Free Lady Lissa's Liaison by Lindsay Randall

hands clasped with his over the end of the long pole.
    "A—allow me to aid you," Lissa murmured, embarrassed by how easily she'd dared to touch him.
    Wylde said nothing, but she felt the deep heat of his gaze.
    In the next instant, however, all the nervousness of touching him vanished as the huge trout flipped up and out of the water, struggling against the hook that had caught it.
    Both Lissa and Wylde held fast to the pole, and together the two of them brought the trout toward them. They beached it on the gravel, bending down side by side as they peered down at the trout's body.
    The fish was beautiful. It was spotted with reddish gold and blue spots... and it was huge—but not nearly as huge as the dark trout that had swallowed Lissa's locket.
    "It isn't the one," Lissa lamented, despair in her voice.
    "No," Wylde agreed. "It isn't. It is not as long, not as dark."
    Lissa wanted to cry. "I had so hoped it would be the trout we are after."
    Wylde studied the fish. "It is the largest trout I have ever caught."
    Lissa was unimpressed. She'd seen countless huge trout.
    "But it isn't our trout, "she insisted. She got to her feet. "Take it, if you must. I can see by the look on your face this catch pleases you."
    What she was thinking about were the rumors she'd heard that the Heartless Lord Wylde enjoyed slicing open the neck of any trout he caught. She'd heard that he kept any fish—no matter how big or how small—and immediately butchered it while at the water's edge, enjoying every moment of killing and then gutting it.
    Lissa turned her back to the water, not wanting to watch as his lordship proved truth to the rumors and made fast work of snuffing out the life of the trout.
    She hugged her arms about her waist, taking a deep breath of air, awaiting the sounds of the trout being prepared for a frying pan.
    The ugly sounds never came. Instead, Lissa heard the gentle splashing of water.
    She turned about. Lord Wylde was lowering the trout into the water. With a carefulness that astonished her, he quickly and expertly removed the hook from the trout's lower jaw, taking a moment to run one hand along the smooth belly of the fish as he gently reintroduced it to the river. The trout squirmed. Cradling the creature, he lowered it deeper into the water, and then, with an almost reverent unfolding of his hands, he allowed the trout to break free and swim away.
    He stayed crouched at the water's edge, watching the river long after the fish darted for cover. After a moment, as though sensing Lissa's gaze upon him, he glanced back at her.
    "You look surprised," he said.
    "I—I thought you would keep it."
    Wylde got to his feet. He yanked a handkerchief out of his coat pocket and brusquely wiped the wetness from his hands. "No, what you thought is that I would kill it. Immediately. Without hesitation."
    His bald words slammed into Lissa. She wanted to refute the statement, she truly did. She even opened her mouth to speak, but closed it just as quickly. What he said was the truth, and though Lissa wished to deny that truth, she couldn't—or rather, wouldn't. She was already being deceitful enough with the man in her hopes of utilizing his presence to ward off her many suitors. She would not add more to it.
    "I thought as much," he growled.
    Wylde's gaze moved suddenly to a spot somewhere beyond Lissa. There came an irascible set to that strong jaw of his. "We've company," he muttered, nodding to the thick foliage behind her.
    Lissa turned, spying the brightness of Tilly's bonnet and red curls as the maid clumsily tried to conceal herself and approach the river without being seen.
    "It appears your abigail has gathered her courage and returned to the scene where she left her lady with the likes of whatever kind of beast she believes I am."
    Lissa wanted to throttle Tilly at that very moment. The girl was actually slinking through the thicket!
    Embarrassed, Lissa returned her gaze to Wylde and noted the firm set to his mouth.
    "My