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

“I will come with you,” Monika suggested. She hastily tugged her own cloak over her shoulders and followed Charity out of the door.

Together, the ladies made their way down the road toward the woods at the back of Charity’s house. Despite her bravado, Charity knew she was heading into trouble. Unfortunately, Angus wasn’t around to rescue her this time.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“Trouble is on the move again,” Justin murmured quietly from the bed chamber doorway.

The men within the room froze. Oliver rose out of his seat and looked out of the window. Through the net curtains it was easy to view the street without being seen. His frown was deep when he found the road empty.

“Next door. She is walking toward the woods with a friend.” Justin eyed Angus, who was already out of his seat and heading toward the door. “With that friend of hers, the younger one.”

“Monika,” Angus informed them.

“Whatever. Jasper is onto it.” Justin stepped back to allow Angus out of the room.

“You know what they are doing, don’t you?” Oliver called after him.

“They are sticking their noses into the investigation,” Angus growled. “And it is for the last time, I can tell you.”

By the time he arrived at the edge of the woods, he was just in time to see Charity disappear into the trees across the field. There was no sign of Jasper, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t already ahead of the ladies, in the trees, waiting to see where the women went.

“Do you know something?” Angus asked of Oliver who hurried to catch up. “For a small village, there are a heck of a lot of people sneaking around, don’t you think?”

Oliver snorted. “There are a lot of people not doing what they are supposed to do.”

Angus’s look was sharp because he suspected Oliver wasn’t just talking about the locals.

“My private life is private,” Angus snapped.

“Not when it involves an investigation it isn’t,” Oliver growled. “Just keep her out of the way for God’s sake. You are closest to her. It should be easy enough to do. Bed her if you have to, just get her out of the damned way before she ends up being snatched.”

Angus lifted his brows at his colleague, but Oliver was already stalking back toward the house. He wasn’t at all sure what to think. Oliver was the one person he expected to warn him off Charity. The last thing Angus expected was for Oliver to suggest bedding her. While the masculine part of Angus had no objection to that possibility, the conscientious side couldn’t ruin her just to help his investigation. He wasn’t that kind of man. Besides, it would mean he would commit himself to a life he wasn’t altogether sure he would be happy with.

“Is it just me or is everything in this damned village strange?” he asked of Justin.

Justin grinned. “Take it from me, you have the look of a man who already knows his bachelorhood days are over but refuses to admit it out loud. Oliver sees it.”

Angus lifted his brows at him.

“We all do,” Justin shrugged.

Angus snorted. “If I had to stay in this damned village I would be just as unusual as the rest of them. You cannot condemn me to that. What kind of friend are you?”

“They are eccentric, but innocent enough,” Justin corrected. “You will get used to it.”

“Shoot me,” Angus grunted.

Justin grinned at him. “It can be arranged.”

Angus curled his lip but grinned back.

Strangely, Angus wanted to sweep Charity up, throw her onto the back of his horse, and ride the Hell out of the village so she stayed the way she was. It was a little disconcerting to realise that she was wayward, pretty, charming, and completely sensible in a strong-willed kind of way, even though she had lived in this eccentric little place in the middle of nowhere all her life.

“Look on the bright side, the kids won’t know any different, and will give you something to focus on except getting old,” Justin warned. “Take it from me, it isn’t all that bad. Besides, you get a wonderful, warm woman to climb into bed with every night you can manage to get home, and maybe a baby or two to bounce on your knee to stave off the boredom of domesticity.”

“You sound so accepting of it,” Angus murmured as he followed Justin across the field.

Justin laughed. “I cannot think of anything more horrifying than having a tiny little bundle of life to take care of, help raise, and mould into a human being. Babies don’t come with instructions. It’s a whole new adventure.”