Read Online To Have and to Hold by Rebecca King - Free Book Online Page A

inconvenience.”
    “Inconvenience?”   Dominic lurched to his feet and stood beside
the bed feeling his temper rise.   “What
do you mean inconvenience?   You are not
some bloody vague relation happening by.”
    “I’m sorry I
don’t mean to anger you.   I just don’t
want to cause you any problems given our past....”   Isobel glanced around the room at a loss to
find the right words.   “...association.”   She ended
weakly and watched nervously as his temper rose.
    “Association?”   Dominic shook his head in stunned surprise
knowing he sounded dense by keep repeating her sentences.   “We were lovers Isobel!”   He hated to be so blunt, but they couldn’t
hide the fact that they had been far more than mere ‘associates.”   He felt irked that she could so blithely put
him into that category.
    “I just don’t
want to make things awkward for you.   Your wife wouldn’t like me being here.”   Using every ounce of courage within her, she ignored his bristling anger
and continued on.   Dropping her gaze to
the coverlet across her knees, she began to pluck randomly at the soft material
as she continued.   “I am sorry for any
discontent my presence here has already caused.   Please if you could get my clothes I shall leave forthwith.”   She once again tried to roll over to stand
only to find herself firmly grasped by the shoulders and pushed backwards until
she was lying upon the bed.   Reluctantly,
she gave in with a deep sigh and flopped down upon the sheets exhausted.
    “My
what?”   Dominic’s voice was deadly as his gaze
captured and held hers.   He stood beside
the bed, anger clearly evident on the harshness of his features as he glared at
her.   His voice softened menacingly.   Everything within the lavishly decorated room
seemed to pause.   No sound could be heard
other than the wheezing rattle in her chest as she breathed and fought down the
rising wave of panic that immediately sapped her courage.
    “Y-your
wife.”   Isobel replied trying hard but failing to
keep the quiver of hurt from her voice.   She knew she should be angry but couldn’t seem to find a way through the
hurt that flowed through her veins like molten lava.
    “My
wife.”   Dominic replied dully as he stared at her, a
growing lump of dread forming in his chest.   “Who told you I had a wife Isobel?”    He tried to keep his tone light against the anger building within.   Already he knew the answer but needed to hear
it from her lips.   His heart jolted when
she replied.
    “Aunt
Elspeth.”  
    “Elspeth?”   His voice echoed incredulously.   “Are you sure?”  
    Isobel sighed
with impatience and glared at him.   Her
voice rose to a high squeak as she glared up at him defiantly.   “Of course, I am sure!   What do you take me for?   She told me she had received word from a
friend in London, who had been – somewhere.”   Isobel paused with a frown but couldn’t locate the name in her
memory.   “She said the source was
reliable and had revealed that a few weeks after leaving Willowbrook you had travelled to your father’s estate in Berkshire and wed your betrothed
in the family chapel.”   Exhausted, Isobel
slumped back against the pillow, her breath coming in shallow pants.   Misery swelled once again in her chest as the
familiar feeling of devastating loss swept through her.   Pride prevented her from allowing him to
witness just how miserable losing him had made her.  
    She desperately
wanted to cry.   To rail at him and beat
his chest for his callous disregard of her.   If only she had the strength to do so.   Instead, she lay there and cursed her weakness for once again, despite
everything she found herself at the mercy of a man who had cruelly hurt her.
    “Isobel.”   There was something in the tone of his voice
that commanded her attention. Determined not to let her tears flow in his
presence, she raised a frosty brow in his direction and waited.