A Cowboy At Heart by Judy Christenberry

Author:Judy Christenberry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-06-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“Damn!” Pete roared, and almost threw Liz aside as he rushed from the room.

Liz wasn’t quite as fast at comprehending what had happened, but two men rushing away from the window, one carrying a camera, brought her up to speed. Their car was hidden behind some trees nearby and they reached it before Pete could catch up to them.

Liz thought Pete would give up the chase once the men were driving away, but she underestimated him. He jumped into a nearby pickup and followed.

Finally realizing she should contribute to the action, Liz rushed into the kitchen. “Petrocelli, those two men came back and took a picture. Pete’s chasing them.”

Petrocelli leaped to his feet, but his painful muscles slowed him down. “Is there a vehicle I can use?” he asked Maisie.

“Sure,” the housekeeper replied. “I’ll call one of the boys at the barn and he’ll drive you.”

While Maisie called, Petrocelli hobbled out to the porch, then headed for the barn. Liz stood beside the door, unsure what her next move should be.

“What did they take a picture of?” the dowager duchess asked. “Something valuable?”

Liz had forgotten all about Pete’s mother, the one who had engineered the marriage..

“Uh, no,” Liz replied, while inside her the word yes was screaming to emerge. “It was a picture of the two of us.”

“Oh! You mean the press? That’s good. We want the wedding to have as much publicity as possible.”

“We do?” both Maisie and Liz asked together.

“Of course. Your father needs the influx of capital that a romantic fairy-tale wedding will bring. Surely he explained it to you?”

Liz gulped. “Yes, of course, but I thought he meant more-normal publicity. I think these two were from one of those tabloids. They were here before.”

Lady Hereford shrugged. “Publicity is publicity.” She picked up her cup and sipped coffee with total unconcern.

“Too bad Pete don’t feel the same way,” Maisie muttered. “He’s liable to wreck his truck tryin’ to catch those guys.”

Liz’s heart contracted with fear. “Oh, no, he...he’ll be careful, I’m sure.” But she remembered how he’d sped down the driveway, driving much too fast, and feared Maisie was right.

Without another word, she raced up the stairs to her room, her fears and dismay filling her. Not only could the photo put their charade at an end, it might also put Pete at risk. Liz shook her head in disbelief. How had her life gotten so complicated?

Maybe Pete would catch the trespassers and expose their film. Or maybe her face had not been visible. While she resembled the princess very closely, anyone who knew her well—like the king—might easily realize the picture was not of the princess.

Then everything would be at risk.

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