Once Upon a Diamond (14 page)

“Come to think of it
–
” he said as he glanced at his shin then back up at her.
A handsome smile broke across his face. Kate felt it hard to breathe. “It seems
to me that I’ve been kicked there once before.”

Kate’s mouth dropped open. He knew her now.

His expression instantly turned into a cocky grin at the
sight of her reaction. His boots kicked the dirt with each determined step. “Indeed,
it seems to me that I paid dearly because I listened to a little hoyden’s tears
about ten years ago.”  

 His cool green eyes slowly fanned her body as he
continued speaking. “She was dressed in pink fluff, rather like you are now. She
had your eyes as well. Two huge, big, beautiful pools of brown that could drown
a man. So beguiling in fact...” He took another step and gently took hold of
her arms. “They took my mind off the fact the little girl had taken a horse
without
permission
.”  

He gazed back at Killer, then back to her. “A simple
coincidence?”

Feeling her blood pumping, Kate took in the sight of her
stallion, gauging the distance, as if it were ten years ago all over again. Oh,
he knew her all right. He recognized her as the little witch who had almost
killed him. Or at least his pride.

He tightened his grip on her elbow, gently but firmly. “Don’t
even try it my dear, sweet Katherine. It is Katherine, is it not?” 

Kate awkwardly cleared her throat, but he didn’t wait
for her reply. “You won’t fool me this time with your tears, my dear. You see,
my heart has been trained not to listen.” He glanced at the lake and flashed
her a set of gleaming white teeth set into a sadistic smile.

Kate winced and grew more uncomfortable by the minute. “For
heaven’s sake! I was only a child!” She looked at the shimmering water, then
back at him when his intent finally registered in her brain. “Y-you wouldn’t
dare!”

“Wouldn’t I now?” His eyes danced mercilessly. “And to
think, I’ve been waiting ten years for this.”

Kate’s heart slammed into her ribs. He had haunted her
dreams, but she’d never imagined his powerful frame as he was now, holding her,
binding her to him as if she were a part of him. “You’re daft!”

“Daft?” He laughed, abruptly dropping his hold on her
and taking off his coat. “My dear Katherine, I’m a patient man, but ten years?”
He shook his head. “Well, that is a long time for any man, or any boy for that
matter.”

“W-what are you going to do?” 

He met her wary gaze and sent her another wicked smile. “You
have to learn a lesson some time.”   

She backed away and skirted the boulder, reaching the
edge of the lake. She needed time to think of a plan. “Don’t you dare touch
me.”

He gestured to Devin’s horse, ignoring her command. “It’s
my belief that you took that black stallion without permission.”

“You have no right to tell me what to do. It’s not your
horse!”

His emerald eyes glinted with rage. “You could have been
killed!”

Now was not a time to back down, she thought. “What do
you care anyway?”

He jerked his hand, pointing to the ground. “This is my
land. You’re a relative of the Duke of Ridgewater. I better have a care.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “But I thought
–
”

“You thought wrong, sweetheart,” he ground out. “I won’t
have anyone dying on my land and that includes a foolish American like you. Therefore,
you will take the punishment.”

The fury inside her almost smothered her. “Foolish?” She
threw her hands to her hips. “Who do you think you’re calling foolish? I’ll
have you know my uncle will hear of your unseemly outburst and your
–
” She glanced at the lake behind her, then back at him, “Y-your
unseemly thoughts!” That should at least make him think about it. She hoped.

“Uncle?” he laughed. “That same uncle who would agree
with me when he discovered his niece had risked her life for a ride on some
killer horse.” 

“Killer horse?” she snapped in disgust. “You’re insane.” 

She turned to leave, but he didn’t waste any time. In
two quick strides he was beside her, wrapping a strong hand around her waist. Uttering
an oath, he threw her kicking body over his shoulder. The air rushed out of her
in a gigantic whoosh.

When she caught her breath, she froze at the sound of
boots splashing. “You wouldn’t?”

He slid her body down his, cradling her in his arms, not
letting her feet touch the water – yet. “Oh, wouldn’t I?” 

Emerald eyes locked with hers, and she couldn’t deny the
spark that ignited between them. She felt her cheeks surge with color. His
breath was warm upon her face. The next moment he crushed her to him, pressing
his lips to hers.     

She was shocked and delighted all at once. She kissed
him back, his firm mouth commanding a response. When he finally pulled his face
away, he paused and eyed her with a strange expression. A second later, her
body hit the icy lake with a plop.

“That shall teach you to ride a horse that could break
your pretty neck,” he said, laughing.

Kate coughed and spit out a handful of water, aghast at
the way she had been treated. “You pompous windbag! Is that what I get for
almost saving your life?”

His eyes widened in shock. “What?” He leaned over to get
a better look at her.

Kate glared back at him.

“K-Kate?”

“Kate? Kate?” she mimicked and stomped out of the lake,
her outfit, clinging to her womanly form like a second skin. “You heard me
correctly, P.W.!”

“Kate?” he asked. “Blast it all.” His eyes darkened as
he glanced over her wet clothes and what lay beneath them. “You look...totally
different. If I had known it was you
–
”

He came toward her, his hands raised to ward off her
attack.

She whacked them aside. Water went flying in all
directions. “You, sir, are no gentleman.”  The sound of hooves hitting the
ground pulled their attention to the trees.

“Devin,” Tristan said. “Blast and double blast.”

Devin rode like a maniac, his cheeks red, his face grim.
His breathing was labored as he dismounted from his tired horse.

“Dash it all, Katherine. You gave me a fright.” His facial
expression flashed concern over her wet clothes and noticeable form. His angry
gaze shifted accusingly toward the towering earl. “What the hell happened?” 

Tristan took a step toward his friend, but before he could
explain, Kate interrupted. “I fell in the lake,” she said swiftly.

She didn’t want to start trouble, and she certainly wouldn’t
tell the Earl of Lancewood that she enjoyed him holding her. No, never would
she admit that she’d felt a warm tingling in her belly when he had whispered in
her ear and crushed his lips against hers.

Devin scowled, turning his angry gaze back to Kate. “You
should never have ridden that horse!”

Kate folded her arms across her chest, tapping her toes.
“
What
are you talking about?"  

Tristan stared back at Devin with an amused expression. Devin
glared at his friend and clenched his fists. “Killer over there.” Hovering
above Kate, he tipped his head toward the stallion. “You rode him? Do you have
any notion why I call him Killer?”

Well, this was too much! Kate was not about to be
flogged like a naughty puppy. Her brows narrowed as she held her breath. Then
she exhaled and inhaled deeply, trying to control her anger. Her nose lifted
about an inch.

“Ah, cousin, I did not know his name. Had I known his
name, I do not think the animal would have let me call him that, and thus, I
would not be here, would I?"

There was a pause, and Devin looked utterly confused. “What
the devil are you talking about?”

“She has a point there,” Tristan said, his eyes
twinkling.

Devin glowered at the earl. “Ah, I see that you have
already met my cousin, Miss Wilcox?"

Tristan’s gaze crinkled with delight as he glanced at
Kate, gently raising her wet hand to his lips. She yanked it back, but not
before he kissed it, sending a warmth of pleasure down her arm. “Indeed, we’ve
met before.”  

“That’s enough,” Devin snapped.

“We met in this same place about ten years ago, did we
not?” Tristan asked, his green eyes dancing with amusement.

Kate glared at him. She shivered as water dripped down
her face. Was Tristan going to divulge to Devin her secret about staying at the
inn? Good grief, she might be married to the pompous earl if that happened. She
may have liked his kisses, but, well, she would only marry someone who loved
her and that was that.

“I’ll retrieve Killer,” Devin said curtly. “Wait here.”

Lowering his voice, Tristan leaned toward Kate. “You
deserved that little dip, even if you did save my hide at that inn. After
leading me on, I have a mind to give you another cool bath.”

Kate’s eyes narrowed. “Try it, your lordship, and I
shall scream until the entire countryside comes to my aid.”

Tristan raised his finger and flicked a string of wet
hair from her eyes. “Try that, sweetheart, and we may be wed by tomorrow. A
scandal, you know. Come to think of it, if anyone knew of your little escapade
at the inn, traveling alone and being with me...” He tapped his finger to his
chin, “Who knows what circumstances may develop?”

Kate’s eyes widened. He was blackmailing her. “You
wouldn’t dare?”

“You tried those words once before on me, sweetheart,
don’t ever try them again or you might get more than you bargained for. A
wedding would be just what you need to settle you down. Not that I’m
interested, mind you.” He gave her a saucy wink.

Kate stomped her bare feet. He raised a flirtatious brow
as he glanced downward. She scowled. But before she could say another word, her
cousin swiftly moved in and pulled them apart. Devin gripped Kate’s elbow in a
protective hold and skirted her around Tristan, shooting his friend an icy
glare.

Devin pointed Kate in the direction of the dappled gray
mare he rode in on. “You may ride that horse back. I’ll retrieve your hat and
flute case.” 

Kate backed up slowly, sensing a war beginning to brew. She
had seen this side of Devin before. He didn’t take insubordination lightly.

The man was rather like Matthew, she thought glumly as
she noted the vein in Devin’s neck pulsing while he walked toward the water to
collect her belongings. That was always a dangerous sign with Matthew, and she
knew she had to withdraw quietly.

“Tristan, I need a little help over here!” Devin’s tone
was more of a reprimand than a call for help.

Tristan took a final glimpse of Kate’s ankles and walked
toward Devin. Kate gave the conceited earl a glare that could freeze water. The
man had the gall to wink at her.

“Glad to help, Devin.” With a teasing smile, the earl
jerked the stockings and boots from his friend’s hands.

Grimacing, Devin clutched his cousin’s hat and flute,
pulling Killer behind him.

Tristan rested his hand on Devin’s shoulder. “What do
you think? Should I help your cousin put her stockings and boots on as well?” 

Devin’s face turned red. With Kate out of hearing
distance, his finger thumped against Tristan’s chest. “I’m willing to guess
that it wasn’t the horse that threw her in that lake. And it doesn’t take an
idiot to figure out what was going on here. You’re wet up to your knees. You
may be my friend, but this time, there’s no flip of the coin. Understand? She’s
not my cousin by blood. Which wouldn’t matter to most, but to me it does. She’s
mine."

Tristan glanced back at Kate, his brows creasing into a
frown. “You fool yourself,
friend
. I always get what I want.”

“Oh,
do tell?” Devin said with indignation. “What about that blasted diamond? Or are
you as daft as your father?”

Tristan snatched hold of Devin’s shirt. “
That
was
uncalled for.”

Devin whipped Tristan’s hand away, and the fighting
began.

The sound of tearing cloth turned Kate from her own
plans.

“Stop it!” She ran and threw herself into the battling
men. “Stop it, you two!” 

An unintentional hit to her shoulder sent her flying to
the ground. Both men stopped instantly, shirts torn, blood dripping from their
faces, their mouths dropping open in shock.

Kate rubbed her backside with the palm of her hand and
stood. England was becoming a nightmare. In unison, the men moved to comfort
her.

“I’m quite all right. Go wash yourselves up in the
lake,” she commanded, pointing to the edge of the water. “You both look
dreadful. Acting like ruffians! I can’t believe you two!”

 Wordlessly, like obedient children, the gentlemen moved
toward the water. Kate played on their guilt. A true Englishman never hit a
woman, but she didn’t give them time to apologize, not those two scatterbrains.
She had her plans set in motion and nothing was going to stop her.