Free Kay Springsteen by Something Like a Lady

pulling him impossibly closer. His heart skipped a beat. Was she planning to kiss him ?
    Green eyes flashed. “ Do not ever touch me again. ”
    He couldn ’ t take his eye s off those pretty pouty lips as she spoke. Not much likelihood I ’ ll follow that directive. His heart squeezed against his lungs as little darts of excitement raced through him to settle with fluttering heat in his middle. That smear of blackberry beckoned . Jon touched the tip of his tongue to his upper lip.
    “ You overbearing lout! ” Grunting, she gave him a mighty shove.
    Locking his knees, Jon stood his ground. Only the table behind her kept Annabella from tumbling backward with the force of her effort. She blinked with surprise as she caught herself, and Jon allowed himself a smile of victory.
    Annabella drew in a long breath. “ You inglorious, depraved buffoon! ”
    Jon ’ s smile stretched into a grin.
    The door slammed shut with a deafening bang. Both of them jumped and Jon spun around.
    “ What — who was that? Who was there? ” Her face had gone the color of ash. She pulled her elbows tightly against her waist as though trying to shrink inside of herself.
    Jon stared at the door. Had someone been there? A movement – no more than a faint shadow – passed the window. Frowning, Jon stepped around Annabella, strode to the door with four brisk steps, and yanked it open.
    The wind whipped at the leaves on the elm tree across the yard, causing them to spin on their stems. The shrubbery near the door rustled and the long grass near the stone fence bent over and touched the ground. A strong gust tugged at the door in his hand.
    No movement, no one in the yard, nothing amiss.
    “ Well? ” Panic lent an edge to Annabella ’ s voice. “ Is someone out there? ”
    Jon stepped back into the shelter of the cottage and shut the door, taking care to secure the latch before he turned around. “ It ’ s the wind. Quite a storm blowing up. ”
    But nothing he ’ d seen in the yard might have chased a shadow across the window.
    Annabella seemed to relax by inches, letting out a slow breath, then dropping her arms to her sides and allowing her shoulders to sag.
    Was the girl in some sort of trouble? She seemed oblivious to him as he watched her. And her hand trembled when she lifted it to brush her hair from her face. She stared at it for a moment then shook her head and laced her fingers together. Her eyes slid to the side , definitely looking at something.
    His gaze followed hers. A flat wooden box stood beneath one of the worktables across the room, shoved tightly against the wall. The coat of arms emblazoned across the top might have been Wyndham ’ s, but it was hard to discern. In any case, it had been some time since Jon had seen Grey ’ s family crest. He barely remembered his own family ’ s coat of arms.
    What was in the box? Was she absconding with the family silver, perhaps? The thought of Annabella sneaking around and pilfering bits and pieces of a fortune she couldn ’ t possibly have need of was just ludicrous enough that it lifted Jon ’ s mood.
    The wind howled against the eaves outside and the glass in the window rattled.
    Giving a little jerk, Annabella glared at the panes and straightened her shoulders . But the spirited hoyden had disappeared. Quite s uddenly , he missed her.
    She turned from the window. “ Kindly stop staring at me! ” Her forehead pulled together into a frown. “ And why must your face always be contorted in that insufferable grin? ”
    Ah, there she was. With deliberate intent, he met her eyes and widened his grin. “ Why must you always wear that dark scowl? It rather makes you look like a troll. Perhaps you should consider hiding under a bridge, waiting for some poor unsuspecting chap to happen by. ”
    Deep rose rushed into her cheeks and she narrowed her eyes to near slits. “ Have you need of something from the kitchen? ”
    “ Not anymore. ” Jon retrieved his hat then reached into the