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Harper Collins
Read part of the
story…
“Captain Briggs, how
did you find me?” Christina asked.“It was a long and complicated process. I will not bore you with the details.”
“It must have been difficult…” A plan began to form in her mind. “Did my grandfather engage you to find my sister as well?”
He gave a nod, lifting his densely muscled arm as she wrapped the linen around the wound she’d caused. Christina kept her focus on her questions and not on the thick musculature of his arm and the odd prickle of awareness that skittered down her back.
“Did you know where my sister had been taken when our parents died? Who had raised her?”
“No. I went to London – where Sarah and Daniel Hayes lived – and started asking questions.”
Christina could not imagine what the questions had been or whom he would have asked. How did one begin to find a needle – or two – in a haystack?
“Can you locate anyone? Anyone at all?”
She found him looking at her, not at what she was doing, but at her face. He was very close, close enough that she could see flecks of silver in his light blue eyes. And his lashes – impossibly long and black as coal. A small crescent of a scar at the corner of his eye only added to the stunning appeal of his features.
He did not respond immediately to her question, holding her gaze until he blinked and turned to look at his arm. “Yes,” he finally said. “Anyone.”
Christina could think of no other person who showed such complete confidence. She finished the bandaging and tied the knot. “So… Windermere has paid you to find me?” she asked.
The brow over his right eye lowered ever so slightly. “He is not obliged to pay me until I take you to him.”
“Are you one of those Bow Street men?”
“No. Apparently, your grandfather heard of my expertise at… finding people… on the continent.”
“In the army?”
“Aye.” A muscle in his jaw tensed.
Christina knew he wasn’t about to leave Sweethope Cottage. After all, he must have come some distance for her. And he wouldn’t be paid until he produced her for her grandfather. He had to stay.
She did want to meet her sister. It was just that the situation with her brother was so immediate.
Christina quickly made up her mind. She was going to have to delay that meeting until she found Lang. And Captain Briggs was the key to doing so. He’d found Lily with few clues, and it couldn’t have been easy to find her, either.
She followed Briggs to the drawing room at the front of the house and waited when he stepped outside and went to his horse. Half naked, he reached up and took down a leather satchel while Christina gaped at his bare back. His shoulders. His lean waist. The ripple of muscle when he moved his arms. The way his longish, dark hair brushed his neck.
She watched with interest as he came back to the house, pulling on the fresh shirt that he’d taken from his satchel. He was far more rugged than her late husband, and seemed to fit into the rustic setting of Sweethope Cottage far better than Edward ever had.
It had surprised her to learn Edward had bequeathed her the country house, for she’d visited there only a few times. But of course, he had not planned on dying so precipitously. Or in such outrageous circumstances.
“If we leave now, we can make it to Windermere the day after tomorrow,” Captain Briggs said when he turned and saw her standing at the window in the drawing room.
“I’m not going to Windermere,” Christina replied.
“Yes, you are.”
“I need to go to London first.”
He tucked the long tails of his shirt into his trews. Then he caught her gaze and spoke quietly. “I’d rather not tie you to the back of my horse, Lady Fairhaven, but I will if I—”
“Do you order your wife about this way, Captain Briggs?”
“I have no wife, Lady Fairhaven. And I assure you that if I did have one, she would be far more tractable—”
“I am being blackmailed, Captain. I need to go to London right away.”
Questions for Margo…from Heather...
Do you write while
listening to music?
Yes,
I sure do. It helps me to get into the zone and also to block out everything
else that’s going on around me because I usually write at Starbuck’s or another
coffee shop. I prefer to listen to soundtracks, but not the kind with lyrics.
I’ll listen to things like Pirates of the Caribbean or Pride and Prejudice. I
love Finding Neverland and the music from the Transformer movies. Sometimes I go for classical, and I’m a fan of
the baroque. Love JS Bach, Vivaldi, and Corelli.
What was the first
story you remember writing?
The
first story I remember writing was when I was in 8th grade. It was a
sci-fi piece about an alien from another planet, and although I can’t recall
the story itself, I do remember the
illustrations. Drawing was my passion back then, and I kept up my artistic
pursuits ever after. Although now I am more likely to remember the story rather
than the picture. J
What is your favorite
movie of all time?
Independence
Day. It’s one of the few movies I can
stand to watch more than once. My husband thinks it’s a hoot, since I’m a
Romance writer, for heaven’s sake. But there’s so much to love in ID. A lot of
romance – plus a great alien invasion story! I think it must take me back to
when I was a kid and we went to the Saturday afternoon matinees to watch
monster movies.
What’s your favorite
kind of story to get lost in?
That’s
a tough one, because it really depends on my mood. There are times when a
romantic comedy is just the thing that suits my fancy. Or I might like a dark
and chilling romantic suspense novel. Of course I love historicals, love to get
lost in the time period, in the manners and conventions of times long past.
How often do you get
lost in a story?
Not
nearly often enough! I am always reading at least two books, and though one of
them might be a piece of non-fiction, I am never without a good romance.
Unfortunately, I don’t have enough time to read for recreation these days. It
seems my own writing takes up more and more of my time – with deadlines
encroaching much faster than I’d like!
What is your favorite
tradition from your childhood that you would love to pass on or did pass on to
your children?
Thanksgiving.
When I was a kid, all the aunts and uncles and cousins on my mom’s side of the
family got together for a great Thanksgiving feast. We kept up our bond with
each other that way, and my cousins and I are all still in touch with each
other – all twenty of us. Now I’m the one who hosts Thanksgiving every year
with my side of the family – all the aunts and uncles and cousins. My kids and
their cousins are keeping the bonds they made when they were little.
What’s the first
thing you do when you finish a book?
Read.
I dig through my TBR pile and pick something that appeals to me right at that
moment. Then I keep on reading until my eyes shrivel up like raisins!
Do you read reviews
of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence
your writing?
I
avoid reading reviews of my books because whether they’re good or bad, they
interfere with my ability to write. A great review and I start thinking I ought
to do more of whatever the reviewer liked – even though more of that (whatever
that was) might not work well in the next book. And a so-so review makes me
wonder if I can write at all. Or I’ll overthink the things the reviewer didn’t
like. So yeah – I try not to read reviews. Just keep my head in the sand,
telling myself that if my editor likes my work well enough to publish it, and
my fans like my work well enough to read it
– then I must be doing something right.
What has been the
most unexpected thing about being a published author?
I’m
amazed at how many people tell me they’d like to write a book. Or that they
could write a book if only they had enough time. Like it’s something you can
just pick up and do well – like making a meatloaf from a recipe. Not that there
aren’t some talented undiscovered writers out there… it’s just that a lot of
people think it’s just a matter of sitting down and typing up whatever comes to
mind.At this time of year, do you like to hunker down with a Christmas-themed movie or book? Tell me your favorites!
One lucky commenter will receive a copy of Seducing the Governess. (Featured book on Margo's March GLIAS visit.)