Touch the Sun by Cynthia Wright

Author:Cynthia Wright [Wright, Cynthia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780345275127
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 1978-09-15T08:47:03+00:00

Chapter Twenty-two

There was no time for shock. Meagan disposed of the dripping, splintered bottleneck and instantly grasped the second one with both hands. Even as she raised it, peering in the darkness for her next target, a steely hand caught her wrist. Pressure was applied until Meagan exclaimed aloud in pain and her fingers opened to surrender the heavy instrument. However, if her attacker thought that she would be a willing captive, he was in for a surprise. As powerful arms held her fast, drawing her near, she began to kick, wriggle and claw the air in search of his cheeks.

A familiar, dry chuckle broke the tension. Meagan's eyes went wide as she drew back, trying to confirm the man's identity. Through the inky blackness she perceived the glint of fair hair and flash of ivory teeth and wondered how she had not recognized those warm strong hands, arms that had held her so many times before.

"My little vixen!" he laughed softly, enfolding her in an embrace that Meagan willingly accepted. "How fortunate for both of us that I chose to allow Major Gardner to lead the way!"

Her bones seemed to melt as she sobbed, "Oh, Lion!" and pressed her face against the clean-smelling starched expanse of his chest. "Please take me away! Do not force me to remain here—I simply will not! I refuse!"

Suddenly she shuddered, swept by a cold, prickling chill, and huddled closer to his muscular frame.

Lion lifted her off the ground so that he might study her face in the gray light; he found it filled with the warring emotions of anxious fright and rebellious determination.

"Meagan, what could make you imagine that I would force you to remain in this place? Why do you think I am here? To pay a social call on the ingratiating Major Gardner?"

"B—but—Mrs. Bingham told me you agreed that I should work here—"

"Don't be a fool!" he broke in, his voice hard. "You know me better than that. I came to take you away as soon as I learned what she had done."

Meagan's shuddering subsided into a few last tremors of pure relief as Lion scooped her up like a child and moved confidently through the darkness toward the curving stone steps.

"You can see in the dark!" she accused him happily. "Like a cat! A lion!" Boldly, she snuggled her face against his neck, the collar of his fine linen shirt and touched his gleaming blond hair. "Thank you for rescuing me, though I should have managed myself somehow."

Lion was grinning as they came into the brightly lit pantry and he set her on her feet.

"That I can believe! And Major Gardner will have the swollen head to prove it."

She held fast to his arm during their brief tour of the house to retrieve her belongings and inform the butler of his master's whereabouts. Lion laughed out in great amusement when they entered the vulgar red bedchamber.

"I can see that the good major had high hopes for you! I gather that you preferred the accommodations belowstairs?"

"You seem to find much humor in my troubles, Mr.

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