Read Online Bittersweet Endeavors by Tamara Ternie - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tamara Ternie
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fine,” sh e assured. “You go on ahead .” Myra reached for her wool dress and slipped it over her shift. “Tell them I’ve awakened late and I’ll be there posthaste.”
Lucia swept the tears from her cheeks and nodded. “All right, Myra , but if you get worse, you must tell them.”
“All right. Now off, the hour grows late. ”
The moment the door closed , Myra released the pent up cough she hid from Lucia. It shook her bone s and a shiver convulse d her insomuch that it nearly toppled her. No longer capable of stand ing , Myra stumbled and tripped on to the floor in a stupor. Dazed , and powerless from focusing on items before her, she attempted lifting herself from the cold dirt floor. Her hands felt like ice against the ground . She drew them to ward the outpour ing heat that gushed from her cheeks and hope d it would warm them . Finding small comfort from the warmth , she closed her eyes.
Time distorted . She didn’t know how long she had stayed on the floor, but as she faded in and out of consciousness, her mind found escape and journey ed back home to England. The vision brought her peace , comfort , and safe ty as her mother and father greeted her at the entrance of Brunnington Castle. Never ha d she felt such harmony in her state of being . She found her way back home and with the people she love d . Myra was happy, safe, and determined to stay.
* * *
“Doesn’t she know that we must keep schedules around here?” he yelled at Lucia. Seth raised his hands into the air and released a low hiss that seeped through his clenched teeth and pass ed by his pursed lips . “She’s been here long enough and should’ve learned some discipline by now.”
“But—”
Seth ignored her and stormed toward the door. D etermined with retrieving her, he grabbed his over coat from the hook. Surely she didn’t think that their encounter the previous night gave her the liberty to take leave of her duties. He wondered if she fretted over seeing him after he nearly kissed her. An unacceptable excuse, he believed. Once and for all, Seth thought with determination, s he w ould learn that her antics were a poor reflec tion on him. At the rate he was going , he’ d never prove to his father that he would make a good charge for their estate when the time came.
“I’ll not hear your excuses for her,” he said. He brushed passed Lucia when she attempt ed to intercede his way out the door. Ignoring her words of protest, he stormed out of the room .
The path he traipsed on the way to the wigwam was covered knee-deep in snow from the storm that hit the pr evious night, but Seth didn’t notice enough to care . Anger starved his reason and his mind only focused on what he ’d say once he encountered Myra . Tardiness wa s n’t something his father would tolerate, and by God, he’ d not either. Knocking and announcing his presence wasn’t even a thought. He barged through the door.
“ Myra ,” he angrily summoned after breaking the door’s bre a ch , b ut the sight of her still body on the floor stunned him . He had never seen anyone so pale and thought her dead. “ Myra !” he rushed out.
In t wo strides he was at her side . H e bent down onto one knee and cradled her head between his two hands. The heat that expelled from her flushed cheeks burned his palms.
“Dear God, you ’ re burning up.” Beneath her knees and back, he slid his hands under neath her , and i n one swift motion, raised her into the protection of his arms. Her head snuggled beneath his chin and she mumbled a few unintelligible words. “Hush, Myra ,” he soothed. “Rest easy, I’m here”
“Father,” she cried out in hushed desperation.
The embers in the fire ha d long since died, and Seth didn’ t waste time before going to the task of rebuilding the fire. Once he laid
Lucia swept the tears from her cheeks and nodded. “All right, Myra , but if you get worse, you must tell them.”
“All right. Now off, the hour grows late. ”
The moment the door closed , Myra released the pent up cough she hid from Lucia. It shook her bone s and a shiver convulse d her insomuch that it nearly toppled her. No longer capable of stand ing , Myra stumbled and tripped on to the floor in a stupor. Dazed , and powerless from focusing on items before her, she attempted lifting herself from the cold dirt floor. Her hands felt like ice against the ground . She drew them to ward the outpour ing heat that gushed from her cheeks and hope d it would warm them . Finding small comfort from the warmth , she closed her eyes.
Time distorted . She didn’t know how long she had stayed on the floor, but as she faded in and out of consciousness, her mind found escape and journey ed back home to England. The vision brought her peace , comfort , and safe ty as her mother and father greeted her at the entrance of Brunnington Castle. Never ha d she felt such harmony in her state of being . She found her way back home and with the people she love d . Myra was happy, safe, and determined to stay.
* * *
“Doesn’t she know that we must keep schedules around here?” he yelled at Lucia. Seth raised his hands into the air and released a low hiss that seeped through his clenched teeth and pass ed by his pursed lips . “She’s been here long enough and should’ve learned some discipline by now.”
“But—”
Seth ignored her and stormed toward the door. D etermined with retrieving her, he grabbed his over coat from the hook. Surely she didn’t think that their encounter the previous night gave her the liberty to take leave of her duties. He wondered if she fretted over seeing him after he nearly kissed her. An unacceptable excuse, he believed. Once and for all, Seth thought with determination, s he w ould learn that her antics were a poor reflec tion on him. At the rate he was going , he’ d never prove to his father that he would make a good charge for their estate when the time came.
“I’ll not hear your excuses for her,” he said. He brushed passed Lucia when she attempt ed to intercede his way out the door. Ignoring her words of protest, he stormed out of the room .
The path he traipsed on the way to the wigwam was covered knee-deep in snow from the storm that hit the pr evious night, but Seth didn’t notice enough to care . Anger starved his reason and his mind only focused on what he ’d say once he encountered Myra . Tardiness wa s n’t something his father would tolerate, and by God, he’ d not either. Knocking and announcing his presence wasn’t even a thought. He barged through the door.
“ Myra ,” he angrily summoned after breaking the door’s bre a ch , b ut the sight of her still body on the floor stunned him . He had never seen anyone so pale and thought her dead. “ Myra !” he rushed out.
In t wo strides he was at her side . H e bent down onto one knee and cradled her head between his two hands. The heat that expelled from her flushed cheeks burned his palms.
“Dear God, you ’ re burning up.” Beneath her knees and back, he slid his hands under neath her , and i n one swift motion, raised her into the protection of his arms. Her head snuggled beneath his chin and she mumbled a few unintelligible words. “Hush, Myra ,” he soothed. “Rest easy, I’m here”
“Father,” she cried out in hushed desperation.
The embers in the fire ha d long since died, and Seth didn’ t waste time before going to the task of rebuilding the fire. Once he laid
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