Dark Ruby (Ransomed Jewels)

Author:Laura Landon [Landon, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kindle Press
Published: 2016-11-14T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Alex woke the next morning certain that he’d had a nightmare the night before. Questioning Boswick had yielded the same evasive lies. This time, however, Alex couldn’t let the subject drop, as he had the past two times. Something was different about the way he felt this morning. And he was afraid he knew what that difference was.

His nightmares were getting worse. So bad, in fact, that Boswick had avoided him as much as possible all morning. As if he were afraid of him.

Boswick finished tying Alex’s cravat, then turned. “Will that be all, my lord?”

“No, Boswick. That will not.”

Boswick came to a halt on his way out the door and slowly turned to face his employer. Terror filled his eyes. Dread was written across every inch of his face.

“Yes, my lord?”

Alex locked his hands behind his back and widened his stance. “How did I sleep last night, Boswick? And this time you will tell me the truth. Or you will find yourself searching for other employment.”

Boswick’s startled gaze would have been hilarious if there were anything remotely humorous concerning this situation.

“The truth, Boswick. How did I sleep last night?”

Boswick’s gaze lowered. “Fitfully, my lord.”

“How fitfully? Did I have another nightmare?”

“Yes, my lord. I’m afraid you did.”

“Did I harm you?”

“Oh no, my lord,” he hastily added. “You did not harm me.”

“Why, then, do I think I did? Why do I have this . . . feeling that I became quite violent last night?”

Boswick’s mouth opened, but no words came out.

Alex hesitated, then asked the question he dreaded having Boswick answer. “Did I become violent last night?”

Silence.

“Did I?”

Boswick fidgeted in front of him. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. For the first time since he’d become his valet, Boswick took a step backward, as if he wanted to run away from his employer.

“Did I?” Alex repeated.

“Perhaps, my lord.”

Boswick’s answer was barely more than a whisper. An evasive answer that sent warning after warning surging through Alex.

Something was terribly wrong. And Boswick was using every excuse in his arsenal to avoid answering the question Alex was asking.

Alex spun from his valet and paced the room. “Tell me, Boswick. Everything.”

“Oh, my lord. I’m not sure that’s wise. Perhaps it would be best if you put last night out of your mind and concentrated on getting better.”

Alex stopped in front of his valet and slashed his arm through the air. “You don’t know how I’d love to do just that,” he bellowed. “But if the nightmares are getting worse, and I’m becoming more dangerous, I have to consider . . .”

Alex couldn’t finish his thought. He didn’t even want to consider what options were left him if his staff wasn’t safe around him when he was in the throes of one of his nightmares.

“No, my lord. You will never have to consider steps so drastic. Never.”

“Then tell me. What happened last night? How did you get me to calm?”

“I . . . uh. I . . .”

“Answer me, dammit!”

“I didn’t, my lord.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.