Read Online A Forbidden Love by Alexandra Benedict - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alexandra Benedict
Ads: Link
pause, then, “Would you ever leave your world?”
Their eyes met. Hers, a deep sea blue, darkened like a brewing tempest, drawing him into their stormy depths.
“To leave my family means never to return.” She went to set the china on the nightstand, the teacup faintly rattling against the porcelain saucer. “I couldn’t bear that.”
Anthony nodded and lifted out of his chair. He wasn’t sure why he’d asked the ridiculous question in the first place. He only knew her answer had triggered an unpleasant sensation to swirl in his gut.
“Why don’t you get some rest.” He recovered the compress still saturating in the basin, squeezing it firmly before setting it over her brow. “I’ll wake you for luncheon.”
Chapter 7
L uncheon was almost upon them and Sabrina had yet to get any sleep. She’d spent the remaining morning with her eyes closed, pretending to rest, though her mind was anything but at ease.
Anthony shuffled the papers on his writing desk, disturbing her thoughts, forever reminding her where she was and who was her caretaker. Each time he rustled a sheet, or shifted in his chair, she lifted her lashes to study his broad back, his arm teetering gently, as he scribbled away on the parchment or dipped his quill in the inkwell.
Her eyes skipped over his large frame and peered out through the row of tall windows to the cloudy sky beyond. The viscount had an unnerving effect on her. She didn’t like to admit it, but the fluttering sensations in her belly made it difficult to ignore. It was ridiculous really, that the paltry and unintentional gestures of a lingering look or the mere touch of his hand should incite such peculiar jitters. But they did. And she tried to dismiss the wayward responses as quickly as they came, believing them the muddled results of her head injury and nothing more. She met with ill victory, though. Dismissing Anthony from her mind would prove to be far more complicated than mere reasoning alone.
She let out a faint sigh, careful not to attract the man’s attention toward the bed. To look into his gem-green eyes at that point would only fan her irrational nerves further. And they were irrational. Weren’t they?
Sabrina delved deep into her troubled thoughts, searching for a more practical reason for her pulsating innards. And then it came to her. Perhaps her nerves were on edge because of the feelings Anthony had stirred within her. Feelings of anxiety…and guilt.
It made more sense now, the tight thrumming of her heart whenever the viscount drew near. It was the man’s bewildered expression, his insistence to know why she was marrying her cousin, that had her all quivering inside.
Lids heavy with shame, she closed her eyes. She had asked herself that very same rebellious question once before: Why did she have to marry her cousin Istvan? But she had felt guilty for even thinking it. She had to marry her cousin. Promised to each other five years ago, their marriage was postponed until her training in herbal lore was complete. That training at an end, she now had a duty to fulfill. If she didn’t marry Istvan, it would disgrace her father. And she would never do anything to hurt such a proud and wonderful man. Her obligation was clear…and yet, her dormant doubts were roused again. She thought she had reconciled herself to her wifely fate, but apparently she had not or she wouldn’t be feeling such absurd jitters.
“Is something wrong?”
Her gloomy thoughts disbanded at the sound of a guttural voice. She looked over to find Anthony had risen from his chair and was studying her intently from across the room. She didn’t like it when he looked at her in that way. With such…fire in his eyes. She didn’t like it at all. And then it happened again. The flurry of sensations mounted in her belly.
Anthony advanced toward the bed and she became tenser with each step he took. He slumped a shoulder against the bedpost, the structure quivering in response to his
Their eyes met. Hers, a deep sea blue, darkened like a brewing tempest, drawing him into their stormy depths.
“To leave my family means never to return.” She went to set the china on the nightstand, the teacup faintly rattling against the porcelain saucer. “I couldn’t bear that.”
Anthony nodded and lifted out of his chair. He wasn’t sure why he’d asked the ridiculous question in the first place. He only knew her answer had triggered an unpleasant sensation to swirl in his gut.
“Why don’t you get some rest.” He recovered the compress still saturating in the basin, squeezing it firmly before setting it over her brow. “I’ll wake you for luncheon.”
Chapter 7
L uncheon was almost upon them and Sabrina had yet to get any sleep. She’d spent the remaining morning with her eyes closed, pretending to rest, though her mind was anything but at ease.
Anthony shuffled the papers on his writing desk, disturbing her thoughts, forever reminding her where she was and who was her caretaker. Each time he rustled a sheet, or shifted in his chair, she lifted her lashes to study his broad back, his arm teetering gently, as he scribbled away on the parchment or dipped his quill in the inkwell.
Her eyes skipped over his large frame and peered out through the row of tall windows to the cloudy sky beyond. The viscount had an unnerving effect on her. She didn’t like to admit it, but the fluttering sensations in her belly made it difficult to ignore. It was ridiculous really, that the paltry and unintentional gestures of a lingering look or the mere touch of his hand should incite such peculiar jitters. But they did. And she tried to dismiss the wayward responses as quickly as they came, believing them the muddled results of her head injury and nothing more. She met with ill victory, though. Dismissing Anthony from her mind would prove to be far more complicated than mere reasoning alone.
She let out a faint sigh, careful not to attract the man’s attention toward the bed. To look into his gem-green eyes at that point would only fan her irrational nerves further. And they were irrational. Weren’t they?
Sabrina delved deep into her troubled thoughts, searching for a more practical reason for her pulsating innards. And then it came to her. Perhaps her nerves were on edge because of the feelings Anthony had stirred within her. Feelings of anxiety…and guilt.
It made more sense now, the tight thrumming of her heart whenever the viscount drew near. It was the man’s bewildered expression, his insistence to know why she was marrying her cousin, that had her all quivering inside.
Lids heavy with shame, she closed her eyes. She had asked herself that very same rebellious question once before: Why did she have to marry her cousin Istvan? But she had felt guilty for even thinking it. She had to marry her cousin. Promised to each other five years ago, their marriage was postponed until her training in herbal lore was complete. That training at an end, she now had a duty to fulfill. If she didn’t marry Istvan, it would disgrace her father. And she would never do anything to hurt such a proud and wonderful man. Her obligation was clear…and yet, her dormant doubts were roused again. She thought she had reconciled herself to her wifely fate, but apparently she had not or she wouldn’t be feeling such absurd jitters.
“Is something wrong?”
Her gloomy thoughts disbanded at the sound of a guttural voice. She looked over to find Anthony had risen from his chair and was studying her intently from across the room. She didn’t like it when he looked at her in that way. With such…fire in his eyes. She didn’t like it at all. And then it happened again. The flurry of sensations mounted in her belly.
Anthony advanced toward the bed and she became tenser with each step he took. He slumped a shoulder against the bedpost, the structure quivering in response to his
Similar Books
