A Kiss To Remember | Herophine

Chapter Four - The Fiancée

Josephine

But at other times, I feel as if you must still be my precious little boy...

The emotion in the man’s dark gaze was part fury and part plea, underscored by a panic that was almost palpable. If she didn’t act and act quickly, someone in that room was going to blurt out something that would make her plan impossible.

“Oh, you poor darling.” Favouring him with her most sympathetic smile, she stepped forward and took his arm. “I can’t blame you for waking up in such a wretched temper after all you’ve been through."

His eyes narrowed as he stared down at her. “Why did you call me darling?”

“Why’d you call him darlin’?" Maggie repeated suspiciously, drawing the bloody hatchet out from behind her back.

Ignoring both of them, Josephine turned, planting herself firmly between her guest and everyone else in the room. “What he needs right now more than our fussing and coddling is some peace and quiet ."

The man snorted. “I hardly consider being accosted by a pack of rabid cats and a hatchet-wielding harpy ‘fussing and coddling.’ "

Breaking free of Maggie's grip, John lunged forward. “I'll coddle you with this pitchfork, I will if you speak ill o' me missus again.”

Ducking beneath the tines of the makeshift weapon, Josephine placed a soothing hand on John’s chest. “He doesn’t mean to be unkind. He’s just exhausted and confused. Which is why I’m going to have to ask the rest of you to leave us alone."

John began sputtering anew. “You’ve gone plumb balmy in the ’ead if you think I’m leavin’ you all alone with that savage.”

“And a half-naked savage at that.” Maggie gave the quilt shielding the lower half of the man’s body a nervous look.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You know as well as I do that he would never hurt me.” Josephine stole a glance over her shoulder at the large, glowering stranger, hoping she was right. He’d looked much shorter and less menacing while unconscious.

“If he lays so much as a finger on you, gel, all you got to do is scream and I’ll come a-runnin',” John promised, brandishing the pitchfork in the man’s direction.

“If she screams anything like her sister, I’ll be the one doing the running,” the man stiffly assured him.

Still grumbling, John and Maggie reluctantly filed out of the chamber, leaving Josephine to retrieve Katherine and her armful of kittens from the Bed. Katherine dragged her feet, snivelling most piteously until Josephine leaned down and hissed, “March, young lady, or I’ll give you something to cry about."

While she shooed Katherine into the hall, Anthony continued to lean against the doorframe, a thoughtful glint in his eye. Her brother had always known her better than anyone else and he obviously suspected that she was up to some mischief. When she turned her glare on him, he ducked out the door, but his smirk promised her that his cooperation wouldn’t come without a price.

“Sweet dreams,” he called to their guest just before Josephine closed the door in his face.

She took her time-twisting the brass key in the lock, then slowly turned to face her companion. She was already wondering if she had made a terrible miscalculation. Even garbed in nothing but a quilt and a scowl, he looked about as helpless as a hungry lion.

“Why did you call me darling?" he demanded again as if the answer to that question was of more import than how he had ended up naked in Lady Martha’s bed.