Hey guys. I must apologize tremendously for the long delay. The past weeks had been very challenging. I was in the stone age. Yes, I time travel lol. I was without technology except TV. I watched a lot of that and find out a lots of facts I didn't know like: Buttercup, Bloom and Bubbly. Isn't really the powerful puff girls name. I know...shocking. so anyway, I hope I have been forgiven for the little delay. I see a lot of comments and votes here and want to thank you all for reading my book. I'm overjoy :) also I'll try reply to the comments. Hope you all my fellow readers enjoy this chapter 'kisses'.
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Joshua stared into the flames, his mind pondering on Samantha Wavery. The polished glass sparkled as he lifted it to his pursed lips.
He was worried sick for the Lady. A lady he should have offered to protect instead of sending her back to that tyrant of a man. Who knows what she is going through right now. Was she dead? Injured? Being tortured?
His fingers tap against the fine exterior of the now empty glass. Perhaps he should pay a visit to her home. At least then his mind would be at ease. He laugh humerously, how foolish would that make him.
"Joshua, you shouldn't have gotten Samantha involved." Lord Cummings voice hunted him, he gingerly took a seat in front him.
" I agree with Davy," Jake chinned in, leaning against the close door. With arms folded. " we have a clear description of this frenchman. The lady already did her part."
" What you suggest we do Jake? Go on a man hunt?" Joshua arched one thick black brow at his friend." This guy no doubt have other people working for him, if we make ourselves known, things would be more complicated than it is." Joshua poured himself another glass of whiskey from the table beside him.
Jake nodded understandingly. Things would indeed be more complicated if this French guy knew they were tailing him. He would stare attacking not just them but there families. It was wise to stay in the shadows.
" So you are planing on Samantha, finding out who the princess is by spying on her financè- Lord Cummings began before being interrupted by Joshua.
"Ex-fiance and I have faith that she would." He finished his whiskey in one glup.
David leaned back against the soft padded armchair. " Let's just hope she stays alive to delivered the message."
Joshua blood sizzled, he slowly lean forward in his chair. Fear gaze across his face. "No harm would come to her." Samantha wouldn't die at his expense.
" I just wish we have something to work on to help find the chit." Jake mumbled, rubbing his chin.
"We might just have" two pair of curious blue eyes watched as David pulled a neatly fold paper from his pocket. " this my friends is a list of ladies I suspected to be the princess."
Joshua yank the paper from his friend's hand. Excitement boiled within him, like a kid unwrapping his presents at Christmas. The excitement didn't last very long as he scan through the irrelevant list of names. " I can't believe you wasted ink writing Lady Katherine's name"
Jake almost choke on his whiskey, with a smirk he grap the paper out of Joshua's hand." Let me see this princess list." Joshua was just about to call the zookeeper and inform them that one of their monkeys was in his study. With all the OOS and AHHS Jake emitted from reading one blasted piece of paper
" Looks like he wasted the entire ink jar. These are all British skirts, the princess we are looking for is Spaniard. Clearly none of you had been thinking." The letter fell on David's lap.
" By Jove your right!" Lord Cummings exclaimed, feeding the fire with the paper.
" Don't jump to conclusions yet David, Jake might be right but this isn't the stone age, where all Spaniards have olive brown skin and isn't blond." His eyes flicker to Jake, rising to his feet. " there's a lot of intermarriages, Spaniards are marrying British, French, Americans. What makes it more difficult is the girl is a princess and as customs the king would have had to take a wife from another country, so the lady might not look the part of a Spaniard"
" Wow who would have thought you would be educating us on history. Your least favorite topic." Jake chuckled.
" It's not history it's things you should have known."
"Nicely said, Joshua" Lord Cummings raised his glass towards Joshua who was now staring out the window.
"Blast it all!" Joshua bellowed, staring at the three distinct figures traveling through the night, towards the lake. No argument there.
The ladies should have been in the drawing room siping tea, gossiping or whatever it is they converse about not taking a stroll around the estate at this time of the night!
Jake's curiosity peaked, he went to see what had made his friend so angry suddenly.
His eyebrow creased." Isn't that my Katherine down there?"
" My wife as well." David frowned, leaning over his friend's shoulder.
"I wonder what the bloddy hell there up to! "
" There is only one way to find out." Jake said knowingly, emptying his glass of whiskey, with a smirk playing on his lips.
***
Halley's eyes feasted upon the magnificent lake, that stood proudly under the glistering moonlight's gaze. The water was still. Not even an vibration to make it lively. Everyone, said the place was hunted. A murder had occurred at this very location. Clearly, Halley had no idea of this until Jennifer started to tell the tale of the hangman's wife and her tragic death. Who would have thought a miserable poor soul whose bad taste in men got her murdered was roaming the estate. Like seriously who marry a person who hang killers for a living? Then have an affair. It's like signing your own death certificate.
She Clunched her coat tightly around her, with frozen fingers from the chill in the air. With a broad grin, Halley turned facing her friends.
" This is wonderful!"
" I have never seem someone so excited to be alone at a murder scene!" Lady Cummings shuttered, her teeth jittered against each other, adding to the noise of the night.
" Oh Jenny, we are making our own history...the three gorgeous ladies who saw the mysterious ghost. In 50 years is it?"
Jennifer stared at Halley in disbelief. It would be history indeed when they freeze to death at this lake. " I shouldn't have told you that story." She groan.
" Katy," Katherine whose eyes kept darting from one place to the next, like a lost chicken, stop at Halley's with eyes wide as a saucer. "Huh, Did you say something?"
Halley shook her head in dismay. " OK ladies it would be 1 o'clock soon and as the story says the ghost would appear."
"It isn't just a story Halley, its real!" Lady Katherine bellowed, continuing with her darting eyes. Her knuckles rub against each other.
At least Halley knew they had a guard dog with them.
" That is exactly what we are going to proof here. We would wait on those rocks." She pointed to the rocks, almost touching the water.
Jennifer and Katherine looked between the rocks and Halley. " Hell no!" They shouted in a chorus.
"Halley, you promise we would be back before the guys miss us, David is probably looking for me by now."
Halley eyes rolled into a ball. " Those men are probably still drinking and talking about who have the most money. We just have a few more minutes to wait, then we leave."
" I'm going back ladies, I can't take it out here any longer." Katherine said, on the verge of shedding tears.
Halley pulled her coat a bit more tightly around her, she stick her chin high." Say hi to the lady ghost for me Katy, she would be an great escort on the way back."
Halley watched her hesitation, her hands trembled not only from the chill in the air. " I-how much longer do we have to wait?" She chuckled nervously.
The rattling of bushes caught the ladies attention and Lady Katherine and Jennifer took a step closer to Halley. " What was that?" Lady Cummings whispered, grasping Halley's arm.
Halley's heart beat sped up. What if it is an wild animal? She had no weapon to defend herself. Wait there are no wild animals on the estate.
Funny noises started to echoed in the distance, terrorizing their entire body. Lady Katherine began to sob like a baby. Some guard dog she was. " Please don't eat me I'm vegetarian!"
Halley looked upwards to the heaven. " Please don't let me die beside an idiot." She mumbled. The noises became louder and more fierced than before. Is it the ghost trying to tell them that they have invaded her privacy?
" Oh Halley this is bad! I should have never let you dragged me out here!" Jennifer bellowed, using Halley's body as a shield.
"I didn't drag you out here, you walked and if this is the end, I would like to die in peace!"
"The ghost is mad. It wants to take our souls with her" Katherine swallowed hard.
Halley began to step backwards, the other ladies falling behind." OK ladies here is the plan, we run simple as that." Halley picked up her skirt getting ready to take off.
"Oouch! Something hit me!" Jennifer hand quickly went to the spot that stings like a bee.
Jake whined in pain as he was struck across the head by David. " Why you hit my wife?!"
"I was aiming for the lake!" Jake thought a splash in the water would get the girls screaming with fright instead the stupid stone hit Lady Cummings.
" What seems to be the problem soldiers?" Joshua crawl on his belly towards his friends who was about to fight.
"Jake hit my wife!"
"Not on purpose!" he retorted.
" Soldiers I thought we weren't going to attack anyone."
" I didn't attack anyone!" Jake threw his hands in the air. Joshua was definitely under the influence of alcohol. He could see it in his weary eyes.
" Since we are going to start attacking, we should start with the Lady in pink" Joshua jump to his feet, before being pulled back to the ground by Jake. They had planned to teach the ladies a lesson, scare them so they would think twice to partake in such dangerous adventure by themselves. He wasn't going to let Joshua ruin it.
" Why the lady in pink?"
"Don't encourage him David! "
" Why? Because she is the most dangerous. She'll kill us with stupidity before we make it to the rest." Joshua let out a humerous chuckle. David fell on his back, roaring with laughter.
Receiving a slap across the head. Joshua mouth snapped shut with compliance. David on the other hand, every slap he received he would laugh even louder.
Which one of them was drunk again?
Jake needed a drink. Pulling his flask from his waist. He hesitated, as he rise it to his lips. This is what got his friends acting like idiots. Without a glance the flask flew in the air behind him.
"Halley aren't we supposed to be running." Halley placed her finger on her lips. Silencing Jennifer. Something wasn't right about those noises. The sound of laughter got her nose wrinkling in disgust.
Joshua.
They want to play, well she would play along. Instead of making silly noises she had something better to lurk out their ghosts.
" Oh isn't the night lovely for a swim!" She shouted at the top of her voice. " I believed I'm going for a swim." The bottons of her gown slowly lossen.
"Halley umm... What are you doing?" Jennifer asked dumbfounded. " is this some sort of last minute death wish?"
" Oh if only our husbands were here to stop us." Halley put a lot of emphasis on the word ' husbands' with her head she gestured to the bushes.
Lady Cummings mouth hung open, she mouthed the words no in disbelief.
" yes they did" Halley mumbled.
"What's going on ?" Lady Katherine question innocently.
"Just follow our lead." She kept watching them with a bank expression.
Halley groan inwardly. " It would help protect us from the ghost."
She nodded.
" Oh Halley, I think I'm going to join you!" Lady Cummings chimed in with a cunning smile. Loosening her dress as well. If it was indeed there husbands out there they better start making an appearance before they all stood naked. Looking over at Halley she was waist down in her gown showing her petticoat.
"Yeah, it's really hot out here!" Halley and Jennifer both turned and give Katherine a funny look. Halley almost cursed like a sailor. Almost. Katherine had that effect on people.
" They wouldn't! " the three gentlemen echoed, but Joshua knew his wayward wife to well to know she would do such a thing.
Seeing her kicked off her gown, standing in petticoat and corset. Sober him completely.
"Wow" Jake and David exclaimed, there eyes almost dislocated from his body.
"Joshua your--" Jake turned to notice, his friend wasn't by his side, he was already making himself towards the ladies.
Spoiler.
"Halley!" Halley picked up her gown from the ground. Preparing herself to run from her husband who looked like he would explode any minute.
" Run!" The ladies took off running, back to the manor. Skirts in hand, hair trailing behind them like a loose cape. They made it back in time, to find the Butler standing by the doorway with a lantern in his hand, dressed in a long over coat. Looks like he was going to search from them.
"Ladies what seems to be the problem?"
" Oh Regin" Halley paused to catch her breath." We were just playing hide and seek with the gentlemen."
Regin give her a skeptical look, his eyes trail to her disheveled state, gown clinch to her chest, hair like she just finished tumbling in a pile of grass.
hide and seek indeed.
"Now if you'll excuse us," she brushed past him with the other two ladies towing behind her. Leaving the Butler standing alone outside. Once more.
Halley rushed inside the drawing room, breathing a sigh of relief, feeling the warmnest of the room wrapped around her like a blanket.
Placing her dress over the armchair, she hovered over the fire place with out stretched arms.
" I can't belive we just did that!" Jennifer shouted, disposing herself in the armchair beside Halley. With a groan her hands went to cover her face. " David is going to be so furious!"
Halley glanced briefly at her, a smile playing on her lips. " Don't be so gloomy about it Jenny, besides it isn't your husband alone that's going to be upset."
" But you guys got to admit! That was fun!" Lady Katherine smile with excitement.
Halley removed her hands from the fireplace. With a grumpy face, she took her gown from the chair and slipped into it. " I'm just upset we didn't get to see the ghost. The men spoiled everything!"
" Did we now?" Halley gaspe seeing her husband entering the drawing room,the door shut behind him with a soft click.
"Ladies," he smile at Jennifer and Katherine, not even giving her a brief glance or acknowledgment. " the men are waiting for you in the carriages."
Halley folded her arms, her eyes squinted. Joshua was to calm. What was he up to?
Mumbling there farewell with polite formality, the two ladies lazily exit the drawing room, they were in no particular hurry to face their male companion.
Halley stood at the fire place, watching the ladies shut the door behind them, sealing her doom.
A few minutes of awkward silence past before any of them said anything. " so...Halley trail off looking around the drawing room. " I should get to bed, shouldn't I? What a long day it was." She let out a force chuckle and faked a yarn.
"What you did was inappropriate Halley" Halley heart beat sped up, hearing the click of the door being lock.
Taking a few steps back, her body rested on the wall, whispering to her that there's no where to run.
" It wasn't my fault," her voice trembled, " you are the one who took your precious time, coming out of the bushes!"
Joshua slowly approached his wife, whose look of terror both shocked and excited him. Standing mere inches from his wife, he place both hands on the wall, trapping her between him.
"If you try anything I'll scream" she swallowed hard. She didn't know what he would do with her, by the looks of it, it looks more like a strangle situation. The ghost would be having company tonight. What surprise her the most was the feeling of desire running through her blood having him so near.
" I'll like to hear you scream Halley" his voice lace with need and lust. Halley cheeks flushed red, she felt her nipples contract, under the gown that sudden felt hot against her body.
Her head tilted towards him, instead of seeing anger, rage, disappointment in those gorgeous blue eyes, she saw something else.
Lust and desire.
His lips captured hers in a slow torturous kiss, telling her that he was in no rush tonight. Her hands wrapped around his neck, drawing him closer, deepining the kiss. She opened her mouth with compliance, giving him full entrance.
A delighful moan excape her lips as Joshua made love to her mouth right there in the drawing room.
His hands snake around her waist, drawing her closer, lifting her off the ground. Grateful, for she didn't know how much longer she could have stand in this pool of desire.
Joshua carry his wife to the sofa, his long hair tickled Halley's face in a sensual manner, halley close her eyes even the mere graze of his hair arose her.
Joshua was loosing control, his lips broke for the heavenly kiss and travel down to his wife's delicate neck.
My she was delicious.
Halley, long for his lips once more, running her fingers through his hair, earning a groan from her husband, she reached and captured his lips.
Joshua felt her small, spider fingers fonderling with his shirt and grap hold of them.
Staring at his beautiful wife beneath him, lips red and swollen from his kisses, eyes darker shade of brown, chest rising rapidly with anticipation giving him a clear view of her bosom.
She was perfect.
Joshua inhaled a sharp breathe " Since you love to strip my dear wife, you'll strip for me tonight." This was revenge and Joshua planned on enjoying it.
Halley smile lewdly. " I have no problem with that." Her hands trail along his hard muscular chest.
Halley frowned, upon seeing her husband removing her hands and standing to his feet.
" Joshua what's wrong?" She raised on her elbows.
Ignoring his wife's question, he grapped a bottle of whiskey from the table of liquors with a glass. " Why don't we take this upstairs."
Halley let out a dark chuckle. " Trust me Joshua" she raised to her feet, stroll to him in predatorial manner. " you wouldn't even have time to blink when I'm through with you. What makes you think you will have time for whiskey?"
Joshua didn't waste another second taking his wife up the stairs, to his bedchamber. Their bedchamber. His wife was a teased, she demonstrated that in her mindblowing show she performed for him. She had him in a trance, hypnotize. Halley had just got to her undergarments when Joshua desided to helped her get out of them quicker.
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Happy Easter!!!!!
Mwah.