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Authors: Tamara Ternie
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his gesture since the woman he escorted — the woman he’ d soon marry — awaited him down below. She pushed him away.
“I must go. ” She began to rise from the floor but he held her firmly in place. “ Y ou need to go as well. Cassandra is awaiting your return .”
“ Cassandra ?” Seth grinned and glanced over the balcony . “Have you been spying on me from up here ?” he teased. “I’m flattered.”
“ I wasn’t spying . Truly , I wasn’t. I … Well , I … I w as watching the festivities — everyone at the party, that is.” Myra felt a surge of heat warm her cheeks. “Margaret said I could,” she added in her defense.
“And what do you think of Cassandra?”
“She’s very beautiful. ” The confession came easy. No one who v iew ed Cassandra could s tate otherwise.
“ Aye , she is,” Seth conceded. “Did you know my father plans a union between her and me ?”
“ Tis not my business .” Myra attempted her depart ure down the ladder again . She had seen and heard enough about his interest in the girl that would soon be his wife . Yet Seth , again, prevented her leave when he gripped her wrist tighter. He tugged her close r toward him until they were face to face. H is breath flowed warm and sweet across her face.
“ Nay , I guess not, but I’d like your opinion nonetheless.”
“ You’d like m y opinion about your upcoming marriage ?” She didn’t hide her surprise . “ Tis your choice if you wish to find a wife in the same manner as procuring a trink et . ” She looked at him a moment before she continued. “ That being the case, y ou exhibit fine taste in ornaments . ” Her tone clearly d isplayed her irritation, as well as her j ealousy, and she hated hersel f the moment she realized it.
Seth smiled w ide and released her . He started for the ladder , but returned and face d her. He softly brushed his finger down her cheek and across her chin, raising it slightly as if readying her for a kiss.
She wondered if he was testing her. He had explicitly point ed out the Blue Law which state d unmarried person were not allowed kissing. She swallowed hard and apprehension flowed through her from head to heel. She looked deep into his eyes and wa ited — and God forgive her — but she wanted that kiss. T he shimmer of candles from the chandelier above the great room swayed and highlighted the ornery glint in his bright blue eye s . Closing her eyelids tight, she w ished for him to take advantage of her vulnerable state and initiate the kiss . Yet by the time she reopened her eyes, he had already quit the room .
CHAPTER SIX
The four women who shared Myra ’s small abode left long before she awoke. Gone about their daily duties at the Preston home, but Lucia remained with her, well past time in reporting for her duties.
“Why hadn’t I swallowed my pride and asked Margaret for dry clothing?” Her cheeks burned hot with fever. A tightness in her lungs squeezed at her chest and she released a raspy cough. Wheeze-filled breathing followed and she folded her arms over her chest. “This is surely the result of wearing that wet dress last week in the cold!”
“Oh, Myra , I must ask them to send for a physician .” Tears of worry filled Lucia’s eyes as she held Myra ’s hand.
“ Nay , I ’ll not have them pay the physician’s stipend . It shall be added on to my servitude time. As you very well know, I must return to Brunnington.” She coughed again.
“P lease, you cannot let this go. You could die, Myra ,” she cried. “Then where would that leave you? You’d be of no help to Mary then.”
“Please, help me out of bed ‘ fore we’re in trouble for dally ing too long.” Myra smiled when she accomplished standing on her feet with no support. The room spun but she focused on Lucia’s mesmerizing blue eyes so she’d stay upright.
“See? I’m perfectly
“I must go. ” She began to rise from the floor but he held her firmly in place. “ Y ou need to go as well. Cassandra is awaiting your return .”
“ Cassandra ?” Seth grinned and glanced over the balcony . “Have you been spying on me from up here ?” he teased. “I’m flattered.”
“ I wasn’t spying . Truly , I wasn’t. I … Well , I … I w as watching the festivities — everyone at the party, that is.” Myra felt a surge of heat warm her cheeks. “Margaret said I could,” she added in her defense.
“And what do you think of Cassandra?”
“She’s very beautiful. ” The confession came easy. No one who v iew ed Cassandra could s tate otherwise.
“ Aye , she is,” Seth conceded. “Did you know my father plans a union between her and me ?”
“ Tis not my business .” Myra attempted her depart ure down the ladder again . She had seen and heard enough about his interest in the girl that would soon be his wife . Yet Seth , again, prevented her leave when he gripped her wrist tighter. He tugged her close r toward him until they were face to face. H is breath flowed warm and sweet across her face.
“ Nay , I guess not, but I’d like your opinion nonetheless.”
“ You’d like m y opinion about your upcoming marriage ?” She didn’t hide her surprise . “ Tis your choice if you wish to find a wife in the same manner as procuring a trink et . ” She looked at him a moment before she continued. “ That being the case, y ou exhibit fine taste in ornaments . ” Her tone clearly d isplayed her irritation, as well as her j ealousy, and she hated hersel f the moment she realized it.
Seth smiled w ide and released her . He started for the ladder , but returned and face d her. He softly brushed his finger down her cheek and across her chin, raising it slightly as if readying her for a kiss.
She wondered if he was testing her. He had explicitly point ed out the Blue Law which state d unmarried person were not allowed kissing. She swallowed hard and apprehension flowed through her from head to heel. She looked deep into his eyes and wa ited — and God forgive her — but she wanted that kiss. T he shimmer of candles from the chandelier above the great room swayed and highlighted the ornery glint in his bright blue eye s . Closing her eyelids tight, she w ished for him to take advantage of her vulnerable state and initiate the kiss . Yet by the time she reopened her eyes, he had already quit the room .
CHAPTER SIX
The four women who shared Myra ’s small abode left long before she awoke. Gone about their daily duties at the Preston home, but Lucia remained with her, well past time in reporting for her duties.
“Why hadn’t I swallowed my pride and asked Margaret for dry clothing?” Her cheeks burned hot with fever. A tightness in her lungs squeezed at her chest and she released a raspy cough. Wheeze-filled breathing followed and she folded her arms over her chest. “This is surely the result of wearing that wet dress last week in the cold!”
“Oh, Myra , I must ask them to send for a physician .” Tears of worry filled Lucia’s eyes as she held Myra ’s hand.
“ Nay , I ’ll not have them pay the physician’s stipend . It shall be added on to my servitude time. As you very well know, I must return to Brunnington.” She coughed again.
“P lease, you cannot let this go. You could die, Myra ,” she cried. “Then where would that leave you? You’d be of no help to Mary then.”
“Please, help me out of bed ‘ fore we’re in trouble for dally ing too long.” Myra smiled when she accomplished standing on her feet with no support. The room spun but she focused on Lucia’s mesmerizing blue eyes so she’d stay upright.
“See? I’m perfectly
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