His Wicked Seduction novel Chapter 36

Horatia felt as though a rug had been pulled out from under her. Lucien was no longer paying any attention to her, however. He reached over and put his hand on one of Miss Burns's, the pad of his thumb stroking her wrist slowly. Miss Burns blushed and giggled.

Horatia fled.

Another moment of that and she was certain she would die.

She ran so frantically that she didn't watch where she was going and crashed into Lady Rochester. The lovely matron caught Horatia's chin and turned her face up.

"Whatever is the matter, dear?" she asked.

Horatia was nearly on the verge of tears. "It's nothing," she gasped, trying to breathe.

"It is most certainly not that. Now tell me what's upset you. It must be something serious if a well-possessed young lady such as you is distressed." Lady Rochester had always been so kind to her and Audrey. It was as though she knew she couldn't replace Horatia's mother but had tried to anyway, and Horatia loved her for that.

"It is Miss Burns. I cannot stand her. And he likes her!" There didn't seem to be any clearer way to put it.

"By he, you mean Lucien?" Lady Rochester asked.

Horatia managed a shaky nod. "He's with her right now. They were holding hands."

Lady Rochester's eyebrows rose. "Are they? Oh dear. Well, we can't have that."

"What?" Horatia hadn't expected that from Lady Rochester. Miss Burns was her guest after all.

"We cannot allow Lucien to get involved with her sort. That will not do."

"Her sort?" Horatia repeated dumbly. Was she secretly from a common background? Or worse, French?

Lady Rochester sighed and took Horatia's hand.

"Miss Burns is pretty, wealthy and accomplished, but she's not a good woman. I am friends with her mother, but her? I do not want her as my daughter-in-law. She despises children. I once saw her twist Linus's arm to get him to behave. There is discipline and there is abuse and being a good parent is knowing the difference. I shudder to think what my grandchildren would suffer at her hands. That is why we must stop them."

"We're going to stop them?" Horatia asked, hope rising in her chest.

"Of course we are. My son is too blinded by Miss Burns's charms to know the needs of his heart."

"How?" Horatia was serious now. Lucien was the need of her heart and she would do anything to protect him from such a horrible woman.

"I don't know. We'll have to think of something. Now dry your eyes, there's a good girl, and go find the others. I am sure that Linus and Audrey are up to no good. I expect you to prevent any mischief they have planned." Lady Rochester smiled at her, always treating her like the adult she wished she was.

Horatia once more entered the gardens and avoided the path that would lead her back to where Lucien and Miss Burns were sitting. Eventually she came upon a white painted gazebo adorned with a rose covered trellis on one side. Marring the scene of bliss was a little boy near her age and half her maturity. Linus. He was climbing up the trellis with a large metal pail of water. It sloshed as he scrambled up to the gazebo roof and out of sight. Audrey was at the bottom of the trellis waiting for him to return. Her white apron was covered in dirt and her cheeks were rosy as she watched the champion of mischief climb back down.

"Linus, what are you doing?" Horatia demanded.

Linus laughed. "We're going to drop these pails of water on the next person who comes into the gazebo." His tone was haughty as he showed off the second bucket he held.

"You will not. Your mother told me to put a stop to whatever mischief you were up to. Now get back up there and take that other bucket down." Horatia stamped her foot.

"No. You do it," he challenged. "Unless you're scared."

"Fine. I will." Horatia stormed past him and started up the trellis. "Both of you, back to the house." She slipped a few times, getting cuts and scrapes on her hands where thorns bit into her skin. She was nearly to the top when she heard voices. Linus and Audrey stuck their tongues out and ran off, abandoning her to whoever was coming her way. She would get in trouble for climbing up here, even if she was trying to foil Linus's sinister plot. Better to hide. She scaled the last few inches onto the roof. The pail of water was near the hole in the middle of the roof. Horatia saw Lucien and Miss Burns approach the gazebo and come fully inside until they were in its center directly below her. Horatia held her breath, afraid to move in case they heard her.