Free His Dark Desires by Jennifer St Giles Page A

kept hidden in the night.
    "Mrs. Boucheron," he whispered, leaning toward me, his sensual mouth parting. I knew he would kiss me, that anyone strolling into the shadows would see, but I couldn't resist the lure of desire.
    Just before his lips touched mine, just as his warm breath mingled with my expectant one, a scream splintered the night.
    "Juliet!"
     

C HAPTER S IX
     
     
    "That's Mignon," I cried, turning toward the river, from where the sound had come.
    "Stay here," Mr. Trevelyan said, pushing me back and rushing toward the yawning black water ahead.
    "No." I ran after him. To the right, in the dark shadows beneath the trees, I heard weeping and the wild thrashing of foliage.
    "Mignon!" Ginette also ran toward the river. Ahead of us, she didn't see Mr. Trevelyan and me until I called to her.
    "Juliet! Mon Dieu ." Ginette stumbled and sank to her knees.
    "What happened?" I said, turning to her. Mr. Trevelyan kept going.
    She pointed to where Mr. Trevelyan was headed. "Mignon and Mr. Davis were standing just there, and this man came out and attacked them. He knocked Mr. Davis down and pulled Mignon toward the river."
    I helped her up. "Where's Mr. Davis?"
    "He got up and raced after the man, threatening to kill him if he didn't release Mignon."
    "I've got her!" Mr. Davis shouted, running up from the river with Mignon cradled in his arms. Her cream dress was wet, muddied, and torn on one shoulder. Her hair hung unbound and was tangled with twigs.
    Leaving Ginette, I rushed to meet the two. Mignon wept against his shoulder. "Is she hurt?"
    "I don't think so. Just shaken and wet. The bastard tried to put her into a canoe and take her. God, I'm so sorry. He took me by surprise."
    I touched Mignon's shoulder and she turned to me. "She's safe now and that's all that matters. Let me hold her," I said, sitting on the ground. After a moment, Mr. Davis lowered her next to me. I wrapped my arms around her. Ginette joined us, putting her arm around us both.
    "Nonnie, please. You must tell me if you're hurt," I said.
    She calmed herself, taking deep breaths. "My . . . my... face. He hit me... when ... I fought him."
    I shuddered. "Thank God Mr. Davis stopped him."
    The distant howl of a man in pain cut through the night.
    "Where's Monsieur Trevelyan?" My heart hammered as I jerked my head around, desperately hoping to see him appear.
    "He went into the woods?" Sounding worried, Mr. Davis spun around, looking too. "You three go back to the square where you'll be safe. I'll go look for him."
    "Andre!" I remembered, urging Mignon to her feet with Ginette's help. "I left him with the clowns. We must hurry." With so much noise at the carnival, no one had realized what had happened. If Mr. Trevelyan hadn't pulled me closer to the river to dance, I wouldn't have heard Mignon scream.
    Glancing back to Mr. Davis, I whispered a prayer that Mr. Trevelyan wasn't hurt.
    We found Andre, still laughing with the crowd and cheering the clowns' juggling feats. By the time we pulled him to the side and found Mignon a crate to sit on, Mr. Davis and Mr. Trevelyan returned. Both men wore grim expressions. Mr. Trevelyan was muddy and wet.
    I went to him. " Dieu , what happened?"
    "I wrestled a man out of a boat and got an interesting confession before he escaped."
    "What?"
    "The scoundrel was hired to kidnap Mignon."
    "How did he even know she would be here tonight?"
    Mr. Davis cursed. "He either followed her or was told where to find her."
    "He was told," Mr. Trevelyan said. "The man was hired less than thirty minutes ago, here at the carnival. He escaped before I could find out who hired him."
    I grabbed his arm, locking my knees into place, determined to stand. I didn't know what evil was trying to harm my family, but I knew that I damn sure wasn't going to let it.
    I wrote a letter to Mr. Goodson after I had everyone settled in bed. I demanded an explanation to his telegram and told him what had been happening in my home. I didn't know whom to trust.