A Spinster's Awakening (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 2)

Charity snapped out of her revere. For a moment, she had completely forgotten where they were and what they were supposed to be doing. When she looked up at Angus, the gentle haze of delight she had just experienced; the brief, flickering moment of absolute serene contentment, was smashed into a thousand tiny pieces. In its place came a blast of icy realisation that Angus hadn’t been as wrapped up in the moment as she had and was instead looked annoyed that she had been so bold.

“I have got work to do,” Angus huffed in disgust.

Yanking her arms off him, he stepped away. He couldn’t bring himself to look back at her as he made his way over to Jasper. Instead, he beckoned to Aaron who appeared at the end of the road.

“See Miss Kemble home, Aaron, and make sure the damned woman doesn’t leave the house again. If she gets involved once more, I am going to put her behind bars and keep her out of the way until we leave this damned Hell hole,” Angus growled as he stomped past his colleagues and promptly disappeared into the woods their quarry had just left.

Charity felt tears sting her eyes. Hurt flooded her until she couldn’t think past his harshness. His words rang in her ears over and over until she suspected it would be a very long time yet before she was able to forget them. It was clear she had angered him, that he hadn’t felt that special moment of connection she had thoroughly enjoyed, and that she had crossed some invisible boundary. In that moment, she felt foolish, gauche, and incredibly stupid.

Angrily, she swiped at the tears on her cheeks she couldn’t withhold and turned toward home. She didn’t wait for Aaron to catch up with her and slammed into her house without a backward look. Once inside, she didn’t even bother to lock the back door. Instead, she raced through the house and up the stairs, only stopping once she was safely confined in her bed chamber.

“I hate you,” she whispered into the emptiness of her room.

Of course, she didn’t mean it. She knew she didn’t. She hated herself for being so foolish as to believe, even for a few brief moments, that someone like Angus could be interested in her. It was unsurprising he would consider somewhere like St Magdaline a nowhere sort of place he would be glad to be rid of. He had already told her he hailed from London. St Magdaline must seem like the end of the world in comparison. There was nothing in the village except for a few tiny shops, a tavern, an obligatory church, and a load of gossipy people who tended to talk about each other too much. To her, it was home. To someone like Angus, it was instantly forgettable.

“Just like me,” she whispered tearfully.

Rather than cave in to the need for an hour or two of indulgent misery, Charity forced herself to suck in a deep, fortifying breath. She squared her shoulders in a military stance and stared blankly at the room before her with a determination that startled even her. At some other point in time, most probably in a few months, she would undoubtedly stop and marvel at her confidence. Right now, Charity knew she had to focus on something more positive, like how she was going to prove to Angus that she was able to stand up for herself, knew this village, and the people in it far better than he ever could, and that she was a match for him.

“But not a mate

,” she whispered. “As soon as he realises we are not country yokels, I will walk away and not look back. Point proven. Simple.”

She jerked in alarm when there was a sudden tap on the door she leaned against.

“Miss Kemble? Are you all right?” Aaron asked of the thick, wooden door panel before him.

“Yes, fine,” came the muffled response.

He frowned at the door, carefully ignoring the fact that Angus had been plastered against Miss Kemble in a way that was far too personal. He also knew, however, that Charity should be alone, yet he had most definitely heard her talking. Curious to know if she was alone, he placed a hand on the brass knob. Rather than twist it and try to open the door, he contemplated what to do.

What if Angus was in there? Did he really want to get involved in a lover’s tryst? What if it was someone else Charity was talking to; a man?

That thought unnerved Aaron. He had no idea what he would say to Angus if he found Charity in the presence of another man. Who was he to criticise her for it? This was her home after all. She was at liberty to do whatever she wanted in it, so long as it was legal.

It wasn’t the possibility that Charity might be entertaining a lover in her bed chamber that bothered Aaron. It was the thought of having to tell Angus that Charity already had a suitor. Aaron knew it was completely out of character for Angus to become personally involved in anybody connected to any of the Star Elite investigations. In addition, it was highly unusual for Angus to show any romantic interest in any woman - ever. Occasionally, there would be a sexual interest. He was a man, after all. But even the sexual interest Angus had shown toward the occasional passing flirtation had been brief, and they had been paid well for their services.

“Damned if I know what’s going on,” Aaron muttered, frowning at the thought of just how long Angus had known their hostess. “Best not to know, I think.”

Although Aaron turned around and walked into the front bed chamber to take up watch he made a mental note to discuss it with Oliver the next time he saw the lead investigator. Maybe he would know what to do. The last thing any of the Star Elite needed was to leave a bad reputation behind, especially for romancing the locals while on duty – even ones as beautiful as Charity Kemble.

Angus didn’t even look up when Jasper slid onto the rock beside him and clapped him companionably on the shoulder. Angus shook his head and ran his hands wearily down his face. He was so mired in misery, and confusing thoughts that he couldn’t think beyond the need to go back to the house and apologise for the way he had just behaved.

“She heard me, didn’t she?” he murmured.

“We all heard you,” Jasper replied quietly.

“Did the quarry?”

“No.”

Angus nodded.

At least that was a blessing, he mused.

“Do you want to swap duty? I can take over in the house and you can be out here if you want?” Jasper offered. “If you cannot get on with our hostess, it might be an idea to keep as much distance between you as possible. We cannot afford for her to throw us out of there.”

Angus wanted to nod to acknowledge that he understood the warning but knew that Jasper might also see his agreement as acceptance of his offer. He contemplated the wisdom of it for a moment or two, but the thought of not knowing what was going on in that house, what the ladies were planning, and whether Charity was safe or not would drive him out of his mind, Angus knew.