An Impetuous Abduction

The kissing, the holding, the teaching—

Sheer fantasy.

He would never expose his scarred and crippled body to her artless gaze.

She would have to be more careful of spirits.

The sensations she had experienced last night while drinking the wine frightened her. She must keep firmly in mind that she was in the company of an outlaw. She could not afford to see him as anything else.

Just as Phona was making these resolutions anew, Hades walked into the chamber. One glimpse of the strong neck revealed by his open collar and her resolve crumbled. She had never seen a man like him. All of the other gentlemen of her acquaintance wore tall cravats and long coats.

If he could be described as a gentleman at all.

Which she doubted.

This could not continue!

He was carrying an inkwell in his hand and had a sheaf of paper wedged under his arm. “Good afternoon, Miss Hathersage.” He laid the items on the table. “I thought you might like to write a letter to your parents.”

Phona blinked. “A letter? I did not think… That is, I did not expect…”

“You did not believe that I would allow it.” He came and stood by the bed, gazing at her seriously. “But aside from the fact that you are not at liberty to leave, you are not a prisoner here. You are my guest.”

Phona could not restrain a wry smile. “Now there, my Lord Hades, is a nice distinction. In just what way does a guest who is not allowed to leave differ from a prisoner?”

For a moment he looked startled. Then he threw back his head and roared with laughter. “You have me there, Miss Hathersage. Hoist by me own petard!”

His laugh was infectious. Phona could not helping joining him. She cocked her head and gazed up at him, thinking of the locked door. “I am sure I don’t know what a petard may be, but I am eager have the answer to my question.”

Still smiling, he said, “Hmm. That is a cant phrase, and you should not know what it is. I was at fault saying it in your hearing. As to the question—I must consider it for a moment.”

He tipped his head to one side, apparently thinking. At last he said, “I believe the difference must be in my view of the situation as opposed to yours. In any event, you are quite at liberty to write to your parents, although I must ask you not to describe me in any way, nor your present surroundings. My life and yours, as well as Aelfred’s, depend on that.”

“Great heavens!” The implications of the restriction chilled Phona. “In what are you embroiled?”

“Dark doings, my dear lady, not fit for your unworldly ears.”

A shadow seemed to fall over the day. Phona had for some time considered her gravest danger to be her own feelings with respect to her…uh, host.

She had felt physically safe here. But she should have remembered the original circumstances that had precipitated her capture. The very air had been awash in violence.

“Very well. I will make no such description. I will simply assure them of my improved health and send my love.”

He studied her soberly. “Thank you, Miss Hathersage. I appreciate your good sense.”

Phona sighed. “I am ordinarily quite famous for good sense.”

“You sound as though you are not happy with that assessment.” He pulled a chair closer and sat.

“Well, you must admit it sounds very dull. I always face matters sensibly—except parties. I never faint. I never indulge in the vapors. I never weep. Well, not where anyone can hear.”

“That sounds very pleasant to me.” His forehead creased. “Except that I do not like hearing that you weep alone. What occasions these episodes of sadness?”

Phona gazed into the fire for a long moment. “It is considering my future.”

“And is it so bleak then?” His frown deepened.

“Perhaps not. But let us consider the facts. I am twenty years old. I have already had two spectactularly unsuccessful seasons in London.”

“Ah. And the Shelf looms?”

“Indeed it does. And that would not be so bad, perhaps. I enjoy the life I lead on the estate now, and I know Papa will provide well for me. But…I will not even have the opportunity to dwindle into an aunt. I have no brothers or sisters, you see.”

He raised an inquiring eyebrow. “You see yourself caring for your mother—forever.”

“I feel very selfish for not wanting to do so, but I do not.” She might as well be honest with this man. She would probably never see him again. “I would much prefer my own establishment.”

“Not selfish. Very natural. Your mama sounds rather difficult to care for.”

“Yes, she is. But she does try to do her best for me, to find me a husband. She is also beautiful and charming and…helpless. I feel…”

Lord Hades snorted. “Your mama is approximately as helpless as an Indian tiger.”

Phona frowned. “What do you mean? She falls into helpless hysterics at the smallest misfortune.”

“And thereby gets precisely what she wants.”

“Well, yes. There is that.”

He sighed. “Ah, me. Your poor papa.”

She had to chuckle at that. “He adores her, you know.”

“It is a very good thing that he does. Otherwise, he would have strangled her long ere now.”

Phona had never looked at the matter in that light. Yes, Mama must be very difficult for Papa at times. As she was for Phona. All she could answer was, “Papa would never do that.”

The corner of his mouth quirked. “I admire his discipline. But if she wishes so much for you to marry, why does she insist that you wear an unbecoming color?”

“I do not believe she intentionally leads me astray. Although she is very competitive with other women and might not wish for me to be as lovely as she is, she does want me to be more beautiful, accomplished and poised than anyone else’s daughter.” Phona tried to shed more light on the situation. “For she must be a perfect mother, you see, the most devoted mother of all time.”

“Like her namesake, Demeter.”

“Yes. Just so. Therefore I must be the most perfect daughter of all time, else she has failed.”

“Egad! What a ghastly fate.”

“Indeed! I feel very angry with her at times, but that is pointless. You see, she does not really look at me. She has her own ideas of what is perfectly impressive or perfectly fashionable or perfectly suitable—and I must live up to that perfection. But you see, she also must be perfect in every way at all times.”

“An even worse fate.” He shook his head. “But what can the bachelors of the ton be thinking? Are they both stupid and blind?”

“What do you mean?”

He gestured toward her. “Here they have a woman of both beauty and fire, and they can’t see her? And she is an heiress to boot?” He leaned back in the chair and shook his head.

“Well, they are hardly beating a path to my door. Except, of course, Lawrence Hudders.” Phona sighed.

Hades raised an eyebrow. “I take it that you do not find Mr. Hudders to be a suitable suitor.”

“Indeed, no. He is not quite right in the upper story, you know. Even Mama does not encourage him. She does truly want the best for me.” After a thoughtful pause she said, “And Papa is very careful to keep fortune hunters away.”

“One of which he most likely believes I am.”

“And are you?” Phona leaned forward and gazed seriously at him.

“No, Miss Hathersage, I am not.” He sounded just a bit annoyed. “But if I were, I would take care to steer clear of your father.”

There it was again. Another hint that he knew her family. “Lord Hades, how do you…”

He stood and held out an arm. “Come, I will help you to the table where you can write more easily.”

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