Page 3 of Tempting a Lonely Lord (The Rakes of Mayhem #6)

“H-how can you be…?”

“There’s a ledge beneath you—about ten feet below your feet. I found a path to take me down here.”

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t see the ledge.”

“That’s all right, Bella. I’m going to catch you. But you must promise to do exactly as I say.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

“Good girl, Bella. When I say let go, I want you to let go and just let yourself drop.” He must have noticed her stiffen at his instruction because he added, “This ledge is wide enough and sturdy enough to hold us both.”

“Are you certain?”

“I’m certain, Bella,” he said in a deep, calm voice.

Lacey barked wildly as if she were telling Bella to trust him.

“I do, girl,” she said, her voice faint. “But I can’t hold on much longer.”

“You don’t need to. I’m here,” the soothing male voice said below her. “I’m going to catch you.”

Bella’s heart pounded as she clung to the ledge, too terrified to look down. “You promise to catch me?”

“Yes, I promise. Trust me. I’m right here. Just let go,” he murmured, voice steady and sure.

Her fingers ached, frozen stiff, and unresponsive, as if they no longer belonged to her. She squeezed her eyes shut, whispered a desperate prayer, and released her grip.

For an instant, she was weightless. The wind roared past her, pulling her downward. The jagged rocks below seemed to reach up, hungry and waiting. A scream tore from her throat, sharp and involuntary—

But then she stopped falling.

Strong arms wrapped around her, solid and unyielding.

“I’ve got you, Bella. I’ve got you,” he rasped, his voice rough with exertion.

The impact of her fall must have jolted him, and for a harrowing moment, his footing slipped. Her panic surged, and she let out a frantic yelp, flailing against him.

Then there was a thud—a hard, jolting stop.

Bella lay still, gasping for breath, her senses spinning. Was she alive? The air felt too rich, too vibrant to belong to Heaven. A warm, grounding presence surrounded her—sandalwood, citrus, and leather mingled with the sea’s salt.

She stirred, feeling the solid heat of his body beneath her. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and the world came into focus: not the endless blue of sky or water, but the deepest, most mesmerizing blue she’d ever seen. Her rescuer’s eyes.

He lay beneath her, chest heaving, his arms still holding her securely.

“You’re safe,” he murmured, his breath brushing her cheek.

For the first time since the fall, she believed him.

“I’m on top of you.” She felt silly stating the obvious. But it was as much in wonderment as anything else. “You saved me.”

“I suppose I did,” he said with a husky laugh.

His laugh seemed to rumble from deep in his chest. It was the nicest sound she’d ever heard.

Lacey came racing down a small turn onto the cliff, skidded next to her, and licked her face. “Lacey, I want to be mad at you, but I’m too relieved at not being dead,” Bella finally said, moving her head away from her dog’s tongue as soon as she stopped licking. “Thank you… William.”

“You’re welcome… Bella.”

She couldn’t stop staring into his eyes. And then she realized she was still lying on top of him. On top of his big, muscular frame.

“I’m lying on top of you,” she blurted.

“Yes, you are.” His eyes twinkled.

Lord, he’s handsome. How in the world did this handsome stranger happen along and save her life? His golden, wavy hair and blue eyes made her wonder if he was an angel sent from Heaven.

“Are you real?”

He laughed. “Yes, Bella, I assure you, I am very real.”

That rumbling laugh made her heart do a million flip-flops in her chest.

“I have a suggestion,” he said.

“Yes?” She couldn’t stop gazing into his eyes.

“Perhaps we should get up and get back to sturdy ground?”

“Oh, y-yes… Yes, of course.”

“Let me help you,” he said as he gently lifted her off him.

She winced as her sore hands touched the ground beneath her.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

“Just my hands are a bit scraped.”

“We’ll get you some salve, but in the meantime, we need to get you back home.”

He helped her stand and kept his hands on her waist as she wobbled.

“I’ve always been in love with Dover, but this wasn’t the way I had envisioned seeing the White Cliffs.” It was a feeble attempt at humor, she realized, but it was what she did when she was nervous.

“Hopefully, the rest of your visit will be better.”

“Yes, hopefully.” She smiled.

“Allow me to introduce myself more formally. I am Viscount William Dudley. I have but recently inherited this estate and, quite truthfully, only just arrived. I was acquainting myself with the grounds when your dog approached with rather impressive urgency, compelling me to follow her.”

Lacey barked as though confirming what he’d said.

“I am grateful for what you did for me today,” Bella said, feeling his steadying hand as she trembled anew.

“I am Lady Bella Connolly. My father… I mean, my family owns Bridgewater Manor, the pink stone and limestone manor next to your estate. My father recently died, and Uncle Stephen brought me and my grandmothers here… with Lacey, of course.”

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he said, dipping his head in a subtle bow.

She sighed softly at the sound of his voice. It was rich and smooth, with a cadence that made her feel as though she were being invited to dance at a grand London ball during the height of the Season.

He pointed his chin at Lacey. “She’s a beautiful dog. Quite precocious and with a knack for getting into scrapes, it seems. I spotted her earlier sniffing at an animal trap someone had left ready to spring. Reacting, I threw a rock on the trap and sprang it before it could grab her.”

Lacey gave a soft woof and wagged her tail.

“Lacey,” Bella gently admonished her. She felt her face heat with a blush. “It’s not like her to get into scrapes, truly. But it was my fault. I shouldn’t have let her out on her own. She is a most curious, and I expect she was excited to explore.”

“Don’t be too hard on her. You’re fortunate to have such a clever dog. She found me as I was clearing part of a stone wall that had crumbled and frantically barked at me to follow her.” He reached down and petted the black dog, who responded by licking his hand. “I like you too, Lacey.”

“Lacey rarely likes men, except for my father—my late father,” Bella said, amazed at her dog’s affection for the stranger.

“Well, it wasn’t our first meeting,” he said. “A sudden rain shower forced me to seek shelter while walking my land yesterday, so I ran into an empty shed—probably an old groundskeeper’s shed. I thought I noticed her watching me from the cover of some trees, but I left her alone.”

“Interesting. That must have been in the morning. I ended up in our stables watching the rain. She must have heard you and slipped outside to have a peek,” Bella said, giving a slight smile.

He held her arm as he escorted her up the narrow path back to higher ground and to her manor house, with Lacey trotting in front, leading the way.

They walked for a good fifteen or twenty minutes.

Bella hadn’t realized how deep onto his property she had gone.

She’d need to use Lacey’s leash in future if the dog was going to continue running off.

She’d had the dog since she was a puppy, and now that Lacey was two, she wasn’t as rambunctious and was less inclined to disobey, usually.

Bella shuddered at the thought of the trap.

“Do you trap animals on your property… Lord Dudley?”

“No, I don’t. And please, I fear we’ve met in the unlikeliest of places.

Call me William,” he said. “I’ve only recently become a viscount, so I am unused to this formality.

But we were discussing the trap. I admit, it was a shock to discover it, and I don’t condone those traps.

I need to investigate and make certain there are no others.

I wouldn’t want anyone to be injured—horse or a person… or your brave Lacey.”

As they reached the front door of her home, Bella turned to William. “Would you come for tea tomorrow?” she asked. “As a proper thank you. And my grandmothers, Grandmama and Grandmère, would love to meet you.”

“I’d be honored,” William replied. “Though I should mention that my younger brother, Michael, will be arriving tomorrow morning. He’s eight years old. Would you mind if I brought him along?”

“Of course not. We would love to meet your brother.”

Bella smiled up at him. But as she spoke, William blinked at her, his expression shifting, as though she were some new enigma he hadn’t quite figured out.

“Would two o’clock be a good time for you and Michael?” she asked.

“Two it is,” he answered, wearing a warm smile.

“Thank you again for saving me, Lord Dudley,” she said softly.

“William,” he corrected her gently.

“William,” she repeated, the name feeling familiar and comforting on her lips.

“You’re welcome, Bella,” he said.

~*~