Read Online Devil Disguised by Karolyn Howard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Karolyn Howard
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nothing they say wouldhurt you, eventually they would no longer say anything vicious about you.
She checked herself in the mirror and stood up taller. The words she heard Duncan speak to his sister had stung. She actually thought he was attracted to her and kissed her as if he desired her and no one else. Last night she felt a connection with him, but maybe that was only imagined. She would not let him frazzle her now. As her parents would do, she would hold her head up high to meet those who would put her down. Squaring her shoulders, she turned and left her room to go downstairs.
Entering the dining room, she saw Duncan standing near the dining room table. He turned towards her. His gaze travelled over her briefly before locking with hers. “Good evening, Lily.”
“Good evening, Lord Cavanaugh.”
She noticed the slight quirk of his lips before he pulled her chair back instead of the nearby servant. Once again, she sat in the chair to the left of his while he remained at the head of the table.
Wine was poured and the meal served. She took a bite of the roasted vegetables from her plate and enjoyed the flavor. She looked up from her plate to find his eyes assessing her.
He put his fork down and said, “Lily, the words you overheard me say to my sister.” He paused, inhaling deeply before continuing to say, “They were not true. While you are staying here because of my friendship with Charles, I do not mind spending time with you. And, you are correct; you have not mentioned London since the firstnight we dined together. Also, as I said before, please, call me Duncan.”
Lily bowed her head slightly and took another bite of her food.
He sat back in his chair appearing frustrated. “Have you nothing to say?”
She shook her head in silent response as Duncan pushed his plate away from him. “You do not know me well, but I very rarely find the need to apologize for any of my actions. You could at least acknowledge what I have said to you,” he said harshly.
Lily put her fork down and sipped her wine before she replied, “All right. I have heard what you said and made a mental note that you lied easily to your sister who appears to be one of the people closest to you. Although you say you hardly need to apologize for any of your actions I am certain there are many women who may think otherwise. I have noticed that although you are the one who hurt my feelings, you want me to soothe your own feelings of guilt. We are all accountable for our own actions, Lord Cavanaugh and you seem to have a hard time dealing with your own. You said last night that you were trying to understand me, well I think I have just given up on trying to comprehend you.”
She stood up and Duncan’s eyes widened as he stood as well. She rushed by him and then turned, stopping abruptly. “Please do not follow me. I would hate to slam the door in your face a third time.”
She hurried up the stairs and went into her room. Leaning against the closed door, she looked up and tookin a deep breath as her hands quivered. Why did he affect her so much? This could not go on. Shaking her head, she moved to her desk and looked at the paper and pen before her. Someone else had to allow her to stay with them. Sitting down at her desk, she began writing letters to her friends to request a visit.
Lily lifted her head from the desk and gasped. Apparently, she had fallen asleep and the ink she was using had spilled over all the correspondences. Seeing her hand covered in the black liquid, she walked to the water basin and did her best to wash the ink away. She looked down and cried out. Her dress had an ink stain from the sleeve down to the bodice and was likely ruined. Frustrated, she undid the ties to the bodice and struggled out of her corset.
Glancing at the dying embers in the fireplace she knew the hour must be late. After putting on a light blue nightgown, she went to bed and slid under the covers. She tossed and turned, but she could not get
She checked herself in the mirror and stood up taller. The words she heard Duncan speak to his sister had stung. She actually thought he was attracted to her and kissed her as if he desired her and no one else. Last night she felt a connection with him, but maybe that was only imagined. She would not let him frazzle her now. As her parents would do, she would hold her head up high to meet those who would put her down. Squaring her shoulders, she turned and left her room to go downstairs.
Entering the dining room, she saw Duncan standing near the dining room table. He turned towards her. His gaze travelled over her briefly before locking with hers. “Good evening, Lily.”
“Good evening, Lord Cavanaugh.”
She noticed the slight quirk of his lips before he pulled her chair back instead of the nearby servant. Once again, she sat in the chair to the left of his while he remained at the head of the table.
Wine was poured and the meal served. She took a bite of the roasted vegetables from her plate and enjoyed the flavor. She looked up from her plate to find his eyes assessing her.
He put his fork down and said, “Lily, the words you overheard me say to my sister.” He paused, inhaling deeply before continuing to say, “They were not true. While you are staying here because of my friendship with Charles, I do not mind spending time with you. And, you are correct; you have not mentioned London since the firstnight we dined together. Also, as I said before, please, call me Duncan.”
Lily bowed her head slightly and took another bite of her food.
He sat back in his chair appearing frustrated. “Have you nothing to say?”
She shook her head in silent response as Duncan pushed his plate away from him. “You do not know me well, but I very rarely find the need to apologize for any of my actions. You could at least acknowledge what I have said to you,” he said harshly.
Lily put her fork down and sipped her wine before she replied, “All right. I have heard what you said and made a mental note that you lied easily to your sister who appears to be one of the people closest to you. Although you say you hardly need to apologize for any of your actions I am certain there are many women who may think otherwise. I have noticed that although you are the one who hurt my feelings, you want me to soothe your own feelings of guilt. We are all accountable for our own actions, Lord Cavanaugh and you seem to have a hard time dealing with your own. You said last night that you were trying to understand me, well I think I have just given up on trying to comprehend you.”
She stood up and Duncan’s eyes widened as he stood as well. She rushed by him and then turned, stopping abruptly. “Please do not follow me. I would hate to slam the door in your face a third time.”
She hurried up the stairs and went into her room. Leaning against the closed door, she looked up and tookin a deep breath as her hands quivered. Why did he affect her so much? This could not go on. Shaking her head, she moved to her desk and looked at the paper and pen before her. Someone else had to allow her to stay with them. Sitting down at her desk, she began writing letters to her friends to request a visit.
Lily lifted her head from the desk and gasped. Apparently, she had fallen asleep and the ink she was using had spilled over all the correspondences. Seeing her hand covered in the black liquid, she walked to the water basin and did her best to wash the ink away. She looked down and cried out. Her dress had an ink stain from the sleeve down to the bodice and was likely ruined. Frustrated, she undid the ties to the bodice and struggled out of her corset.
Glancing at the dying embers in the fireplace she knew the hour must be late. After putting on a light blue nightgown, she went to bed and slid under the covers. She tossed and turned, but she could not get
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