Pride and Precipice by Lelia M Silver

Author:Lelia M Silver [Silver, Lelia M]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silver Summer Publishing
Published: 2013-12-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Her backpack slung securely over her shoulders, Lizzy snuck around the corner of the east wing of Netherfield Park. She was fuming at Caroline’s treatment of Jane and Charles’ abandonment, and she wasn’t about to let the incident go without speaking her mind.

The hotel wing of the manor house was lit up brightly and alive with activity, even at this time of the night, but the east side was dark and quiet. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought no one was in residence.

She ran an assessing eye over the first floor windows. The ground floor apartment was unoccupied, with both Darcy and Caroline staying in the more luxurious residences on the upper floors. She was glad for the knowledge she had from working there. It made it a lot easier to sneak in without getting caught.

She still couldn’t quite believe she was doing this. A part of her was ashamed by her petty response. It seemed so juvenile. But at the same time, she had to do something, and this was the only thing she could think of that wouldn’t get her landed in jail.

The third window down, which was in the master bedroom of the apartment, had never fully latched, and she was counting on that to get in. She had snuck in that way since she was a child, and for some reason that particular window hadn’t been included in the renovations. She couldn’t be sorry for that now.

She crouched beneath the window and slid her fingers along the edge of the pane until they found the slight catch. She fumbled briefly, and then slid the window up, a deft movement all it took to overpower the faulty latch. She smiled slightly to herself, then placed both hands on the window ledge and vaulted into the empty room.

Or at least what she thought had been an empty room. She hadn’t taken more than two steps toward the bedroom door when a sleepy voice froze her in her tracks.

“Lizzy?” Darcy said incredulously.

She debated going back out the window or hurrying on as if she hadn’t heard him, but she figured he would only call the police on her if she did that. She gave up either pretense when he reached over and flicked on the lamp beside the bed, flooding the room with light and illuminating her features.

Unfortunately, it also illuminated him. He was sitting up in bed, his hair rumpled and sticking up in odd directions, looking confused and only half awake. Her startled gaze drifted lower to his bare chest and all rational thought fled. She wanted to scowl. Couldn’t the man have the decency to sleep with a shirt on? He was too good looking as it was for her peace of mind. She didn’t need an additional distraction in the form of strong shoulders and a lean waist wrapped in solid muscle.

He demanded, “What are you doing here?”

She flashed him a bright smile and tried not to let her gaze sink back to his bare chest where it wanted to linger and enjoy the view.

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