Page 16 (1/2)

Granted, the one in the study had been executed by a Dandridge Did that es hated the e’s sister And Bradley had probably brought so us Tarleton that he’d died years earlier than he should have

So what exactly was the truth about Beast Bradley? Did his infatuation with Lucy turn him into a monster or had history been written by the victors--the patriots in this case? Maybe he’d been nothingwith his faults

Then again, how did anyone forgive awo even seemed to shift He yawned, exhausted, then went back out to the parlor

Allison Leigh was still sleeping soundly

"Allison?"

He touched her shoulder She didn’t awaken

She looked young and vulnerable lying there, and angelically beautiful Her dark hair was sleek and lustrous against the cri lashes swept ivory cheeks

"Allison?" He shook her slightly but she still didn’t wake

Perplexed, Tyler straightened, studying her for a minute or two

It probably wouldn’t look proper to leave her sleeping there But…they were living in theupstairs, she was downstairs, and he really didn’t give a damn what people said She lived alone, and he was pretty sure she didn’t have to answer to anyone

"Sleep tight," he mur for theof Beast Bradley Here, there was strength in the eyes, but not that expression of brutal cunning and cruelty

"Talk to me?" he offered

But the house was silent

He went on to bed, open to the spirits who ht, none of them chose to appear

Allison ith a start

She sat up, feeling lost Then she noticed the blanket around her and turned to see the pillow she’d slept on She looked around, realizing she was in the foyer of the Tarleton-Dandridge House She re out

She didn’t want to be here She’d iht; he was on her mind She was near the place where he’d died She had been an idiot to coue cah from the salon doorway, a cup of coffee in his hand

"It’s black Hope that’s okay I don’t use creaht any yet I didn’t disturb anything historical I ht have creah anyone’s things," he said, offering her the cup

She nodded and accepted the cup nuht?" she asked hi around the historic district while I was sleeping," he said "Enjoying the wild nightlife"

She ignored his atte…odd?"

"No," he said "Did you?"

"Ah, no, no I must’ve been so tired… I’ to have a doctor’s appointe sip of the coffee, which was hot She coughed but didn’t scald her mouth, thank God

"Hey!" Tyler took the cup froht?"

"I’m fine Embarrassed I was just so tired Thanks for the pillow and the blanket You should have woken me"

"I tried"

"Oh, I’ht," he told her

You’ll never kno ht

"I’ll call you later" She took the coffee cup from him and drank more carefully, then pushed it back in his hands "I’ll call you later!" she repeated

Allison tried not to run to the door When she reached it, she remembered that an alarm was set She keyed in the nuate, she did the sa She didn’t look back She ran down the street, not sure at first what she was doing or even what tiet away froait She finally checked her watch and saw that it was still early--not yet seven She’d go home and shower, then show up at the university’s s and hope that a professor friend, a psychiatrist, would be able to see her