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“God, I love you both. Have I told you that yet? How much I love you?” Phillipasked, his voice shaky but laced with amusement at his own vulnerability, at Jonathan’s comment, at the whole situation.

Jonathan laughed, and it was full and low and reeking of sex. “What the hell is the matter with us, Phillip?

Here we have a beautiful, willing woman in my lap, and we’re getting maudlin. I haven’t spent the last fifteen years learning how to please a woman to leave one wanting in my lap.”

Maggie laughed delightedly. “I’m hardly wanting. Oh well, I guess I am, but I have no fear of being left in that state. The thought of what’s to come does indeed have me tingling in all the right places, however, so let’s get on with it.”

Suddenly she gasped as the front of her gown gaped open. Jonathan smiled wickedly at Phillip. “I’ve not lost my skills then,” he preened as he reached out with his free hand and tugged Maggie’s dress down
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over her breasts slowly.

Phillip raised himself higher on his knees and hooked a finger in Maggie’s chemise, pulling it down and over her breasts, exposing them to the hungry gazes of both men. “Oh no, darling, and neither have I.

Maggie wants to be a part of our fucking, and it is naturally my pleasure to grant her wish.” He leaned in and placed his mouth around her nipple and areola and sucked deeply. Maggie gasped again and reached up to hold Phillip there. From the corner of his eye Phillip saw Jonathan cup Maggie’s other breast, kneading it slowly and deeply. Then Jonathan wrapped his thumb and forefinger around the aroused tip and pinched and pulled hard. Maggie moaned and thrust her breasts forward and Phillip pulled back and lapped at her nipple, red and puckered from his sucking.

Jonathan spoke and his words nearly had Phillip ripping open his trouser buttons and taking the first willing partner he could pull out of the chair.

“Maggie, when Phillip fucks me tonight I want my cock buried inside you, your sweet, hot pussy wrapped around me like a silken glove. I want to feel both of you, to fuck both of you. You’ll know what I’m feeling because you’ll be feeling it too. I want you both to love me, kiss me,suck me, while I do the same to you. I want to fuck you both all night long.” He paused, his breath ragged. “But I do not want to do it in the dining room.”

Both Maggie and Phillip laughed breathlessly. “Yes, I believe we need softer accommodations for that,”

Phillip agreed. He stood just as there was a knock on the door.

Jonathan pulled Maggie around so her naked breasts were pressed against his chest, and Phillip turned to face the door, blocking both of them behind his back. “What is it?” he called out, his voice clearly indicating the interruption was unwelcome.

“There’s a message for you, sir,” Sheldrake said calmly from the other side of the door. “It’s from Lord Randal, and the boy said it was urgent.”

Phillip glanced over his shoulder at Jonathan. “Robertson,” he said harshly, and walked rapidly to the door. He opened it a crack, blocking Sheldrake’s view, and stuck his hand through imperiously. Once he had the note he unceremoniously shut the door on Sheldrake without a word.

Jonathan stood and set Maggie on the floor and immediately began to help her right her clothes. “Is everything all right, Phillip?” Maggieasked, her concern evident.

Phillip finished reading the note and looked up at his companions. “Jason asks Jonathan and me to come at once. Something’s happened, but he doesn’t say what.”

“Oh Phillip, is Kate all right? Is it the baby?” Maggie was dressed again, if a little disheveled. She hurried over to Phillip, Jonathan on her heels.

“I don’t know, Maggie,” Phillip told her, frustrated. He turned and opened the door to find Sheldrake waiting across the hall, far enough so he wouldn’t have heard anything private the three may have said.

Phillip was struck again at how much he relied on the older man.

“Thank God you’re still here, Sheldrake,” he said, relieved. “Could you have our horses saddled? Is the boy who brought the message still here?”

“No, sir.He ran off as soon as he delivered it. He was not wearing Lord Randal’s livery.”

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Phillip was more concerned than ever. “Get the horses, Sheldrake.” He turned to Jonathan. “Do you need anything before we leave?”

“No, I’m ready.” Jonathan turned to Maggie. “We’ll send word as soon as we know something, my love.” He leaned forward and kissed her temple. “I’ll count the minutes, Maggie, until our return.”

“Oh Jonathan, do be careful,” Maggie whispered, her own lips brushing lightly over his cheek.

Phillip knew that they both longed to say or do more, but by then a footman had appeared with hats and gloves and Sheldrake was waiting by the entrance door.

Jonathan reluctantly pulled away, and Phillip strode over to Maggie. He dragged her into his arms and wrapped her in a tight embrace, his mouth crashing down on hers. He kissed her as if they were alone, as if there was nowhere he had to go but to her bed, and not a care in the world except how soft her lips were, how sweet her body was against his. By the time he pulled away Maggie was clinging to him.

“Phillip,” she whispered, her palm coming to rest on his cheek as he looked at her.

“I have plans for tonight, Maggie,” he whispered in her ear as he breathed in her scent. “And nothing will ruin them, nothing.”

When they arrived at Jason’s, Jonathan was expecting to see the house lit up and a flurry of activity based on Jason’s curt note. Instead, there were few lights on and it looked almost as if the house had retired for the night. He shared an uneasy glance with Phillip. They left their horses on the street, hurrying up the stairs, and Phillip rapped the knocker loudly against the door. He had to knock twice before the door was opened by the butler.

“Yes, sir?” he inquired politely. He didn’t look upset in any way, Jonathan thought, but then he was a butler.

“Lord Randal sent for us,” Phillip told him curtly, pushing past him into the house as he took off his hat and gloves and passed them to a footman. Jonathan followed more slowly. Something was wrong here, he thought.

“Lord Randal?” the butler inquired, his expression confused. “Are you sure, sir?”

“Of course I’m sure,” Phillip told him irritably, “go and fetch him. Tell him Mr. Neville and Mr. Overton are here.”

“Phillip?”

The voice was young and sweet and feminine. Jonathan turned to see Veronica at the drawing room door. It opened wider and Kensington walked out. He could see Wolf Tarrant putting down a glass of wine as he stood up in the room beyond.

“Is something amiss? Can I help?” Veronica offered. She was smiling invitingly, and Jonathan could see
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when Phillip began to suspect something was wrong as well.

“Jason sent me an urgent message,” Phillip said, perplexed. “He asked Jonathan and me to come immediately.”

It was Veronica’s turn to look confused. “Surely you’re mistaken?” she said.

“Jason and Kate and Tony retired some time ago,” Kensington said with a wry smile. “I doubt they’ve been sending urgent messages.”

Veronica turned to him with a frown. “Kensington, really,” she said, exasperated. Wolf had come up next to them and straightened from where he’d been leaning against the door frame.

“Do you still have the note, Phillip?” Wolf asked, walking around Kensington and Veronica to hold his hand out to Phillip.

Phillip took the note out of his inside jacket pocket and passed it to Wolf.

“There’s no seal,” Wolf observed before opening the note. “It does request you both present yourselves here immediately, but it doesn’t say why, and it’s unsigned. Veronica, is it possible Jason sent it earlier today and it only just arrived? It does sound urgent.”

“Well, I can’t imagine why,” Veronica said, surprised. “We just saw them this afternoon, after all. Surely he would have discussed urgent business then? And I hardly think he would have retired if he were waiting for them.”

“Waiting for whom?” said a voice from the stairs, and they all turned to see Jason coming down the steps, still securing the tie on his dressing gown as he followed the butler down.

Jonathan breathed a sigh of relief. Now the mystery would be solved.

Phillip stepped forward. “Jason, thank God. What was so urgent you needed Jonathan and me to rush over here?”

Jason had reached the bottom of the steps and stopped at Phillip’s question. “What are you talking about?” he asked irritably. “I didn’t send for you.”

“Well, someone did. Your note said to come to your house immediately.” Phillip turned to Wolf who walked toward Jason with the note. Jason met him halfway across the entryway and took the note from him. After perusing it, he looked up with a frown.

“Well, I didn’t write this, obviously. This isn’t my handwriting and doesn’t have my seal.”

Phillip sighed in frustration. “I thought perhaps your secretary had written it for you, or someone else.

My mind was racing with various catastrophic scenarios, what with Robertson on the loose.”

Jason’s look was grave.“Perhaps Tony or Kate? But I doubt it. It’s not their writing either.” He turned to his butler. “Jenkins,” he said, and indicated with a flick of his head he was to go back upstairs, presumably to get Tony and Kate.

He was halfway up the stairs when it became obvious that Tony and Kate were already coming.

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Jonathan heard their laughter as they walked down the hall toward the stairs.

“Tony, Kate,” Jason called, “did you send for Phillip and Jonathan?”

The two arrived at the top of the stairs also attired in dressing gowns. “Whatever are you talking about, Jason?” Kate asked. “Why on earth would we send for them in the middle of the night?” Tony looked just as confused.

Jonathan was starting to feel desperate. Something was wrong. Did no one else sense it? He looked around and saw that Kensington had lost his amused air, and Veronica had reached for his hand. He turned back and saw Wolf and Jason exchange a concerned look. He finally looked at Phillip and it struck him at once.

“Someone wanted us out of the house,” he stated. He was running to the door before he finished the sentence, Phillip on his heels.

“Robertson!” Jason bellowed. Jonathan heard more yelling as people called for horses and clothes.

Jonathan and Phillip didn’t stay long enough to hear any more.

When they arrived home they found the house ablaze with lights. They threw themselves from their lathered horses and raced up the steps. Phillip reached the door first and threw it open, racing into the entryway. Jonathan could hear pounding and shouts from upstairs. He and Phillip didn’t slow down as they mounted the steps two at a time. As they reached the top the shouts took form.

“Mrs. Neville!” Sheldrake was shouting in between pounding. “Open the door!”

As they saw Phillip and Jonathan round the corner, Mrs. Sheldrake cried out in relief.“Oh Mr. Neville!

Thank God you’re home! We can’t get Mrs. Neville to answer, and the door won’t open.”

Phillip shoved Sheldrake out of the way and tried the knob. It turned easily, but when he went to push the door in it wouldn’t budge.

“Something is blocking the door, sir,” Sheldrake said, out of breath. “We heard Mrs. Neville scream and came running up, but the door was blocked.”

Phillip began throwing himself against the door. “Maggie!” he cried, his anguish evident. “Answer me, Maggie! Maggie!”

Jonathan turned and went back down the stairs. He ran through the house and came out in back, underneath the bedroom window. He jumped up and grabbed hold of a sturdy branch, climbing the tree that came up next to Maggie’s bedroom. It was only a matter of seconds before he climbed onto the balcony. The French doors were open and Jonathan’s blood ran cold at the chaos in the room. He could hear Phillip still shouting Maggie’s name, and several other bodies had joined his pounding on the door.

He stepped inside and his heart stopped beating as he saw Maggie’s body lying on the floor in the corner. Her nightclothes were torn and her face was turned away as she lay curled up. Something was caught in her hair.

“Maggie,” he cried out, but his horror made it little more than a croak.

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He stumbled to her side and rolled her over. She had a gag in her mouth, and her face was bruised and bleeding. Her breasts were exposed by a large tear in her gown, and as she rolled over he could see scratches on her exposed thighs. But she was alive, thank God, she was alive. Her eyes were tightly closed, and her breathing erratic.

“Maggie!” he cried again, and this time his voice was louder. He grabbed her shoulders and sat her up, not noticing how she cringed from him. He ran his fingers through her hair to the tie in the back of the gag and tugged it free, throwing it away as he pulled her to him. She cried out.

“No, no please,” she cried out weakly, her voice rough and painful.

In his relief Jonathan had forgotten about her wounds. He let go of her immediately and Maggie scrambled away into the corner, like a wounded animal. It took a moment to understand what she was saying.

“No more, please,” she whimpered. “Don’t touch me, don’t touch me.” She was practically trying to claw her way through the wall.

“Maggie, darling, it’s me, Jonathan,” he whispered, and he tried to take her in his arms again. She screamed and wouldn’t stop.

Jonathan was in shock. He stood and backed away. He could barely hear voices shouting on the other side of the door. All he could hear was Maggie, begging him not to touch her, screaming over and over.