Free My Heart's Desire by Jo Goodman Page B

sprinted around the back of the house, sliding on the wet lawn as he rounded the corner, and kept going until he reached the side opposite Rennie's room. Enough light from street lamps reached the side yard for Jarret to pick up her trail almost immediately. He followed her steps in the crushed and matted grass straight to the side gate. The gate still swung loosely on its hinges, so he knew he wasn't far behind. He picked up her trail again on the other side of the neighbor's flagstone walk where Rennie tramped through their lawn. Over stone walls, through gardens and hedges, even over a little footbridge built to accent a neighbor's pond, Jarret traced the path of Rennie's escape.
    In the alleys behind the brownstone mansions, cats jumped out of the way as the chase quickened. In the stables at the rear, horses snorted and shifted nervously in their stalls. One stray dog alerted his chained friends, and the resulting cacophony had sleepy servants stumbling outside to scold them all and shoo the stray. The neighborhood was waking up, and dawn had yet to make its presence felt.
    Rennie raised her skirts and clambered over the fence between the Marshalls' and the Stewarts'. Her gown caught in the decorative but dangerous iron spikes. She pulled hard, ripping her dress, but not enough to free herself. It was where Jarret found her.
    He leaned against the fence, catching his breath, grateful for the chance to do so. When Rennie yanked on her gown again he merely reached through the fence, grabbed a handful of material and held on. Running had made his voice husky. "Don't try my patience any more than you already have," he said.
    Rennie gulped for breath herself. "Are you threatening me?"
    "Yes." Jarret was pleased to find that shut her up. He climbed the fence and dropped down lightly beside her. "I'm unhooking you, and then we're going right back to the house. There will be no running attempts on the way because I'll carry you if I have to. If you're so all fire anxious to see that Banks fellow, then I'll arrange it tomorrow. I don't believe it's escaped your notice, though, that he hasn't exactly been beating down the door to see you."
    "Don't talk about him! You have no right!"
    Jarret shrugged. He freed her gown, expecting no thanks and getting none. "Let's go. I'm tired even if you're not."
    The voice that came out of the darkness was deep and clear and demanding. "What the hell is going on here?"
    Jarret stepped protectively in front of Rennie. He dropped his hand casually to his holster only to realize he wasn't wearing one. At least he knew the man wasn't Nathaniel Houston. There would have been no time to consider going for his gun.
    "Michael? Is that you?" The speaker moved from the deep shadows of the back porch to the lawn. He lowered the Colt .45 he was carrying as he neared the couple.
    Rennie stepped out from behind Jarret. "It's Mary Renee, Mr. Marshall. Michael's sister."
    Logan Marshall slipped his gun into the waistband of his trousers. The tails of his nightshirt were bunched there as well. "Rennie? My God, it's been a while, hasn't it? You and your sister are still a matched pair." His eyes dropped to her flat abdomen. "Well, perhaps not so much at the moment." He caught her embarrassed glance again. "Is this something you want to tell me about or should I pretend I'm having a very strange dream?"
    Rennie peered sideways at Jarret. He didn't even have the grace to look abashed. He was standing in Logan Marshall's yard wearing nothing but a pair of faded jeans and looking for all the world as if he had every right to be there. Rennie's deep green eyes were imploring. "I think we'd all do better to say we've been dreaming."
    Jarret smirked.
    Logan caught Jarret's derisive smile, then looked at Rennie again. "Are you all right?"
    She nodded. "Yes. I'm fine. I may have acted a bit precipitously tonight."
    Logan raked his copper-threaded hair with his fingers. He knew Rennie's explanation wasn't meant for him but