Free Devil Disguised by Karolyn Howard Page A

pulled the door open and she followed him out into the dark corridor. Her eyes adjusted to the dim light and she saw a figure at the far end of the hallway opening the balcony door. The figure turned and appeared to see them before it dropped out of sight. Duncan cursed and ran down the hallway to the balcony. He cursed again as Lily joined him on the balcony’s ledge and looked down. A lone horse and rider were moving away from the house. A rope had been secured to the balcony railing providing a way for the intruder to get down to the ground.
    Duncan slammed his hands on the balcony rail and then spun around to go back into the house. He walked swiftly down the hallway when Eleanor’s door opened. She held her belly and said, “Duncan, what is happening?”
    He rushed to her side and said, “Someone came in the house, but they just got away. Please, go lie back down, El. I will have one of the servants stay with you.”
    She nodded and closed the door. Simon came scampering towards them as he fumbled with his spectacles. “My lord, what happened?”
    “An intruder just escaped by a rope tied to the balcony. I want you to wake the servants and search the home.See what the person took. And, have someone stay with Eleanor.”
    Simon nodded and hurried down the hallway.
    Lily said, “My room.”
    Duncan gestured in that direction and they went into her bedroom.
    “Wait.” He held up his hand and began walking cautiously around the room.
    He looked under the bed and then pulled the bed covers back. Seeming satisfied, he nodded at her and then put another log on the fire to bath the room in more light. She looked around the room and noticed immediately that her personal items had been moved on her nightstand.
    “There was a picture here of me with Charles. I do not see it,” Lily muttered.
    Duncan appeared at her side and looked down at the nightstand. “Why would they take a picture of you and not those pearl earrings?”
    Her eyes widened. “I have no idea.”
    His eye narrowed as something dark crossed his features. “Look around and see if anything else has been taken.”
    She nodded and moved to her dressing table to see if anything was missing there.
    He moved away from her and said, “Well, it appears they did not want you to send any letters.” He lifted an ink-stained piece of paper.
    Lily moved towards him. “That was not the intruder. I feel asleep while writing and knocked over the ink jar.”
    “You did this?”
    She stopped in mid-step, surprised by his angry tone. “It was an accident, I assure you!”
    He picked up one of the pieces of paper and then looked over the desk. “Was it?”
    “Of course it was! What are you trying to say?”
    His face darkened as his eyes rose to meet hers. “Do you know the intruder?”
    “Have you lost your senses? Of course I do not know the intruder!”
    He put down the letter he had been holding and she saw his knuckles turn white as he gripped the edges of the small desk. “I just find it curious that we had an unusual discussion yesterday and today an intruder managed to find your room, when you were conveniently away from it.”
    She froze. “I beg your pardon.”
    He released his grip on the desk and shrugged his shoulders. “I just think it is quite remarkable that you were gone from your room at the most opportune moment. Your luck at avoiding dangerous situations seems endless.”
    She gaped and exhaled sharply, completely at a loss for words.
    He glanced around the room before he met her gaze and moved towards her, his stride determined.
    Unconsciously, she stepped back and in a frightened voice said, “I was hungry and had just returned from the kitchen when I saw someone.”
    He stood next to her, so close she could feel the heat radiate from him while the scent of soap and sandalwood enveloped her. “One of the servants could bring food up to you.”
    She felt an unexpected tremor of fear course through her. His demeanor was hard and