Free Capturing Sir Dunnicliffe (The Star Elite Series) by Rebecca King Page B

he spoke. The black pebbles of his eyes were staring relentlessly at her. “He is injured, and I wanted to check he is all right.”
    Harriett’s eyes met his and she raised her brows in feigned surprise. There was a lilt to his voice that warned her that he had to work hard at an English accent. “I am sorry sir, but I don’t know who your friend might be. I have not seen any strangers in the area recently, except yourself,” she added pointedly, trying to keep her tone polite yet dismissive.
    “He is my friend , Harriett. I am worried about him,” the man replied softly.
    The hint of threat in his voice irked her. She knew by his revelation that he had been asking around the village and now knew her name, but why had he asked about her? Had he followed Hugo to her house?
    “Then I suggest you go and look for your friend, ” Harriett replied crisply. “If you will excuse me.” She was about to turn away when her arm was captured in a cruel grip, halting her movement. Turning abruptly, she scowled at her ‘guest’ and was about speak when a new arrival interrupted her.
    “Harriett, are you al l right?”
    Harriett had never been so glad to see Simon in her life. There was something about the man before her that was inherently evil; she could sense the danger practically shimmering around him. It unnerved her.
    “This man is looking for his friend,” Harriett replied, shooting her father a silent look of pleading as she wrenched her arm out of the fierce grip. “He is just leaving.” Her tone dropped several notches and she shot the small, wiry man beside her a fierce look of contempt as she stalked past to stand beside Simon.
    Her father s tood beside her, tall and broad-shouldered. He had aged well, and despite some slight greying at his temples, which gave him a debonair look of aristocratic good health, he was very fit and agile for someone of his age. For once, Harriett was glad he was beside her.
    Together they stared at the other man.
    “I won’t stop you , then,” Simon said, his voice dropping to menacing tones as he stared challengingly at the man who had been threatening his daughter.
    Harriett didn’t know it, but he would protect her with his life, and he was outraged that anyone had felt at liberty to lay hands on her. He drew himself up to his full height and dropped his hand to the heavy pistol resting on his hip, a movement not lost on Harriett’s visitor, who, with a wry twist of his lips, bowed almost mockingly at them both. It wasn’t the soft bow of politeness, it was a crisp, brief bow accompanied by an instinctive click of heels that came naturally – and confirmed he was indeed foreign. The man seemed to realise his faux pas, and seemed to make the decision to leave.
    “Please give him my regards,” the man murmured to Harriett as his eyes met and held hers threateningly.
    “I have no idea what you are talking about,” Harriett snapped, refusing to be threatened by him. “Now please leave.” She didn’t miss the lingering look the man gave the horse, before he flicked a dismissive glance at her. “Tell him, I’ll be waiting,” the man said as he ambled past.
    Neither Harriett nor Simon moved. They watched and waited as the man sauntered casually out of the small garden and disappeared around the side of the house. Harriett took a breath to thank Simon for his efforts, only for Simon to grab her wrist gently. The shake of his head so small that, if she hadn’t been looking at him, she would have missed it.
    They wa lked over to the horse and stood beside the fence for several moments. Harriett was aware that although he was standing in a seemingly casual pose, Simon was anything but. She could feel the tension thrumming through him as his eyes scoured the surrounding area for any sign of their visitor. Although the small, wiry man had disappeared around the side of her cottage, that didn’t mean he had left the area.
    At that moment, Simon reminded her so much of Hugo