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she looked like an angel. A slight frown creased her brow and her dark lashes came to inky spikes from the
tears that dampened her cheeks.
Was she crying in her sleep because of him?
Shame swept over him as he stared down at the uncommonly beautiful face. He'd not given a
moment's thought to Phillipa's feelings, how she would feel at being swept up and married to a stranger the
moment her ship tied up at the dock. And how would she feel when she learned that she'd been deceived,
married to a man she had no knowledge of, quite possibly didn't even know existed, instead of the man to
whom her family had betrothed her in childhood?
And while he was being painfully honest with himself, Alec had to wonder if he would have given any
of this a second thought, were he gazing down at the homely face he'd expected to marry. Indeed, would he
be looking upon her at all?
Spurred by the shame he was not accustomed to feeling, he decided then and there to make his
unconscionable behavior up to his wife. He would not insist on consummating the marriage until she was
ready to take that step. He would do what he could to ease her into the position of being married to a
stranger. And he would worry about a possible annulment only if the occasion arose.
She sobbed again and he found himself gently brushing a tendril of hair from her cheek. The moment
his hand touched her skin, she shot upright and flew into his arms, wrapping her arms about his neck and
burying her face in his bare shoulder.
After a moment of shock, he realized she was still asleep. He started to lay her back down, but the feel
of her hair against his cheek, the warmth of her body, her scent, all felt so good, so right, that he brought his
hands up to pull her closer.
Bolts of fire shot up his fingertips when they encountered bare skin at her back. The woman had no
night-clothes on!
Someone knocked on the bedchamber door and a moment later the door swung inward.
Alec swiveled on the side of the bed when the tray of food in Margaret's hand rattled as if she would
drop it. Phillipa jerked awake, jumping away with a yelp, staring first at Alec and then at Margaret. The
sheet covering her fell, revealing her lack of clothing in all her glory. Margaret stammered an apology and
fled while Phillipa scrambled to cover herself.
"What the hell are you doing in here?" she screamed, loud enough to do damage to his hearing. She
tried to shove him off the bed, but he held his ground.
"You were crying in your sleep "
"I don't cry in my sleep."
"Yes, you do. I came in to see if you needed comforting."
"I don't cry in my sleep, and I sure don't need comforting from a whacko kidnapper! Get out!"
He stood then, some of his earlier shame melting away at her words.
"Phillipa, I realize now I should have waited "
"My name is Shaelyn! S-H-A-E-L-Y-N! If you were out to kidnap Phillipa, you've got the wrong
woman! Just take me back to the ship and "
"But the ring "
"You want the ring? Take the stupid ring! Take my credit cards! Take whatever you want! Here . . ."
She struggled to pull her betrothal ring from her finger. He stopped her with his hand but she jerked
away and continued to struggle.
"Phillipa, I don't want the ring." He tried to take her hand again, but she turned her back on him. "I see
my presence is upsetting you. I'll leave now, but in the morning we are going to have a long talk."
She made a rude noise as he rose, but he simply closed his eyes and shook his head.
When he shut the door behind him, a wave of relief nearly weakened his knees. The woman was
indeed mad, but what he could not credit was this strange, overwhelming attraction he felt for her. Almost
from the moment his gaze had fallen on her. And then to have her press herself against him, warm and
fragrant and naked . . .
With a disgusted sigh, he shoved his arms into his dressing gown and went in search of Martin, whom
he found inspecting the kitchen.
"Send someone to fetch my wife's aunt, Martin. Ned should be on his way back with the trunks, and he
can give directions to where she's staying. I have yet to introduce her to the staff. I shall attend to that
tomorrow."
Martin nodded, his face as impassive as ever. "As you wish, sir."
Fatigue crept into Alec's mind and body, and suddenly all he wanted was to lose himself in sleep and
put this day behind him.
"I'm not to be disturbed for the remainder of the night."
"Yes, sir." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]