Captive Surrender by Rebecca King

that any further –
offers – for their property, or them, are made directly to
me.”
    “ So you are a
man of business now?” Levant scoffed and flicked a narked look at
Prudence. “Hopefully, you will be much better at that than you are
a magistrate.”
    “ I am very
efficient at everything I turn my hand to and now that I have a
personal stake in what happens at Cragdale, I endeavour to ensure
that everyone who resides here remains happy.” He gave Eloisa the
most loving look he could manage, and it made her blink owlishly at
him with a mixture of shock and wonder. He fought a chuckle and
traded a grin with Prudence, who wasn’t as over-wrought as her
younger sister.
    Prudence watched the
interplay avidly. Her own dealings with Levant had always made her
feel cheap and sordid; like she had soiled her hands and couldn’t
quite get them clean enough to rid herself of all trace of him.
This time though, from the look on his face, it was Levant who was
tense and on edge. She didn’t mind one bit that Rufus had seemingly
adopted Eloisa as an excuse to repeatedly visit the house; nor did
Eloisa, if the look of adoration she gave him was anything to go
by. Prudence smirked and nudged Maggie, who was openly
sniggering.
    Prudence fought a smile
and shared a look with Madeline, then found her gaze captured by
the handsome stranger she had been trying so hard to ignore was
there. Once again, there seemed to be something about her that
intrigued him. She felt his piercing stare right down to her core
and wasn’t sure what to do about it. Should she ask him what he was
staring at? Then she would have to speak to him, and in doing that
would acknowledge that his attention made her uneasy. She threw a
dark look in his direction that was at odds with the warmth that
began to thrum through her veins.
    He was tall; taller than
average, and had a lithe grace about him that bespoke of a hidden
strength that she knew would make him a ruthless adversary. Even
from several feet away she could sense the power in his heavily
muscled thighs as he sat astride the horse and the tension in his
thick corded muscles of his forearms as they rested on the saddle.
The rain didn’t seem to bother him at all, and he seemed completely
oblivious to the thinness of his pristine white shirt that was
soaked to the skin, and revealed every square inch of masculine
flesh beneath.
    Prudence swallowed
awkwardly and tried to keep her face averted from the sight he made
atop the huge chestnut horse, but failed miserably. She was only
faintly aware of Rufus issuing his warning.
    “ Unless there
is some dire emergency at Dinnington that nobody else in the area
can help out with, I am telling you now, Levant, to stay away from
Cragdale, and keep your men away too. The ladies have come to me in
my capacity as magistrate to complain about your regular visits
because they are an unwelcome intrusion. I, for one, have
absolutely no intention of allowing them to sell the house to you,
or anyone else, if they don’t want to. Because of that, your visits
are pointless. So, I suggest that you take your men, and go home. I
also warn you that I have my men investigating your recent property
transactions in the area. If any of them should look to be
suspicious or unfair in any way, then I shall ensure that you meet
with the full weight of the law.” Without a further word, he waved
the ladies before him and clapped a hand companionably on Robbie’s
shoulder as he directed him around the horses.
    By the time they reached
the door to the kitchen, Rufus glanced back to study the four
riders as they disappeared out of the driveway. He frowned at the
direct look the last man on the right; the tallest, and by far the
most lethal, gave him before he disappeared from view. There was
something about him that warned Rufus that he needed to be on
guard. The man was far too observant; far too menacing, and far too
fixated on Prudence. There was an almost military bearing about