Page 56 of Her Magnificent Mistake
No’ that ye loved yer brother Stephen all that much.
“I…” he began, but then stopped and tried again, his voice hoarse. “If ye believe this, then ye must think that I…”
Marcia nodded almost reluctantly, her fingers curling around the cotton of his shirt, since he’d long ago removed his jacket with the sweat of the work. Her warmth, so close to his skin, would be enough to drive him mad…were they not speaking of something horrific.
“Ye were the obvious suspect, Hawk,” she admitted, “until yesterday. Until someone tried to kill you, and mistakenly hurt Bull instead. That could not have been you, you were…with me.”
Aye, with her, in every sense of the word.
Marcia continued, “If whoever killed the previous barons is determined to continue until the property is in his hands, then he…or she will realize their mistake and try again.”
Impossible. “But I am the last male of my line. When I die, Tostinham will no’ revert back to William’s daughter, my cousin Marianne. My heir is…”
Horror settled in his chest and he bit down on the words.Nay.
“Your heir is your brother’s child,” Marcia finished in a whisper. “Allison. Tostinham will go to her if you die.”
Disbelief made his voice higher when he blurted, “Yecannaebelieve her guilty of such revulsion? Allie is an innocent girl!”
To his shock, Marcia didn’t agree immediately, but seemed to be considering the notion. Finally, she sighed and dropped her forehead, until it rested a mere inch from his mouth, and the breath from her lips teased his throat.
“She is innocent,” Marcia agreed quietly. “I cannot believe otherwise. But if she indeed is innocent, that only means…”
“Dear God,” Hawk whispered, his fingers flexing around her arms. “She’s in danger too.”
Marcia nodded.
“Your grandfather had two sons, five grandsons and two granddaughters. Besides you and your female cousins, all of them have died mysteriously.”
“They…died of natural causes.” Even he didn’t believe that any longer, but he tried to force some certainty in his tone.
Heheardher small smile when she murmured an agreement. “Mysteriousnatural causes. Poison is natural. Dying from a head injury after a fall from a horse is natural. Hawk, we need to investigate.”
“Aye.” He pulled her against him, his lips falling to her hairline. “Nay.”
“Nay?” Her mouth fluttered against his throat. “Why?”
“We need to investigate. But first…”
He felt her breathing change.
Knew the moment she guessed what he was thinking. Knew, because his cock had been probing her stomach since she’d pressed against him, something he had been trying desperately not to notice.
And Christ Almighty, but hewantedthat.Neededher.
But… He cleared his throat. “But first, we have to find Allie. If someone hurt Bull because they thought he was me…if someone is going to try to hurt me again, then it makes sense that Allie, as my heir, would be next.” Or possibly first, if they wanted him to suffer.
The thought was unconscionable. Who could be doing such a thing?
He felt Marcia’s reluctance as she straightened. “We need to figure out who stands to gain. If it is not you, then who?”
He had no idea. It couldn’t be Allie, and although Marianne had always struck him as ruthless, it was impossible to imagine her dirtying her hands withmurder. Besides, she was in England…wasn’t she? “Will ye help me?”
Marcia tipped her head back to blink up at him, confusion in her blue eyes.
This time, he didn’t bother resisting. He dropped a quick kiss to her lips. “Ye are brilliant, Marcia, and I confess I am a mite blindsided—murder, it never occurred to me! But I’ll do anything to protect Allie. Will ye help me figure out who is behind this? Help me figure out how to keep her safe?”
As she studied him, Hawk realized he was holding his breath.
