Her Christmas Knight by Nicole Locke

Author:Nicole Locke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-11-23T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

‘I thought I’d find you here,’ he said.

‘Spindles!’ Alice jumped, the candle in her hand sputtering, sputtering. She watched in horror as the flame bent again and went out.

Utter darkness.

‘What are you doing here?’

Hugh’s voice...coming from the far corner. The one behind the desk she had momentarily and gratefully spied when she’d entered the room before closing the door behind her.

Hugh was here, in a room where he had no right to be. But then neither did she.

‘I was looking for...’

‘Yes?’

‘I was looking for the garderobe.’

‘When you poked your head in here and raised your candle you knew it wasn’t the garderobe because you entered it and closed the door behind you.’

And then the light went out, and she couldn’t see.

Don’t think about the darkness.

‘You’ve been caught, Alice, it’s best to be truthful now,’ he said silkily. ‘What did the King say to you that day?’

‘Why are you asking me about the King now?’

‘Because you never answered my question.’

Don’t talk about the King... Don’t think about the darkness. What was she left with? Hugh and his voice which seemed closer.

‘There was never anything to answer.’

‘Enough games,’ he said, low and no longer from the corner.

She found her voice. ‘I could say the same to you.’

‘It isn’t safe to go into other people’s rooms when you’re not invited.’

She knew it wasn’t, but she’d gotten this far without getting caught. She wasn’t caught now, since she had said nothing and she could leave.

Except it was dark, and somehow she’d lost the direction of the door. Already she could feel her heart racing, the spent candle in her hands slipping.

Don’t think about the darkness. She had to distract herself.

‘How do you know that?’

‘How do I know what?’

‘That my being here isn’t safe,’ she said, swallowing against the tightening her voice.

If she could keep talking maybe he would too. Then the darkness wouldn’t matter.

‘I’m merely a guest,’ she continued. ‘and I wandered in here by accident. You wouldn’t know it’s not safe. Not unless you know something. Who exactly is playing games here? Tell me, how do you know?’

Absolute silence. Darkness closing in.

‘I’m the one asking questions...’

Strong arms grabbed her. Alice gasped. The candle fell to the floor. The familiar scent of pine, snow and steel enveloped her. A moment of struggle before she realised it was futile. When she stilled, he let out a sound—half-surprise, half-satisfaction.

‘You’re trembling. Scared? Good—you should be. So which is the true you? Are you about the dresses now or helping the children?’

Not these questions. Not lies. Not in this darkness. ‘Let go of me.’

‘All those parties you’ve attended, all the times you disappeared—is this what you’ve been doing?’

‘Let go of me!’ She lashed out until he did—easily, as if he had never held her—then stepped back.

Without Hugh’s arms, without his hands on hers, the darkness surrounded her. She bit her lip, held back a cry, reached out in the direction he was. To find some safety from the darkness.

Alice’s hand suddenly gripped his tunic sleeve. Her fingers, like daggers, felt the full length of his arm, and pulled him towards her.

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