MADDIE COULDN’T BELIEVE how many of Jack’s servants were afraid of sweet, little Blackjack. Not that Blackjack was all that little. He was about two feet taller than she was when he stood on hind legs and probably weighed more than three of her put together.
But he was much tamer than she first thought. He didn’t even growl. When he was afraid, he made a blowing sound. And with all the screaming going on, who wouldn’t be scared? She’d intended to house him in Jack’s mews until an enclosure was built, but the groom argued that a bear would frighten the horses. Being new to the household, she was in no position to argue, so she decided to keep Blackjack in a guest room—safely behind lock and key, of course.
Once she had Blackjack settled and fed, Maddie asked the housekeeper to show her to her quarters. She had thought Jack would be the one to show her to her room, but he was still ensconced in his library with her father. And she was happy for both of them to stay there.
Lord, anyone would think she was an infant, the way those two tried to protect her. Did they truly think she didn’t know the dangers associated with her work? That was why she’d never argued with her father when he insisted that she take a footman with her at all times. Not only that, she’d encouraged her father to hire the biggest, burliest footmen she could find.
Most were retired pirates and smugglers she met through her work, but she hadn’t told her father that.
Maddie opened the door and surveyed her room. It had obviously been cleaned recently and hastily readied for her, but other than that, she could see that no special preparations had been made.
She glanced at the bed with its pretty yellow counterpane, then wandered over to the dressing table. Laid out on the tulipwood surface were a silver brush, comb, and mirror. The antique set was tarnished with age, though it had been well cared for and kept free of dust.
Maddie touched the set and wondered who they had belonged to. Jack’s mother? It was difficult to imagine Jack as a child with parents. He was so serious, so capable. Had he ever been a rosy-cheeked boy who climbed trees and played pranks?
She yawned and wandered back to the bed. Her muscles exhausted, she ached to crawl under the counterpane. Once there, she found the bed soft and the sheets silky. She took a deep breath and her eyes drifted closed.
“BLOODY HELL!”
Maddie awoke with a start and blinked in confusion at the dark, unfamiliar surroundings. She was warm and comfortable, but now Jack was hauling her out of her little nest and tugging her into his arms.
“Jack, what’s wrong?” she murmured, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” he barked, dragging her toward the door linking their two rooms. “I leave you alone for a couple of hours and you endanger my entire household.”
Maddie dug her heels in before he could pull her into his room. “What are you talking about?” Jack lifted the candle from the dresser. “There’s a bear in my house. A maid tried to clean the guest room where you hid him and was scared to death. She just resigned her post.”
Maddie winced. “I tried to put him in the mews, but the groom said he made the horses nervous.”
“We’re getting rid of him in the morning,” Jack announced, walking through the door to his room.
“What?” Maddie stomped after him, fury making her heart pound. “What has Blackjack done? He can’t help it that the maid was scared.”
“I won’t wait around for him to hurt my staff or you, Maddie. I’ve made up my mind. He’s gone.”
Jack tore off his tailcoat and dropped it on the burgundy Aubusson rug. The room was done in dark mahogany wood, offset by deep burgundy and navy. In the center there was a mammoth bed, much bigger than the one in her room. The headboard was ornately carved and highly polished, as was all the furniture.
It was a beautiful room, but Maddie wasn’t impressed. Not with this room or with Jack. Why did he have to be so difficult? Why did he have to be so controlling? By jiminy, she would not put up with it. Anger surged through her. The back of her neck was hot, and she felt her face flush. In a rage, she slammed the adjoining door as hard as she could, making the room shake.
“What the—” Jack spun to face her.
“So, you’ve made up your mind, have you, Jack?” She stalked toward him, hands on hips.
His eyes narrowed. “That’s right.”
“The bear is gone.” She stomped closer, was almost on top of him.
He didn’t back down, but she saw a muscle in his jaw tense. “That’s right.”
“I’ve made up my mind, too,” she said, voice vibrating with fury. “If Blackjack leaves, so do I.”
Chapter Eighteen
Maddie turned on her heel, prepared to march back to her room and slam the door, sealing her grand exit, but Jack was too quick. He caught her around the waist and hauled her up against his broad chest. “You’re not leaving,” he growled in her ear.
“Don’t tell me what to do.” She struggled against him, but his grip was like a steel clamp, and the longer she was pressed against him, the less she wanted to escape. The scent of pine and leather and Jack enveloped her as completely as his strong arms. She looked down and saw his powerful bronze hand spread out on her belly. His touch was warm, the heat radiating from his hand all the way to her toes.
“Then say you won’t leave.”