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out to block her escape.
    “It’s a little late for a stroll, isn’t it?”
    The moonlit shadows exposed no more than her outline, but Ross took great satisfaction in watching her hand fly to her mouth and hearing her startled squeal of fright.
    Before she could recover, he stepped even closer. From the corner of his eye, he saw her gather handfuls of her skirt in her fists and knew her instinct was to run. He clamped his fingers around her upper arms and pinned her firmly against the tree.
    “Are you often in the habit of running through the woods at three o’clock in the morning?” he asked softly.
    Ross could feel her tremble beneath him, and even though he had no intention of hurting her, he knew this was an excellent opportunity to get information. Perhaps even about the smugglers. Who better than from one of the locals?
    “Release me. This instant.”
    “I don’t think so,” he said, bracketing her legs with his. It was impossible for her to escape now. His entire body was mere inches from hers, and he could tell from the way she pulled herself away from him, she had no intention of leaning forward even a fraction.
    “I think I’d like to know what you’re doing out here all alone.”
    She turned her face away from him as a denial to his request and Ross placed his finger to the side of her narrow jaw to bring her back. In one swift movement, he turned her face forward, then brought his hand upward to push aside the hood of her cloak.
    The clouds took that moment to slide away from the full moon, illumining the spot where they stood. Brilliant streams of moonlight floated around the girl, surrounding her in an ethereal halo. Her hair glowed like shimmering gold, and wide, expressive eyes stared back at him from her heart-shaped face. She had high cheekbones, a pert little nose, and full lips she pressed tightly together. There was something very intriguing in her features, not beautiful exactly, but attractive nonetheless. And for some unexplainable reason, he didn’t want to step away from her.
    It wasn’t light enough to tell the color of her eyes but he didn’t need a light. He remembered from when he’d seen her before. And it was bright enough to see an emergence of the same anger he’d witnessed three days ago when he met her at the orphanage.
    “Well, Miss Foley. What a surprise.”
    …
    Josie lifted her chin and forced herself to put on a brave front. “Stand aside, Lord Rainforth. I’d like to pass.”
    “Not until you tell me what you are doing out here all by yourself.”
    Josie wasn’t about to tell him she’d been sitting with his son because he’d had another nightmare. She’d promised little Charlie she’d stay with him until he fell asleep and she’d held him until he’d fallen asleep a little while ago.
    “I was taking a walk.”
    Josie couldn’t tell for sure but she swore he was smiling at her.
    Her first thought was that she must be mistaken. From the little she’d been around him, she doubted Lord Rainforth knew how to smile. But here he was, staring down at her with a condescending grin on his face.
    Although she was usually quite adept at controlling her anger, she felt her temper raise another notch. And her fear, although she’d never let him see it. When he spoke, his voice wrapped around her like filigree netting, holding her, confining her.
    “This far from home?”
    “It’s not so very far from Clythebrook. It’s only—”
    “You’re on St. Stephen’s property.”
    Josie often cut through the woods when she left by Sacred Heart’s south gate. It was shorter than going around to the front. She ground her teeth and glared at him.
    “What are you doing out here, Miss Foley?”
    The air caught in her lungs. She pulled to escape his grasp but he wouldn’t let her go.
    “You obviously have some reason for being out at this hour. And I doubt it’s to take a moonlight stroll. A midnight rendezvous perhaps? Who is he?”
    Josie felt an intense desire to