When Two Hearts Meet (Brightmore #2)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The hour was late and Oriana had just retired for the evening when there came a soft scuffling from her outside her chamber door.

Perplexed, she went to the source and pulled the door wide.

Plank brushed past her legs, panting excitedly, and ran towards her bed. “No, no!” she pleaded with the hound desperately, a moment too late as he planted his hefty bulk right in the centre of her mattress. Ori groaned.

“He wanted to see you,” Captain Stanley said apologetically from the threshold.

Oriana turned to him, startled. He carried no candle or lamp, therefore the shadows appeared to merge with the man, leaving his face largely undefined. “What are you doing here?” Ori hissed, taken aback by his presence. “This is highly improper, captain! I must insist that you leave at once-”

“Does the thought of marriage to me sicken you so?” he snapped, almost churlishly.

“Yes!” The word slipped out before she could help herself and immediately she was filled with contrition. It was abominably rude of her and colour rose to her cheeks. “That is to say-”

Captain Stanley merely chuckled, seemingly amused. “No need to make amends, my dear. I will leave soon enough. I only wanted to ensure that Plank wouldn’t make himself too much of a menace.”

6. He must always be conscientious.

Oh, drat. Where had that come from? Irked, she peered at where Plank had engulfed the entire foot of her bed. “Does he sleep on your bed, Captain Stanley?” Oriana asked.

“Of course he does. The pup is a big softie, and much better company than a woman.”

Again his forwardness made her unsettled and she cast a sharp glance at him. “You really ought to curb your tongue in my presence, captain.”

He leaned towards her, conspiratorially close, and Ori caught the glint of a languid grin. Instinctively, she caught herself listing away from him. “I ought to,” he agreed lasciviously, “but it doesn’t mean I will.”

Odious man. “Then I should bid you-”

Quite unexpectedly, the captain swaggered over her threshold and went to his bloody dog. Patting the hound’s enormous head, he said, “Damn traitor, you are. Though I can’t blame you for wanting to spend the night in her bed.”

“Captain Stanley!” Oriana protested. Really, it was too much. “I must insist that you leave at once!”

Contradictorily, he plopped onto the mattress beside his dog and swung his legs onto the quilt, boots included. “I will soon enough, my lady.”

“Stop calling me that,” she snapped, “and are you mad? You’ll shame me!”

“Naw, Lord and Lady Ashcroft are on the other side of the castle. Nobody will ever know-”

“I will know, captain, and that is what matters.”

Unperturbed, he then proceeded to settle against her pillows and place his hands behind his head. “God, you have a comfy bed,” he mumbled appreciatively. “Much better than mine.”

Dear God, there was a man in her bed. He was fully clothed, but the implications would ruin her. Should anybody come along, she would be forced to marry him, and then what would become of her? Oh, she couldn’t abide it a moment longer. Angrily, she stormed towards him and began to yank one of his arms. Burly muscle contracted unrelenting beneath her fingers. “You must leave,” she urged venomously. “Do you honestly wish to marry me?”