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A burst of deep laughter sounded behind him, and Tasha almost dropped the tray in shock as Rhys stepped into the hallway. The space immediately felt crowded thanks to the width of his broad shoulders. His hair was a mess as usual, and he needed a shave. He’d made an effort with his clothes, though, and was wearing his version of something smart – a checked shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbows and a clean pair of dark jeans. He leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. ‘Natasha Blake, I’ve got a bone to pick with you.’
Jonny’s head swivelled between them. ‘Tash? Who is this?’
‘This is a private conversation, Jonny,’ Rhys answered him, with a smile that was all teeth and no pleasantry. ‘Now be a good boy and piss off like the lady told you to.’
Jonny looked affronted for a moment, but that didn’t stop him scurrying off through the lounge door. Rhys straightened up only long enough to close it, then leaned back against the wall.
Tasha knew she shouldn’t laugh, but, oh God, it was that or cry. ‘What are you doing here?’
Ignoring her question, Rhys nodded at the tray. ‘Is one of those for me?’
‘Help yourself.’ Tasha waited until he’d taken a glass then turned to dump the tray on the side table next to the telephone. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror and snatched up a glass of her own, draining half the contents in one gulp. She couldn’t face him, not looking like a miniature version of her mother. ‘Can you wait here for just one minute?’
Rhys shrugged and raised his glass towards his lips. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’
Not sure if that was a promise or a threat, Tasha sprinted upstairs and into the bathroom, where she grabbed a flannel and some soap and scrubbed the awful make-up from her face. Nipping into her bedroom, she yanked the dress off over her head and quickly dressed in her jeans and his jumper. The headband had fallen off, but she grabbed an elastic band and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She ran back down the stairs, pausing near the bottom to find her mother glowering up at Rhys, who was studiously ignoring her as he sipped his champagne.
She rounded on Tasha, her eyebrows almost disappearing into her hairline when she took in what Tasha was wearing. ‘Who is this man?’
‘It’s fine, Mum. Go and enjoy the party.’
‘I will not be dismissed in my own house, Natasha! Now, tell me who he is, at once!’
Before she could answer, Rhys straightened to his full height and extended his hand towards her mother. ‘I’m Rhys Archibald Montgomery Stourton-de-Lacey-Travers, the future Baron Stourton of Stourton Hall.’
Tasha thought her mother might die of shock as Rhys dropped his title like a ten-tonne weight in front of her. Rhys Archibald Montgomery! What had Zap and Rowena been thinking? Trying to hide a smile, Tasha filled in the awkward silence. ‘This is my mother, Victoria Blake.’
Victoria managed a slightly strangled squawk as she extended a limp hand towards Rhys.
‘Charmed, I’m sure,’ Rhys drawled.
Nothing kept her mother down for long though and Victoria rallied like the born hostess she was. ‘Likewise. You’ll forgive my earlier rudeness, but we’re holding a party to celebrate my younger daughter’s wedding anniversary and your arrival has rather thrown out our numbers. If you’ll give me a moment, I’ll go and juggle things around.’ She was all smiles now and Tasha could tell she was already rehearsing the moment when she got to announce to all their guests that a member of the gentry would be joining them for dinner.
‘That’s all right, we won’t be staying.’ Rhys thrust his empty glass into her mother’s hand and stepped in front of Tasha. ‘Where are your shoes?’
Tasha glanced down at her bare feet. ‘I don’t know, upstairs somewhere. Why? Where are we going?’
‘Home.’ Rhys bent and hooked his arms around her legs just below her knees and before she knew what was happening he’d hoisted her over his shoulder in a firefighter’s style lift.
‘Put me down!’ she protested as the blood rushed to her head, and not just from the awkward position she found herself in.
‘No chance, you’ll only run away from me again if I do.’ Tasha felt something tug at her hair and the next thing she knew the elastic band holding it back had been tossed on the floor.
‘This is no way for a civilised man to behave,’ Tasha said, trying not to laugh.
‘As I’ve told you before, I’m not a civilised man.’ He turned around and Tasha had to cling onto the back of his shirt for fear he might drop her. ‘Mrs Blake, I’d say it’s been a pleasure, but I’d be lying.’
‘Oh God,’ Tasha said, with a half-moan, half-laugh. ‘Behave yourself!’
‘Adrian! Adrian!’ her mother yelled. ‘Come here at once! This awful man is trying to kidnap Natasha!’
Ignoring her mother’s protests, Rhys carried Tasha outside. They were halfway down the drive when her father called her name.
‘Wait a second,’ Tasha said, tapping Rhys on the back. When he stopped, she raised her head, pushing her tumbling curls out of the way so she could see. ‘Hello, Dad.’
Rather than looking concerned, her father was smiling as he stood on the doorstep. ‘Your mother claims this man is kidnapping you. Are you in need of rescue, darling?’
‘No, I’m fine, thanks.’
