Chapter 3: Page 3

Large, powerful hands closed around her arms to keep her

from falling. Fumbling her candle, she barely managed to

stifle a scream.

"Irvine?" she asked in a loud whisper, holding the candle

higher. "Is that you? What are you doing up at this

hour?"

The moment the words left her lips, she wished she could

recall them. Was it not obvious what the man must be

doing — prowling around at a country-house party in the

middle of the night?

He looked it, too. His warm brown hair was disheveled,

his neck linen was gone and his loose white shirt hung

open, exposing a deep wedge of bare chest. Had Lord

Kinneas been dallying with one of the ladies? The

notion took Selphie's breath away.

"I might ask you the same question." Kinneas's voice had a

harsh huskiness she'd never heard before. If she hadn't

known him so long and so well, it might have alarmed

her. "Where are you going at this hour?"

"To get a book from the library, if you must know."

Considering what he might be up to, he had no business

quizzing her in that gruff tone. "I'm having a devil of

a time getting to sleep." Where did he think she was

bound?

Her indignation evaporated when she looked into his

eyes. The green in them seemed to blaze with verdant

fury, while the brown ached with anguish too deep for

words.

"Is something wrong?" She tried to reach out to him,

only to realize he was still holding tight to her arms.

The candle flame between them danced wildly. If they

weren't careful, one of them might get badly burned.

"You can let go of me now," she whispered, though her

knees felt weak all of a sudden. Perhaps it was the

fright from bumping into him in the dark.

He glanced down with a puzzled look, as if his hands

were acting on their own, contrary to his will.

"F-forgive me. I didn't mean to —"

What could have happened to distress him so? "Can I

help, Kinneas? Whatever is the matter, I hope you know you

can always confide in me."

He threw his head back, shaking with silent, frenzied

laughter. The next thing Selphie knew, he pushed past her

and fled down the corridor. But not before the light of

her candle glinted off a hint of mist in his haunted

eyes.