Free To Kiss in the Shadows by Lynn Kurland

a woman holds most dear?”
    â€œI could have caught the pox from you and done that,” Maud snapped.
    â€œAye, but that would have been over and done with in a handful of weeks,” Lianna said, leaning down close to Maud’s ear. “I daresay my lord could find a way to ruin your visage over the course of months, leaving you ample time to mourn your loss.” She looked at Jason. “Your thoughts, my lord?”
    He lifted his eyebrows. “It could be done. And there could be a great amount of pain with it. Would that please you, my lady?”
    Lianna paused, as if she considered, then she straightened and shrugged. “Why trouble yourself? Life will do it to her in time anyway. A woman cannot be so ugly on the inside and not have it seep out eventually. What think you?”
    What he thought was that she was the most amazing woman he had ever met and he would be damned lucky if he could ever call her his.
    Something he was finding he wanted very much indeed.
    And then Maud moved.
    Jason was on his feet, across the chamber, and standing between Maud and Lianna before Maud could get to her feet and whirl around to slap Lianna. Jason stared at Maud’s upraised hand.
    â€œLianna,” he said, “quit the chamber. I’ll fetch your things and follow you.”
    He held Maud’s gaze in the same way he’d held countless opponents, waiting for a twitch in her face or a blink of her eye that would signal her intent to strike first.
    She dropped her hand, huffed disdainfully, then spun back around and flung herself down into her chair. Jason waited until Lianna was standing outside the door before he fetched her little trunk, then walked to the door himself. He looked back at the women seated there, then held each of their gazes in turn.
    â€œI sincerely hope,” he said quietly, “that you all reap the rewards of what you’ve sown.”
    And with that, he left the chamber and closed the door behind him.
    Lianna was waiting for him, trembling. He smiled down at her.
    â€œYou were extraordinary,” he said. “And I’m very sorry about your gear.”
    She laughed, a choked sound that seemed to go quite well with the tears coursing down her cheeks.
    â€œAye, well, when compared to the pox or poison, this seems a small thing.” She paused. “I am glad you were there.”
    â€œYou just wanted me for my foul reputation.”
    â€œIt seemed a pity not to make use of it.”
    â€œI daresay there is more to you than meets the eye.”
    He was just giving thought to how he might go about discovering what that more was when he looked up and saw the very last person he wanted to see at present. He cursed under his breath. Kendrick’s ability to ruin any and all of Jason’s attempts at wooing a woman was nothing short of uncanny. Did his father have a hand in this as well? Jason glared at his brother.
    â€œWhat do you want?”
    Kendrick blinked innocently. “What mean you?”
    â€œWe’re busy, as you can see. Be off with you.”
    Kendrick looked at him assessingly, as if he knew what Jason was planning.
    â€œI thought,” Kendrick said slowly, as if he considered something of deep import, “that you had business to be about. Crusading or some such rot.”
    Jason sensed Lianna looking up at him. He wondered what she would think if he took his fist and planted it solidly in his brother’s mouth to stop any more witless words. At least he could do so now and have it accomplish something. He remembered vividly all the years he’d wanted to but couldn’t.
    â€œI’ve changed my mind,” Jason growled.
    â€œAh,” Kendrick said wisely. “You found something, well, here to change your mind, hmmm?”
    â€œShut up,” Jason said. “Before you force me to see to that for you.”
    Kendrick looked as if he planned to say something else. Jason brushed past him, nodding to