COOL HAZEL EYES summed up the situation up ahead. From where he stood and watched, the duchess of Hanton tactically dissuades her mother from joining the men. Seeing there was nothing else to be done. Cole swirled around and headed towards the stable, the gentlemen falling in place behind him.  Soon thereafter, a pattern was easily established. With Cole several feet away from the men, not too far as they cannot make out his form in the distance and not too near that, he was directly in front of them. With the men behind him, Cole had only his thoughts as a companion and it wasn't anything pleasant. For one, he kept thinking of how Sebastian had ruined his plans and then the matter of his wife, she was too much for him to handle. If he hadn't thought before, now he did. Her present actions bore oh so testament to that. He had to admit the truth if not to anybody, then at least to himself. And he hated that he had to

As Cole stepped forward to peer at the target, he discovered he wasn't the only one who wanted to have a look at it. And the deuced man who shot the damn thing didn't even try to look. That irritated Cole. The idea that the man was nonchalant enough to feign disinterest. His actions bore all too testament of pride. Cole's lips compressed into a tight line.  The footman brought the bull's eye handing over to Cole. Several heads joined in at once. Two bullets had hit straight in the centre and the remaining one. Judging from the hole, was at least half into the white. Cole swallowed and looked to Sebastian. But his friend gave him 'I told you look' and silently dismissed him from his sight.Cole gritted his teeth and looked away. He dare not look at Lucas.The aftermath of Lucas's shot still left a lingering smell of gunpowder in the air, ruining the fresh air Cole had so admired earlier.“Hell's bell. That

A Spot near the fire was where Emily was working furiously through a kerchief with her needle. Her husband had been gone all morning, and she hadn't the faintest idea where he could be. After the shooting at the woods, he had taken to avoiding her. Waking up even before she thought to wake. And coming to bed only when he knew she was asleep. Emily frowned, worrying her lower lips, and thought of what her next to do because this right here wasn't working. She can't have him avoiding her as if she were a plague. “Good lord,” Emily cried as she pricked her finger. In her absent-mindless, she put the offending thing into her mouth, brought it out and continued her work, making sure not to drift off.So far, all her previous plans had worked accordingly. Cole had taken her bait and giving her the most satisfying reactions. Reactions which still made her smile whenever she remembered them. Emily strived to irritate Cole, to annoy him. And if possible, to teach him a lesso

SECONDS LATER, a young man arrived with a woman in tow. Emily didn't have to look twice to know who it was. 'Twas her brother Lucas. Behind her, she felt her husband stiffen. And that wasn't the only thing stiffened. She could feel the hard part of him pressing on her lower back. And because of their position and the state of their clothes. It felt as if it was on her naked back. Hot and firm, pushing at her skin. And it didn't help his hand was on her abdomen, trapped between her stomach and her thigh, which had been drawn up to her breast. Because she was sitting between his thigh. Emily felt all these things and more. Blushing, she faced forward, glad he couldn't see her face. “Why have you brought me here," the young woman with Lucas said, turning to face Lucas and Emily realized with a jolt it was Marjorie? Her mouth snapped open.Whatever happened to, 'her brother would have my head?' Did Lucas realize what he was doing?Chuckling, Lucas drew Marjorie closer. One hand resting

IT'S BEEN EXACTLY one hour since Cole saw his worst nightmare come to life. There were more people in his home than he cared to have. As if the number of guests in Tonfield hall wasn't enough, Emily had to go and invite more.The bloody amateur actors and professionals currently acting out a play of hamlet in his music room, which had been opened up by series of folding doors to include the dining room and the drawing-room was not the sight Cole had hoped to see that evening after escaping the countless quip of his friend, he had hoped for a better day and not this.And to think everyone was enjoying themselves except him infuriated him more than he cared to admit.The space was crowded with guests seated in high-back chairs and settees. And as the population grew, and was not as big as what would be required in an original theatre house. It was easy for everyone to see the act on the makeshift stage which was basking in the