Clockwork Blue (36 page)

After several moments of perusal,
Moore
sighed.
"
I don
'
t know what she sees in you, but I guarantee one thing.
"

"
What
'
s that?
"

"
If anyone can thaw that icy veneer you wear, it will be
Nicola
.
"

"
I
'
m going to draw your
cork!
"
Ramsey growled.

Nicola
halted in Falcon's courtyard
, startled. She peered over a mulberry bush heavy with morning dew and gasped. Not more than a hundred yards away Falcon and Ramsey stood in a clearing near the stables. Windmere Manor loomed large and impressive in the background, but the combative stance of the Earl and Ramsey was what caught her attention. They circled, their arms cocked aggressively. The pungent smell of the dewy grass weighted the morning air, tickling
Nicola
'
s nose. She
'
d hoped to catch Falcon unawares, believing she would see a truer picture of Ramsey
'
s welfare. She was shocked by how hostile the situation truly was.

Ramsey
'
s
expression
was rigid with concentration, but Falcon
'
s quiet power crackled the air. Her cousin was n
o match for him. B
lood pounded in
her ears
.

Ramsey dove for
Malcolm
'
s legs, but
Malcolm
pivoted to one side. As he missed, Falcon pounced, causing Ramsey to slam face-down onto the grass with a bone-jarring thud.

Nicola
'
s heart leapt into her throat. She
rushed
forward.

Ramsey groaned and sat up.
"
Cogs
, Falcon!
"

"
Knocked the air out of you, did I?
"
With a grin,
Malcolm
adjusted his shirt sleeves.

"
How did I give myself away that time? I did it just like you did the other day.
"

Nicola
froze
, confused.

Ramsey frowned in concentration.
"
I didn
'
t lean, did I?
"

"
No. If you hadn
'
t flicked your gaze in the direction you were intending to go, I would have been completely surprised.
"
Malcolm
offered a hand to Ramsey, who was rubbing his shoulder.
"
You
'
re improving.
"

Ramsey accepted his assistance, allowing Falcon to pull him to his feet.
"
Let
'
s have another round. I
'
ll get you this time.
"

How had this happened?
she wondered. How had the two developed this camaraderie? The Falcon had obviously manipulated her vulnerable, young cousin, and that infuriated her. In fact, every
thing about him infuriated her.
His arrogance, the way his
eyes
swept over her—her shiver of excitement from that possessive look.
Yes
, she knew it was her reaction, but the unwanted response was
his
fault.

Calm down
, she told herself. The three-mile walk had caused a dew to form on her temples and upper lips, not to mention her ire upon seeing Falcon wrestling with the closest person she had to a sibling.

"
You
'
ll have a chance later
to pin me
, once your cousin leaves,
"
Falcon answered Ramsey. He glanced in her direction.

She met his stare.
"
Not if I can stop it.
"

"What a ple
asant surprise, Nicola
. Good afternoon."

Before she realized what he intended, Falcon grasped her hand and kissed the back of it. His warm mouth against her skin sent sparks tumbling through her, like the furnace in her father's
dye
house.

Ramsey smiled.
"
When did you get here
? Did you see what Falcon did?
"

"
I saw.
"
She moved away, hoping to escape Falcon
'
s overpowering aura, and clamped down hard on her back teeth to keep from shouting at the ridiculous men, wrestling in such an absurd manner—although if she were truthful,
Malcolm
looked far from absurd. His movements had been sinewy, smooth and natural, and caused her breath to hitch in her chest.

"
Isn
'
t it marvelous the way he fights? He
'
s teaching me how.
"

Unease rippled down her spine. She didn
'
t like the awe she heard in Ramsey
'
s tone.
"
Do you think you should be learning such things? What about your studies?
"

Ramsey snorted.
"
Any method of fighting is beneficial. Some things aren
'
t taught in a book. You should know. You
'
re a fast study yourself.
"

"
What do you mean?
"
She was in no mood to jest.

"
Snaring him in that manner.
"
Ramsey winked at her.
"
You didn
'
t learn what kind of bait to use by perusing books.
"

Nicola
'
s cheeks warmed and she glanced at Falcon. He returned her stare, his
eyes
intent. How could he have won over Ramsey so quickly? Why, just mere days ago, her cousin had loathed the man. Was this camaraderie, this manly roughhousing, such a potent elixir? Had Ramsey missed the presence of a father or an older brother, thus his weakness toward the Earl showing him attention like this?

Ramsey chuckled.
"
I see the way of it now. You
'
ve been enamored of Falcon. No wonder you defended him when I tried to bash his loom. I
'
ll wager you were setting your cap for him even then.
"

Falcon stepped close and, despite everything, she still experienced needles of attraction under
her skin.
"
Who is to say who caught whom?
"

A knowing smile curved
the corners of
Ramsey's lips
.
"
Ah, so it
'
s like that.
"

This whole conversation had gotten out of hand
, she decided.
She scowled at him, angry.
"
I don
'
t like the gleam in your
eye
. Whatever conclusions you have come to are wrong.
"

Although Nicola knew Falcon caressed her cheek for her cousin's benefit, she still felt the gentle touch clear to her soul
.
His eyes gleamed a bright silver in the afternoon sun.
"
Let us just say we each have something the other wants.
"

Ramsey grinned.
"
And I
'
m too much the gentleman to suggest what that may be.
"

"
The problem with you,
"
Nicola
snapped after pulling away from Falcon,
"
is that you simplify situations too much. Just like all men.
"
She glanced at
the man who caused her no end of turmoil
.
"
May I please visit privatel
y with Ramsey for a few moments?"

"
As you wish.
"
With a slightly mocking bow,
Falcoln
left the
m
. She suspected he knew just what she was going to discuss with Ramsey, and that he was confident enough to allow it to happen.
As she watched him
saunter toward the nearby gardens, a cat jumped out of wisteria bush. It rubbed against Falcon's trousers before he gently picked it up. His long fingers rubbed the tawny-colored fur, causing the cat to arch and push its head against his hand.
Oh, how
she wished they had met under different circumstances.

"
You
'
ve got it bad, cousin.
"

Ramsey's comment brought her back to her untenable situation
.
"
So do you.
What happened to the Ramsey who thought the Earl despicable?
I came to make plans to get you out of here, only to find you and Falcon cavorting like long-lost friends.
"