When Strangers Marry (Vallerands #1)(77)

“Why doesn’t someone fix it?”

“Because no one ever comes up here.”

Lysette made no reply as she concentrated on placing her feet securely. Suddenly the silence was broken by a startling shout.

“What are you doing up there?”

Her entire body jumped at the unexpected noise. Terrified, Lysette felt herself lose her balance and sway backward. With a sharp cry. she reached out frantically to save herself, but her fingers clutched empty air. Swiftly Justin leaned over the attic open ing and grabbed for her, crushing her wrist in a bru tal grip. She gasped as she felt herself dangling in midaii, suspended only by Justin’s hand wrapped around her arm.

Glancing downward, she saw a man with dark hair below them. “M-Max!”

But it wasn’t Max. It was Bernard, who repeated his furious shout.

Lysette reached for Justin’s arm with her free hand. “I have you,” the boy said roughly. “You’re not going to fall. Can you reach the ladder with your feet?”

She strained, but could not touch it.

“Uncle Bernard… help…” Justin gasped, but a searing pain in his side prevented him from speaking further.

Bernard was strangely slow to move.

Lysette felt the grip around her arm slip a little. “Justin!”

“I’ll help,” Bernard murmured, moving beneath Lysette.

However, Justin had used every ounce of his remaining strength to pull Lysette up to the opening of the attic. Her stomach slammed against the exposed beam, and she lost her breath. Justin kept pulling until she was halfway across his lap. She lay without moving while Justin pried her fingers away from his trembling arm and dragged his sleeve across his face. He blinked rapidly and shook his head, as if he couldn’t quite focus properly.

Bernard appeared at the top of the steps. His face was dark with rage. “You could have waited for me to assist you.”

Justin moistened his lips and spoke with an effort, his young face gray with pain. “You wanted her to fall, Bernard.”

“What kind of insane accusation is that? I was coming to help!”

“You took your damned time about it,” Justin said hoarsely.

“Explain what you two were doing up there,” Bernard demanded.

Ignoring him, Justin bent over Lysette and urged her to sit upright. Dazed, she held her stomach and breathed deeply. “Justin,” she said, realizing what he had done, “are you hurt? Your wound— is it bleeding?”

He shook his head impatiently.

“You were searching through Corinne’s belongings, weren’t you?” Bernard shouted. “You have no right to do such a thing. I forbid it!”

Justin began to retort hotly, but Lysette silenced him with a touch on his shoulder. She stared coldly at Bernard.

“You forbid?” she repeated. “I was not aware, Bernard, that you were in a position to forbid me anything.”

“Or me!” Justin added, unable to keep quiet.

“It’s not decent,” Bernard said savagely. “Pawing through her possessions just to satisfy your petty jealousies, prying and staring. By God, I hope she curses you from the grave!”

His words lashed through the silence. Until now Lysette had never seen evidence of Bernard’s temper. She found it curious that his wrath had been aroused on behalf of his dead sister-in-law.

She kept her voice very soft. “Why are you so upset, Bernard?”

He ignored the question. “I’m going to tell Max about what you’ve done as soon as he arrives home. By the time I’m through, he’ll beat you— as he should have a long time ago.”

“We’ll see,” Lysette said. “Now please leave so Justin and I may descend without further mishap.”

Bernard’s face purpled, and he went down the steps. Unfortunately, Justin’s temper was still smoldering, and he leaned over the edge of the stairwell to call after Bernard.

“Who appointed you guardian over her belongings, Uncle? She was my mother. What was she to you?”

Bernard swung around as if he had been struck, looking up at Justin with a flash of pure hatred. Uncomprehending, Justin stared at his uncle, his blue eyes bewildered.

———

Had Lysette wanted, she could have been the first to rush to Max when he arrived, to tell him her side of the story before Bernard or Irénée spoke to him. She chose not to. Opening the bedchamber door, she looked down as Max came into the entrance hall. Immediately Bernard and Irénée beseiged him, one angry, the other merely concerned, while Max stared at them both in dumbfounded silence. It was impossible for Lysette to hear what they said, but the tone of their complaints was clear.

Sighing, Lysette closed the door. She went to the large chair by the hearth and rubbed her temples to soothe a throbbing ache. Several minutes passed, but she did not move until she heard Max come into the room.

“Bon soir,” she murmured with a weary smile, knowing that he was undoubtedly furious with her. But she was too tired to argue, or win him over, or try any of her usual tactics to divert him. “Tell me right away, mon mari… how much trouble am I in?”

Chapter 13

Max’s gaze swept over her, and his stern face softened as he crossed the room. Lysette gave a sigh of relief as he gathered her in his arms. The tightness in her chest eased. The familiar scent of him was soothing and pleasant, and the strength of his body elicited a shiver of comfort from the very marrow of her bones.