Read Online 'Twas the Night Before Mischief by Nina Rowan - Free Book Online

storm.”
    Darius patted the horse’s neck, avoiding Penelope’s eyes. For some reason, his concern amused her. Heaven forbid Darius Hall should do anything outside the bounds of propriety, least of all stay overnight alone with an unmarried woman who’d skirted the edge of scandal.
    Rain cascaded in rivulets down his hair and face. He’d lost his hat. Penelope clambered back into the chaise and found it crushed between the wall and the food basket. She put the foodstuffs in the basket and emerged again as the men readied one of the horses for departure. Penelope gave Darius his hat and loaded Sam’s saddlebag with apples and bread before he tied it to one of the horses.
    Sam vaulted into the saddle and, with a tip of his cap, continued down the wet road. Penelope watched him go with a sudden sense of foreboding. In this weather, there was no telling what could happen to him.
    â€œGet inside, Penelope.” Darius was holding open the chaise door. “I’ll tie the other horse while you change clothes.”
    Penelope fed the horse an apple, then climbed back inside to find that Darius had brought their valises in from the luggage platform. She dried her hair and pulled her other wrinkled, but dry, dress from her valise. She changed as quickly as possible in the cramped confines, fastening the last button of her bodice as a knock came at the door. The moment Darius climbed back inside, the interior of the chaise seemed to shrink.
    â€œI’ll just…” She started for the door.
    â€œYou’ll get wet again. Just turn around, Penelope.” With briskly efficient movements, he took a dry shirt and trousers from his valise.
    Penelope’s heart pounded in an odd rhythm as she faced the door. Behind her, the sound of Darius undressing caused all manner of inappropriate thoughts to flood her mind. She imagined his long, capable fingers unfastening the buttons of his shirt. The rasp of cloth against skin made her think he might actually be shedding his trousers. She wondered what he would do if she turned around right now and—
    â€œAll right, then,” he said. “Best get some sleep. With any luck, Sam will return tomorrow morning. If he’s not back within an hour of dawn, we’ll take the other horse and get on the road.”
    They shuffled around bunching up blankets to use as pillows. There was still just enough light to see. Penelope settled into her seat, glad at least to be dry. She broke off two pieces of bread from a loaf, handing one across to Darius.
    Though it was cold, they ate in companionable silence, rain pounding on the roof and sluicing down the windows.
    â€œLet’s play a game,” Penelope suggested.
    â€œAll right.”
    â€œYou agree?”
    â€œWhat else have I to do at the moment?”
    She almost smiled. “What else, indeed?”
    â€œWhat game?” he asked. “Key to the kingdom? My brothers and I used to play that quite often.”
    â€œNo. You seem to think there isn’t a word that can escape your definition,” Penelope said. “So I’ll give you a word, and you define it. If you’re unable to, then I win.”
    A gleam of interest shone in his dark eyes. “What do you win?”
    â€œI just…win.”
    â€œYou must provide some stakes.” Though his expression didn’t change, there was a slight curve to his mouth that made Penelope feel a quickening of anticipation.
    â€œFor every word I’m able to define,” Darius continued, “you move one inch closer to me.”
    Her heart gave a wild leap. “That…that’s rather unseemly.”
    â€œAh. Are you questioning your ability to furnish a word obscure enough to escape my knowledge?”
    â€œOf course not.” She was, however, questioning her desire to furnish an obscure word, if doing so meant she would remain on the opposite side of the chaise from him.
    â€œThen if you’re