LITMIR.BIZ

      CHAPTER ONE

      “LUCY, darling, what—Oh, Lord! Twins!”

      Lucy frowned and stretched, then winced as pain stabbed through her hip. What an odd dream. Jack was in it, and he sounded so—so troubled. It wasn’t like him to be troubled. He was an easygoing guy.

      She felt another twinge in her hip, and her eyelids fluttered as she fought coming awake. She was so tired. Every fiber in her being cried out to be left alone. But something nagged at her brain, making her battle the urge to fall back to sleep.

      As her eyes fully opened, she grimaced in confusion. Why was her head lolling on the seat cushion of an unfamiliar velvet sofa? And why were her legs cramped and twisted awkwardly on the cold, wood floor of—

      She jerked up, shocked to discover that she’d dozed off. She couldn’t believe she had actually fallen asleep in such a scary situation. Swiping at her eyes, she cleared away the blur of exhaustion. The flicker of two dwindling candles on a dust-coated end table was her only light, but enough to make it clear that her little sister was no longer sleeping on the sofa. Lucy had been comforting her, holding her hand. But now, she was gone! Lucy jumped to her feet, her heart going to her throat. “Helen?”

      In the dimness she could see the newborn baby girls, still on the velvet cushion—such a small, precious bundle—swaddled in her raincoat. Thank heaven for that. Pulling her sweater tighter around her, she began to panic. It was freezing in the old D’Amour mansion, and her sister had just given birth, prematurely, to twins. She was weak and cold, so where could she have gone? “Helen!” When her only answer was silence, fright clutched her by the throat. “Helen!” she cried in desperation. “Please—where are you?”

      The sound of someone running filled her ears, and she spun toward the den’s entry in time to see a tall, dark figure appear at the door, just beyond the reaches of the candles’ illumination. With the intruder’s appearance, her heart stopped with dread. What was happening? She was so exhausted, so emotionally depleted, her eyes had to be playing tricks on her. Or was she hallucinating? Maybe, if she were very, very lucky, she was still asleep. Yes! Yes, that had to be it! She was asleep, and this massive, threatening figure was not there and Helen was dozing peacefully on the couch beside her babies.

      Balling her fists, Lucy squeezed her eyes tight, pleading, “Please—please let me wake up from this nightmare !”

      Footfalls that sounded all too real advanced across the gritty floorboards. Terror and helplessness surged through her. All she could think of to do was to fling herself across the babies in an effort to protect them.

      As she was about to lunge toward the couch, she detected the most incongruous sound. A wry chuckle. At that same instant, gentle hands gripped her upper arms. “Lucy, Lucy...” Her name was spoken with soft urgency, and she felt herself being shaken slightly. “I know I’m not the man of your dreams, but a nightmare? Give me a break.”

      That voice! She knew that voice! But it couldn’t be him. Couldn’t be Jack. He was spending the month in Bermuda. His last letter had been mailed from there.

      She dropped her fists to her sides and opened her eyes. The first sight she saw was a cinnamon brown gaze, shimmering with melancholy humor. “Jack?” Though the candles were flickering low, their light feeble, she could never mistake those eyes. “Jack!” She grabbed at his shirtfront. “Oh, thank heavens you’re here. Helen’s missing. You have to help me find—”

      “Calm down.” He pulled her into his arms. “I’ve already carried Helen to the car and notified Skaggs Hospital that we’re

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