movement. “Who’s there?”

The only sound in the room was her heavy breathing. Or did she hear someone else breathing as well? Should she get up and run for the door? How foolish would it be if she suddenly raced down the stairs into the common room in her nightclothes when someone in her room was all in her imagination?

“Hello?”

Again no response, no movement. She had almost convinced herself no one was there, and her headache must be causing her imagination to run wild, when there was a swift movement, and suddenly there was a pillow over her face.

Terror overwhelmed her. She tried moving her head to push the pillow away from her face, but whoever was trying to smother her held fast. Headache forgotten, she thrashed on the bed, kicking her feet.

She attempted to draw in a deep breath and sucked in the coverslip, panicking her further. Just as her vision started to dim, she kicked out once more and connected with something solid. A loud grunt was followed by the grip on the pillow loosening. Lizzie rolled over and made it to the other side of the bed. Once her feet landed on the floor, she screamed as loud as she could.

“You bitch!” From what she could see, her intruder was a rather large man who was bent over, cupping himself between his legs. Lizzie opened her mouth to scream again when the door to the bedchamber flew open. Hawk lunged for the man, grabbing him around the neck.

Lizzie stumbled to the window and pulled open the drapes. Sunlight poured into the room, highlighting the two men swinging at each other. Although the man who had tried to smother her was still unable to stand up straight.

Hawk landed a blow to the man’s jaw, and he collapsed to the floor, hitting his head on the edge of the bed, knocking himself out. Hawk raked back the hair hanging over his forehead and turned to her. “Are you well?” His breathing was so heavy, it was difficult to understand him.

“Yes. Yes, I am fine.”

“He didn’t…harm you in any way?”

Knowing he meant rape, she wrapped her arms around herself. “No. No, he tried to smother me.”

Hawk sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for her to join him. When she reached him, he pulled her onto his lap and buried his face in her neck. His heavy breathing continued for a few minutes as Lizzie realized her headache had come back in full force.

The man on the floor remained unconscious, and she hoped Hawk would deal with him soon. At least before he woke up.

Eventually, Hawk leaned back and looked her in the eye. “What the hell do you know, Lady Elizabeth?”

Chapter Fifteen

The innkeeper and one of his burly sons had run upstairs right after Hawk and were now tying up the attacker with a sturdy piece of rope.

“Throw him in the cellar. I will question him when he awakens.”

Hawk had just dispatched two letters, one to his estate and the other to the Home Office, when Lizzie’s scream had him bolting from the chair and racing upstairs. She was being attacked; however, with the man bent in an awkward position, it was immediately obvious that Lizzie had provided a well-aimed kick.

He continued to stare at her, waiting for her answer.

“What?”

“I asked what the hell do you know that has put you into such danger?”