Desire (#2) by Carrie Cox Read Free Book Online Page A

for long, will I? I hate sitting still,” she said.
    “I will need you to sit for the portrait,” I said carefully. “How long I’ll need you to sit for depends on how well the portrait progresses.”
    Lady Vastor looked thoughtful, then she nodded. “Fine. I’ll see you in the morning,” she said and turned her attention to her husband.
    As they began to chatter about the event they attended this evening, I stood awkwardly in the doorway. Then I flushed. That had been a dismissal, Lady Vastor’s way of putting me in my place, letting me know I was an employee, not a guest. Her husband hadn’t even offered me a drink.
    I stomped up the stairs entertaining thoughts of putting a huge, pointed witch’s nose, complete with hairy wart, on Lady Vastor’s portrait. It made me feel a little better and by the time I reached the guest room I had a smile on my face.
    I closed the door behind me and heard the cheerful ringtone of my cell phone. Benjamin? I snatched up the phone.
    “Hello?”
    “Hello, Kate. This is Colin. Is Benjamin with you?”
    I frowned. “No. I’m in Hampshire, at Lord Vastor’s house.”
    “I know,” Colin said. “I hoped Benjamin might be there with you. When did you last speak to him?”
    “Um… ” I ran a hand through my hair and tried to think. “I spoke to him on the phone this afternoon. I think around four...”
    “And you haven’t heard from him since?”
    I heard the note of panic in Colin’s voice, and my blood turned to ice. Where was Benjamin? Had he been hurt?
    “I had a text message from him, when I was in the car, around six. I haven’t heard from him since then. Do you think something has happened to him?”
    “I … I don’t know. It’s probably nothing. He’s sure to turn up soon and tell me I worry too much.”
    “If you hear from him, will you call me, Colin? It doesn’t matter how late it is.”
    “Of course, Kate. I’m sorry I worried you. I’m sure he’ll get back to the hotel any minute now.”
    I hope so, I thought as I hung up. My mind filled with visions of Benjamin in a car-wreck, his car in a ditch somewhere. Or maybe that man this afternoon…
    I heard a scream from somewhere in the house and spun around. What the hell was that? With my heart pounding, I left my room and ran to the staircase.
    Lady Vastor was on her knees, wailing for help. In front of her, a body lay sprawled on the floor. Blood rushed in my ears as I started to walk down the stairs, gripping the bannister. I got halfway down before my worst fears were confirmed.
    Benjamin lay unconscious, bruised and battered at Lady Vastor’s feet.