Page 60 of Her Magnificent Mistake
Marcia hid her smile as Hawk scrubbed a hand down his face.
“I’m no’ worried about hervirtue—och, I am. I’m justmoreworried about her neck. Herlife.”
“That is why I’m learning suffrajitsu!” Allison struck a pose Marcia supposed she thought made her look tough. It made her look adorable.
“Aye, that’s what I’m afraid of,” Hawk muttered. Then, louder, he beckoned them toward the door. “We’ll all go visit Bull. Together. Dinnae leave each other’s sight, for even a moment.”
He waited until a confused Allison and Rupert began to move toward the door, then sidled along beside them, glancing in all the corners, his brow furrowed and his expression dark.
“And what about me, milord?” called out McGillicuddy.
“Mend yer pillows!” snapped Hawk as they reached the door.
Hawk decided he needed to go first, to make sure the corridor was clear, so he darted ahead, but this only resulted in him and Allison trying to squeeze through the frame at the same time.
Rupert leaped forward to assist but only managed to get himself similarly wedged, and Marcia had to physically cover her mouth to hold in her laughter.
One gentle pushing match later, and Hawk stumbled into the corridor before dropping into a ridiculous crouch, as if holding himself ready for an attack. Allie almost tripped over him. Rupert did.
Marcia couldn’t stop the giggle from slipping out.
She slid up next to Hawk and wrapped her arm around his waist. When he glanced down, she squeezed him and offered a small smile. “Everything will be fine, Hawk.”
“I cannae lose her,” he whispered.
“You will not,” Marcia vowed. “I swear it.”
Hawk paused at the door to the blue guest suite, fist raised to knock. There were raised voices behind it—well, one voice. A woman, who was haranguing someone else to drink water. A quiet murmur followed…and then Marcia reached around him to pound on the door.
“Open up!”
With his heart hammering in his chest, he waited for Bull’s quiet, “Come in.” When it came, it was quieter than he had expected. Hawk pushed open the door, intending to check the room for threats before he allowed his niece inside, but once the door swung open, he was struck still.
Because there was his best friend, sitting in the chair in the shadows, the bandage stark white against his normally coiffed auburn hair with the maid frowning down at him. Bull might have been an invalid, but he was fully dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, neatly shaved, and looking so at home that Hawk suddenly became keenly aware of his scuffed boots, rolled-up sleeves, and throbbing thumb.
Perhaps he should have wiped the sawdust from his arse at least…
“Hello, Hawk,” Bull murmured, as if he hadn’t rushed off to protect his sister and received a bashed-in head.
He tried to rasp, “Hello,” but guilt had apparently lodged in his throat.
Perhaps Hawk would have managed to get his voice to work, had Allie not poked him between the shoulder blades, nudging him sharply into the room. “Is itsafe, Uncle Maxwell? Are the boogiemen waiting to snatch me up?”
“Come in, come in.” Bull beckoned them, only the slightest tightening around his lips betraying the pain the motion caused. “We are safe in here. Miss Allison, you are looking…”
“Delightful,” muttered Smithy-Smith-Smythe, nudging Bull when he trailed off. “You are supposed to compliment her.”
Without dropping his charming grin, Bull said to the maid, “Why would I? She looks as if she’s gone ten rounds with my sister—and done well.”
“Hello, Bull,” Allie announced, slipping past Hawk and pulling Rupert with her. “Rupert was teaching me how to pin a man down.”
Marcia grinned as Hawk, beside her, choked.
“Och, aye.” His guest’s smile turned more natural, Bull settled back into the upholstered chair. “Marcia used to practice that on me.” He winced theatrically and rubbed at his knee. “I still ache at times. A man’s spine is never the same.”
“Huzzah,” muttered Rupert. “I have that to look forward to.”
Marcia nudged him. “Anything for love, eh?” and her younger brother turned bright red.
