Lydia Dare - Wolf Next Door

Prisca flopped down on the bench and suppressed a shudder at the coolness that seeped through her coat and gown. For a brief moment, she felt as though someone was watching her, and her heart leapt with the hope her wolf had returned. She turned her head in one direction and then the other, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of him—but she was well and truly alone.

Here went nothing. "He takes my breath away, and I—"

"You're not so bad yourself," a voice came at her shoulder.

Prisca gasped and leapt from the bench, her heart pounding in her ears. Standing just a few feet away, the Earl of Brimsworth smiled wolfishly. "Where did you come from?" No one was there a moment ago. How could he possibly have moved so fast?

"Just out for a walk, Miss Hawthorne." He took a step toward her, his amber eyes glittering in the moonlight. "The better question is what are you doing out of doors?"

Wishing her heart would return to its normal pace, Prisca folded her arms across her chest. "This is my home, my lord. I can go out of doors whenever I like."

"I don't doubt, Miss Hawthorne, that you can do whatever you like, indoors or out, whenever the mood strikes you. I simply meant that it is fairly cold at the moment."

He was correct about that, not that she would let him know. "I prefer a little nip in the air. What are you doing out of doors?" Will would be very unhappy with her if he knew she was alone with the man after they made their bargain.

"I needed a bit of fresh air." He gestured to the bench between them. "Mind if I join you?"

She really shouldn't. Prisca shook her head. "I was just about to return to bed."

Lord Brimsworth laughed. "No need to look so frightened, Miss Hawthorne. I'm not the big, bad wolf, you know."

Wolf ! Prisca narrowed her eyes on him. How did he know? "What do you mean by that, sir?" she snapped.

He held up his hands as if to surrender. "It's just a turn of phrase, my dear. My, you are skittish this evening."

Was she? He'd simply scared her; that was all. Prisca shook her head. "I am sorry, my lord. It's been a long day, I suppose."

He nodded in agreement. "If you are truly headed back in, I'd love to resume our game from this afternoon."

She smiled. There was no reason to be terrified of the man. He'd been a perfect gentleman so far. She'd simply allowed Will's distrust to seep into her thoughts. "Of course."

***

Surrounded by all four brothers, crowded around their father's desk as though they were plotting the invasion of a small country, Emory glanced from one to the other. "So what do you think?" he asked quietly.

Darius grinned from ear to ear. "I think it's bloody genius." He ignored the huff from Garrick at his cursing and continued, "Did you see the look on Will's face when you said you planned to pawn her off on Brimsworth?"

That had been a welcome surprise. "He nearly turned green."

Pierce rubbed his chin. "How did none of us ever realize Will had a soft spot for her?"

"We weren't looking for it," Emory replied. "Not until now."

"But after the way she tried to ruin him," Blaine chimed in and then let his words linger in the air. What a mess that had been.

"She was still a child. Will's aware of that," Garrick sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"I'd thought it would take a lot more work on our part to bring him around."

"It will be easier than we thought," Darius agreed. "Thank God."

"Are you sure about that?" Garrick asked. "She didn't seem happy to see

him

, if you ask me."

Pierce turned a bit purple as he tried to quietly hold in his chuckle. "You truly know nothing about women, Gar."

"And you do?" the vicar hissed.

Pierce shrugged. "I obviously know more than you do." When Garrick scowled, he continued. "When you were too busy glaring at Will, Prissy surreptitiously shot him glances as she batted her eyelashes."

"How much port

did

you drink?" Garrick asked. "She did nothing of the sort."

"Yes, she did," Blaine said. "Saw it myself."

"'Fraid so," Darius added.

Garrick shook his head. "What about Brimsworth? He does seem taken with Prissy. What if we honestly supported a match with him?"

A horrified expression flashed across Blaine's eyes. "That's a truly awful idea, Gar."

"But why? He comes from a good family. He'll be a marquess someday."

"The vicar, our mercenary brother." Darius snickered.

Blaine shook his head. "Look, Dash is a friend, a good friend of mine. But he's the last sort I'd ever want to see shackled to Prissy."

"What's wrong with him?" Emory asked, not that he wanted to change their plans, but Blaine's countenance piqued his interest.

The youngest Hawthorne brother sat forward, lowering his voice. "Nothing I can put my finger on," he confessed. "And his reputation mirrors Will's, actually. He goes through some dark spells, and every now and then I think he could just snap. Makes me a bit uneasy sometimes."

"Wonderful!" Pierce hissed. "So glad you brought the man into our midst then, you dolt."

"What?" Blaine complained.

"Well, he doesn't seem like the sort of fellow we'd want panting after Prissy, does he?" Pierce frowned. "Why did you even invite the man for the holidays?"

Blaine raked a hand through his dark hair. "I invited him before we decided to use him in this little ruse. He doesn't ever speak to the marquess, and he's by himself most of the time." He shrugged. "I just thought it might do him some good to be part of a big family, if only for a few weeks."

"This is getting us nowhere," Emory said, "Brimsworth is here, but he's not our concern. Will and Prisca are." He leaned in closer. "So focus on the task at hand. What is the plan for tomorrow?"

Pierce grinned roguishly. "How about a little Blind

? Let him get his hands on her."

Garrick inhaled sharply.

Emory winced. "I don't know, Pierce. We'd all have to play, and I'd rather not end up fondling Lizzie Giddings, if you don't mind."

"So you don't have to play. Be standoffish in the corner and scowl at the girl," Pierce suggested.

"How else can we get them alone?" Darius asked.

"We could do some sort of scavenger hunt and pair them up," Blaine said. Then he winked at Emory. "Don't worry. We'll make sure you end up with one of us to keep you from Miss Giddings' grasp."

"Go ahead and laugh, Blaine. She hasn't got her eye on you."

Blaine bit back a smile. "So what if she's got her eye on you? No one can make you do anything about it."

Darius laughed. "You, little brother, were at school when Prissy finagled Blackmoor's demise. If she ensnared

him

, none of us have a prayer."

"Blackmoor wanted to be ensnared," Emory informed them. "But Prissy didn't give him a choice in the matter. Just think, men, if we're successful in our plans, she'll have her hands full with Will over the next few years and we can all live free from fear of her ever doing such a thing to us."

"Self-serving as always," Garrick complained.

"Indeed." Emory looked down his nose at his most difficult brother. "And for that,

you

can be paired off with Lizzie Giddings during the scavenger hunt."

Garrick shrugged. "She's a perfectly fine chit. I don't know what you're complaining about."

Seven

Will smothered a chuckle behind a closed fist as Garrick slid up next to him and said quietly, "Save me from Lizzie Giddings."

Garrick winced a bit when Will clapped him on the shoulder and said, "I thought she'd set her cap for Emory?"

The vicar shook his head. "His scowling has put her off, and she's focused her attention on me."

Ah. That made sense. "Well, I believe Emory is about to reveal the partners for the scavenger hunt. I'll say a quick prayer for you." He bent his head, closed his eyes and mouthed a few words.