Sebastian was not bad-looking at all. Darkhair, stark black eyes and perfectly sculpted jaw would have been enough tomake a woman be lost in her trail of thoughts. But he was also tall and builtthat his presence demanded attention.

No, he was, as a matter-of-fact, amongst the men who could make a woman swoon by looks alone.

But Alice knew too well what he was around women and what he wanted to do with them. Them was the word for he was not one who could settle for one.

"Well, well, well...." Sebastian said with a wicked grin as he sashayed toward Alice. With one glance, he dismissed the maid who rushed out of sight without a word. "What are you doing here, Alice?"

"I needed to relieve my bladder," she answered truthfully. She turned to walk away, saying, "And now I am leaving."

Sebastian's hand, the one with the bad finger, closed around her upper arm. Alice fought hard to control her anger. The man infuriated her so.

Coming to Henry House was a bad idea. Had she not told Harold?

"Not so fast, my lady," Sebastian said, pulling Alice away from the staircase and to a corner. "We are yet to finish a business, you and I."

She did not mind that he was hurting her, but she did not like that he pulled her. With a stingy look in her eyes, she told him, "Let go of me, my lord."

Sebastian pulled her roughly against his chest and hissed in her ear, "I have a score to settle with you, my lady." He tightened his hold when Alice tried to move. "I do not know what brought you here, but I am glad you are here. I have been waiting to have you alone for quite some time. You have missed quite a few balls. Were you hiding from me?"

"No, Sebastian," she hissed back, pushing her hands against his chest, but he would not budge.

"You know what you did to me, yes?"

"Yes, and I would gladly do it again if you do not let me go at once."

He chuckled against her ear, pressing his hips against hers, trapping her against the wall. "Do you not miss me at all? Hmm?"

Alice gritted her teeth as she felt his tongue trace the lobe of her ear. "You are a terrible flirt, Sebastian."

He stiffened against her. "What did you say?"

"She said you are a terrible flirt, my lord."

Never had Alice felt such relief to hear Harold's voice.

"Now, if you would please remove your filthy hands off her, I would consider a peaceful retreat from your estate," Harold's cold, authoritative voice said behind Sebastian.

Sebastian gave Alice's arm one last hard squeeze before he stepped away from her to face Harold. "Harold!" Sebastian greeted with mock surprise. "I was not aware you are with her."

Alice struggled to right herself, but when she saw the fury in Harold's eyes, she stood frozen.

Harold ignored Sebastian, walking straight toward her. "Are you all right?" he asked, tone angry.

She lifted her chin and allowed a small nod.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the staircase and away from Sebastian.

"Be very grateful, Sebastian," Harold said over his shoulder, "for I saved you another finger."

"Or toe," Alice murmured beside him, voice shaking as her anger returned. "I was aiming for his toes."

"Shut up, Alice. I am as much angry at you as I am at that bastard," he hissed as they descended down the stairs. "Go straight outside. The carriage is waiting."

Alice was surprised. "Carriage?"

Harold flashed her a furious glance. "Do not pretend that you are not aware that I already know of your plan to delay our journey, my lady. I am not in the mood. I am this close," he said, lifting his hand to show her the very little space between his thumb and forefinger, "to strangling you."

Alice moistened her lips but said nothing further.

The butler guided them out of the estate to where a carriage was already waiting.

"But the Lord of Henry—"

"He has retired back into his study after I promised to return his carriage upon my return from Tiny Town. Get in. Now."

Alice climbed into the carriage and almost flinched when the door slammed after Harold's entrance. He sat right across from her, glaring at her.

The carriage started in a jolt and rolled away from Henry House. Was it not simply a few minutes ago when she found herself cornered by Sebastian? Alice was already forgetting about that, or the fact that she found it charming how Harold rescued her, because the man was directing his anger at her. Not Sebastian—her.

"You very well know I wanted to stop you. I could not, so I decided to mislead you." She thought she was at her best when she was truthful, but that did not help subside the anger in his emerald green eyes. "Why are you angry? It is not as though you are the one making a mistake. They are grown adults, my lord. Our friends can think for themselves. It is not our task to prevent them from doing what they want."

"It is our task to prevent them from making the worst mistake of their lives," he gritted out.

Alice sighed and looked away. "What will you do if we are too late? Force them to divorce? What would that make of Eva?"

He was frowning at her. "I am done talking to you, my lady. Stay quiet."

"You do not order me around, my lord." She turned to meet his angry gaze once again.

"And you do not lie to me again."

"There shall be another opportunity to do so, my lord," she coldly retorted, "for by the time we reach Tiny Town, however we find our friends—married or not—I shall not want to have anything to do with you—"

Before Alice could say anything more, her breath was snatched out of her when he suddenly reached out to pull her toward him, causing her to land unto his lap, the same time his mouth crashed against hers.

Alice's first instinct was to wrap her arm around his neck to keep herself from landing on the floor of the carriage. The second was to move her mouth to answer the kiss. The third was to breathe, only to have it stolen from her once again as Harold deepened the kiss, his tongue grazing against hers. He tore his mouth from hers, dragging it along her jaw. His lips, his teeth... they caused a strong sensation, a fire flickered to life... building deep at the center of her body, slowly creeping out, burning and eating at her flesh from the inside. It was slowly, uncontrollably spreading as his mouth reached her ear to nibble on the lobe.

She did not know what to do. She squirmed in his lap and he easily lifted her to straddle him, fully facing him now.

The fire was starting to spread all throughout, enveloping her, consuming her, burning her slowly it was almost excruciating.

His mouth ran down her throat. Their breathing became heavy. His hands were restlessly undoing her breeches and Alice could only care less. Her hips lifted as his hand slipped inside, skin touching skin. A small whimper escaped her mouth as his fingers found her.

She shivered in shame and something else. She had never felt like this before. What was the term for it? There ought to be none for these sensations were courting sinful. It was indecent, but it felt good. It was shameful, but it was bliss.

Harold's other hand cupped the back of her head and his mouth returned to hers. Not gentle, but rough. As his tongue delved into her mouth, Harold did not spare a single second to let her float back to her senses. His fingers caressed her gently while his mouth feasted on her hungrily, claiming and consuming what he could.

If this was punishment, Alice thought she would surrender to him all over again.

He was making her want to do things she would deem filthy under normal circumstances, making her feel these sensations that she would surely, utterly regret having felt later on, but also dream about once she was alone again.

His mouth muffled her cries as she finally felt the fire getting out of control, pushing her to the edge, teasing her to fall only to take her back to the surface and then back up, desperately reaching for an unknown. Her hips began to move faster against his hand. She felt the evidence of his erection brushing against her, sending her to new heights.

Goodness, they were barely naked. What more could he offer her if they were?

Alice tore her mouth from Harold, burying her face at the crook of his neck when she was finally pushed to the edge and the fire erupted in thousands. She shook against him and whimpered when his hand retreated.

And then there was stillness. Despite the carriage ride, Alice and Harold did not move. Perhaps they were catching their breath, but Alice was quite certain they were both thinking of how to get away from what happened.

The night before, they had the option of a door. This time, they did have a door, but the room they were in was mobile. They had to be in each other's presence for hours.

"Should I suggest we do not discuss this until we are both calm and collected?"

Her hands were on his shoulders and she felt the muscles tense at her words. "I am never calm and collected where you are concerned," he retorted.

Alice nodded. "Good." She did not dare look at him. Her forehead was still rested on his shoulder. "I shall ask my questions very much later. Or perhaps by then I would have already thought deeply about this and I would no longer be interested."

"If that is what you wish."

She moistened her lips and pushed away from him.

Their gaze met for the first time.

The strong urge to kiss him again nearly unnerved her.

What was the matter with her?

Why was she being like this?

She took a deep breath and let it out shakily. Gently, she climbed out of his lap and back to her seat facing him.

With her hands, she tucked her hair behind her ears and looked out the window. They were nearing White Rocks. She could see the tall white stone formations ahead.

They would soon reach Tiny Town at this speed, she silently thought.

Harold was looking out the window, silent as promised.

Alice cleared her throat to say, "I do have one question I need you to answer."

His eyes moved to look at her. He did not move, nor did he make a sound.

She willed herself not to look away as she asked, "You did not do it as punishment, did you?"

Harold's gaze was steady. She could not read his mind at this point.

Alice did not realize that she had been holding her breath and she mentally scolded herself. Did she fear that he would say yes? And if so, what would she do?

The answer was clear. She would turn into a murderer before they even reached Tiny Town.

And if he said no? What would it mean? The possibilities were endless, but one thing stood out the most that Alice could barely wrap her head around it.

"You were angry. Was it a punishment?" she asked again, tone flat as she could muster it.

His emerald eyes held hers prisoner as he said, "No."

Her heart beat faster against her chest.

She let out another breath. Relief? Anticipation? She could not ken.

If he did not do it to punish her, it could mean many things.

One of them, for certain, was that Harold Everard wanted her.

*****

Harold wanted to do a lot of things to Alice Archibald, but punishment was not one of them, he thought as he watched her sleep.

If there was anyone who needed punishing, it was his bloody lust.

One simple look from her and he wanted to pounce and he could barely control it. She would move her hand and he would want those fingers on him. One bloody sight of her neck and he wanted to taste it. Even her breathing was excruciating. Her chest moving with each breath made him yearn to be naked with her, their body slick with sweat and heat.

She said she might have questions later.

Whatever they may be, Harold felt that if she asked now, he would only provide answers that would land him in her bed.

He was that desperate for a release.

He brushed his fingers through his hair.

This bloody carriage was a mistake.

Who was he fooling? He knew they would be late to stop Martin and Eva.

He stared at Alice's sleeping form across from him.

...by the time we reach Tiny Town, however we find our friends—married or not—I shall not want to have anything to do with you...

Her words ought to have made him feel assured.

No, it was far from that.

Harold felt panic.

And it was something he dreaded.