Moonlight Secrets (#2 Penderry's Bizarre)

Chapter Twenty Four

Bunny woke to the morning call of jungle fowl outside in the trees. Sunshine streamed through the window, its warmth soothing her tired bones and muscles. She found Anju asleep on a pillow in the corner, and Jim dozing with his back against the wall. His rifle lay across his lap and his head leaned to one side, almost touching his shoulder. She smiled, relieved they'd made it safely through the night.

With a stretch, she sat, still aching from the previous day's exertions. Jim looked peaceful, his mop of sun-lightened curls hanging over his forehead. When they'd first met in Hyde Park, under the moon on that dark, snowy evening, she'd thought an angel had dropped from the sky to help her. And then he'd kept turning up, always when she was in need. She felt a little bad for causing him an endless amount of trouble.

His chest rose and fell slowly while he slept. Near his feet, his satchel lay tipped on its side with a canteen of water hanging out. Bunny's throat felt as dry as the plains in summer. What would they do about breakfast? She leaned over and dragged his bag toward her, then took a long drink from the canteen. Inside the satchel, a biscuit tin caught her eye.

Thank goodness. Food supplies!

She reached into the bag and shook the tin. Its contents rattled, and the tin lid gave a small clang when she pried it off. But her smile fell when she found the box stuffed with ammunition. Her shoulders slumped, and she sighed. Now what would they eat? Maybe the villagers would be kind enough to feed them.

The ammunition shouldn't have surprised her. Her father often stored powder and shot in old tins and tea canisters to keep it dry. She was about to replace the lid when she noticed an envelope peeking through the ammo. Her name marked the paper in neatly inked letters. Why did Jim have a letter addressed to her in his possession?

Her brows drew together, and she picked up the missive. "Hello, what's this?"

She turned the envelope over and opened the seal. A sudden movement took her by surprise and she gasped. Jim landed on his knees in front of her and seized the envelope. Instinctively, her grip tightened around her letter.

"What are you doing?" she asked, breathless.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't let you have that."

"It's addressed to me."

"Yes, I know that," he said softly. "Do you always go through other people's things?"

"Your bag was open. I thought I saw some biscuits." She held the letter tight, resisting his attempts to pry it from her hands. "For goodness sake, Jim. What's this all about?"

"Believe me, now isn't the time."

Using her strength, she leaned away, hoping to pull the letter from him by force. But she only caused him to topple forward. For an awkward moment, his weight pinned her to the cushions, her free hand pressed to his chest, and she stared wide-eyed into his handsome face. His eyelashes were long and black, at odds with the golden curls that dangled over his eyebrows, and an amused smile played on his mouth.

"Steady on, Miss Spencer, I'm a gentleman." He remained where he'd landed, and his playful smile stretched into a grin.

That single look was enough to send damselflies fluttering through her stomach, and her fingers curled, lightly gripping his shirt. Jim's amusement faded when she didn't push him away, and he sank close, his lips brushing hers with a gentle kiss. For a long moment her mind swam in delight.

Anju's shout came before the dried-grass bristles of a broom crashed over Jim's head. "Rogue!"

Still reeling from the kiss, Bunny barely noticed him snatch the envelope from her fingers. Perhaps that had been his ploy all along, to distract her with his charm. Jim tumbled to the side, retreating.