The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride (11 page)

“Yes, but you rarely leave the house anyway.”

“We’re vampires. It’s unnatural for us to be outside when the sun’s up.”

Hugh laughed. “We’re vampires. Being vampires is unnatural.”

Sebastian topped off his whiskey. “Speaking of, how’s the formula coming?”

“I thought I’d had a breakthrough, but the last batch only held out for five minutes.” A little of his blood mixed with the formula, then set beneath UV lamps. Same test. Same miserable results.

“And then?” Sebastian quirked a brow in interest.

“Up in flames.”

Sebastian made a face. “Damn shame.”

“I am getting closer, though. The one before that only went thirty seconds.”

Sebastian straightened the pencil on his desk so it was perfectly parallel to the ledger page. “We need that formula. I love Didi, but she uses those amulets against us too often. And I’d like to travel.”

“Leave your house? I’m aghast.” Hugh smirked. “Where do you want to go?”

“Europe. Asia. Anywhere that isn’t part of Didi’s domain.”

“You want to look for Evangeline.”

Sebastian changed the subject. “About this woman…do you have feelings for her?”

“It’s too soon to call whatever’s happening feelings, but she definitely affects me.”

“That’s too bad. Sounds like it might be too late for you to stop the natural order of things then.”

“Natural order?”

“You fall in love, she breaks your heart, you suffer.” His brother capped the whiskey bottle. “But if you’re not going to give Didi the amulet back, you’ve got no choice but to go along with it and at least make a decent show of things.”

Hugh stood. “That’s what I was afraid you’d say. Bloody lot of good you are.”

“Just don’t marry her.” Sebastian turned back toward the windows. “That’s when the hell really begins.”

Delaney didn’t wait for Stanhill to open her door. She jumped into the car as soon as he came to a stop.

He twisted to face her. Something unspoken clouded his gaze. “How did it go?”

She stared at the enormous manor house she’d just left. “It was…interesting.” She met his eyes. “Mrs. Ellingham is a woman with a very clear idea of how things should go, isn’t she?”

He nodded. “Yes. And it’s almost always in her direction.”

Delaney laughed softly. “I’m glad it’s over.” She looked closer at him. “Is everything okay?”

He hesitated. “Why do you ask?”

“You seem not quite yourself.”

“Everything’s fine. Let’s go home, shall we?” He turned around and threw the car into drive without waiting for her answer.

He was quiet the rest of the way home, so she used the time to check news on her phone. Still no mention of a body, but there were more texts from Russell and Samantha, both asking where she was and if she was okay.

Delaney deleted both messages.

When they got back to the house, Stanhill unlocked the side door that went through a mudroom and into the kitchen. He waited for her to enter then shut and locked the door behind her.

Weird, but not that weird. “Is Hugh home?”

“No, he’s at his brother’s.” Stanhill leaned against the granite counter top. “We need to talk.”

She’d been headed upstairs, but his words stopped her. “We do?”

He nodded, pulled out his phone and turned it around so she could see the screen. “Who’s D. James?”

His caller ID had shown her real name when she’d called to be picked up. Fear dried out her mouth and turned her tongue to dust. “I can explain…” She could. If she didn’t lie. And she was so tired of lying.

“I’m waiting.” The slightly scary gleam in his eyes strengthened her resolve

She pulled out a chair and sat at the kitchen table. Just in case her nerves caused her knees to buckle. “I’m D. James. Delaney, actually.”

She took a deep breath, but already the act of coming clean was easing her mind. Whatever the consequences, she’d face them. She explained everything—about the shooting, about stealing the file, about hiding out from her mobbed-up boss.

Stanhill’s face remained virtually unchanged through her story. He was clearly angry. And protective of Hugh. When she was finished, he nodded. Then, after what felt like an hour but was probably four or five seconds, he said, “I see.”

The two words sounded like a death sentence. She stood, unable to make eye contact. “I’ll go pack my things.”

“Why?”

She looked at him. “Aren’t you going to tell me to leave?”

He shook his head slowly. “No.” He came over and sat at the table. “What you did, you did out of self-preservation, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Can’t fault that.”

She sat back down. “You can’t?”

“Your boss sounds like a dangerous man.”

“I had no idea until I saw him with that gun.”

“And you’re not here to hurt Hugh in any way, are you?”

Her brows pulled together. “Not at all. I swear it.”

“What else do you know about him?”

Was this a test? “He’s wealthy. Guarded. And a little secretive. But I guess a lot of wealthy people are like that.”

Something worked through Stanhill’s brain. She could see it in his eyes. “Then I see no reason why you can’t stay.”

Her mouth came open a bit. “Really?”

Stanhill nodded. “Between us, for all Hugh’s blathering about this arrangement, I think he quite enjoys your company.”

“I’m not sure he’ll still feel that way after he finds out I’ve been lying to him.” She traced the grain of the wood table. “I’ll tell him tonight at dinner. At least we’ll be in public. That should keep the scene-making to a minimum.”

“Why don’t you hold off on filling him in?”

She stared at Stanhill. “Do you think that’s the best idea?” She wasn’t sure what surprised her more—Stanhill’s willingness to collude with her or his desire to keep his employer in the dark.

“I know Hugh very well. If he’s not in the right mood for this kind of news, it could go badly. And you don’t want to ruin your dinner. Or mine. I’ve got a date tonight myself.” Stanhill patted her hand. “When he’s in a good mood, we’ll tell him together.”

She couldn’t argue that Stanhill knew Hugh better than she did. And she liked that he didn’t want to keep the news from Hugh indefinitely. “Why are you doing this for me?”

He smiled. “I like you. You’re in a spot of trouble that’s not of your own doing, and you make Hugh happy. I’d surmise he makes you happy as well, yes?”

She relaxed. “He’s not bad company. Not at all.”

“I’d hate to see either of you miss out on a chance for something more all because of a little misunderstanding.”

Lying about who she was seemed like more than a little misunderstanding. “I should go get dressed for dinner.” She stood but didn’t leave the kitchen. “You know I’m not here looking for a husband in any way, shape, or form.”

“I know.” He got to his feet. “Funny what you find when you least expect it.”

Hugh shut the door behind him harder than necessary as he entered the house. His conversation with Sebastian had done nothing to better his mood or help him make a decision. So far he had Stanhill for and Sebastian against. Talking to Julian and his grandmother would only add another check in each column. The decision about pursuing Annabelle was firmly in his court.

Maybe he was worrying about nothing. Maybe they’d have a dreadful evening and that would be that. Or maybe his grandmother had filled Annabelle’s head with the kinds of promises and ideas that changed a woman’s mind and turned her into a marriage-hungry maniac. Hugh leaned against the door and closed his eyes.

All he wanted to do was kiss Annabelle some more. But he also didn’t want to lead her on. Did that make him just like Julian? He groaned.

“Something wrong?”

Hugh opened his eyes. Stanhill stood at the entrance of the foyer. Hugh frowned. “I don’t know. What happened with Annabelle and Didi?”

Stanhill shrugged. “Not much of anything that I’m aware of.”

“Where is she?”

“At her own estate, I’d imagine.”

Hugh growled softly. The twinkle in Stanhill’s eyes said the man knew exactly what Hugh had meant. “Annabelle, not my grandmother.”

“Take your mood out on someone else. I’m your rook, not your servant.” Stanhill frowned at him.

“A decision I regret daily.” He could give as good as he got. “Did she come home from Didi’s talking marriage?”

“No. More about how your grandmother seemed like a woman who enjoyed getting her way.”

“That’s an accurate assessment.” Maybe Annabelle had kept her head about her. “Where did you say she is?”

“I didn’t, but she’s upstairs. Getting ready for the dinner you promised her.”

Hugh ground his back teeth for a second. “Blast it. I completely forgot about making reservations.” With the Panic Parade this weekend, the town was crowded. And it was Friday night. The restaurants, at least the good ones, might be tricky to get into. “Any chance you made some for me?”

“No. And I’m off to the movies with Corette.” He waggled his brows. “Now there’s a fine woman.”

“She’s got three girls. That’s a lot of responsibility.”

Stanhill rolled his eyes. “Her daughters are twenty-eight, twenty-nine and thirty. It’s not like Corette’s trying to find them a new daddy.”

“She’s also a witch. Literally. They all are. That doesn’t bother you?” He wasn’t especially fond of witches. Not with the way Alice Bishop plotted so willingly with Didi and her schemes.

“I’m not the one beholden to a witch’s magic to keep me from crisping up in the sun’s light, so no, it doesn’t bother me. Corette is a fine, upstanding citizen. And an amply endowed one at that.”

“I don’t need details.”

Stanhill’s brow furrowed. “Have you and Annabelle had any discussion about who you really are?”

“You mean that I’m a vampire? No.”

Stanhill nodded. “I’d suggest you keep it that way. For now.”

“Why?” He’d actually been waiting for Annabelle to broach the subject just to see how eager she was about the whole thing.

Stanhill waved his hand as he walked away. “I don’t really have time to explain, I’ve got woo to pitch.”

Hugh stifled a growl. Love ruined everything. He pulled out his cell phone and started dialing restaurants as he walked upstairs to his room. By the time he’d shut the door, his first two choices were out unless they wanted to eat either five minutes from now or three hours. Sometimes, being an Ellingham didn’t make that much of a difference.

He sat in the big leather reading chair by the fireplace and dialed the third. They had a cancellation. Or they were making a spot for him. Either way, he took the reservation. It only gave them an hour to get there. Hopefully, that would be enough time for Annabelle to get ready. He got up and walked down the hall to her room to let her know.

He paused at the sound of her voice coming through the closed door.

“Who’s a good boy? Cappy is, that’s who.”

Hugh grinned. She was talking to her cat. There was something endearing about that. He knocked. “Annabelle? Our reservation is in less than an hour. Can you be ready in—”