Read Online Emerald Desire (Emerald Trilogy) by Lynette Vinet - Free Book Online
Authors: Lynette Vinet
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screamed.
They flew down the road in the direction of Quint's cottage. Not once did he slacken his hold upon her. His arm encircled her waist like a taut rope, cutting off her wind. She wished to turn around, to look him in the face, but she was frightened at what she might see. When they reached the cottage, he carried her inside and placed her beside the table.
He paced the length of the room, his black eyes not leaving her face. She waited in silence.
"Have you nothing to say, Dera?"
“ No."
He winced at the flatness of her tone. "I want to know the truth about you and Lord Fairfax. Have Timothy and Lydia connived to take you from me?"
He quickly took her in his arms and held her tightly. "I won't allow them or anyone to separate us," he said. "No matter what they or that filthy Englishman conjure up, I will keep you with me. I'll do as you have begged me to do. We'll leave this place!"
"Do you mean it?" Dera breathed.
"Aye. I can't stand the thought of that swine's hands upon you!" He kissed her deeply and with such passion her head swam. "1 want you," he whispered hoarsely into her ear.
Her body longed to respond to him, but she held herself stiffly in his arms and refused to return his kisses. The memory of Peg McConnell was still too fresh in her memory. She wished to hurt him as she had been hurt.
"Dera," he said, a note of impatience in his voice. "I'm asking you to leave with me. Now. Today."
"Then you're asking me to become you wife?" she asked.
"Well, nay, not yet. I've important things to tend to. I can't think of marrying until things are settled. Yet I can take you away from here and put you where you'll be safe from Fairfax, where you can wait for my return."
She threw off his hold and moved away. Everything suddenly became clear. The man she loved was selfish and hard. She wondered how she could have been such a fool as to think he truly loved her.
"You mean where I can wait until you extinguish the hatred in your heart! No matter how long I wait or how much 1 beg you, you'll never marry me. The man you detest has asked me to honor him by becoming his wife while you ask me to follow as your mistress. How dare you shame me in this way?"
There was anguish in his face now, something she had never before seen. Her heart beat with love and pity, but she remained a small distance from him. If he touched her again, she knew she would relent and do whatever he asked.
"Must I constantly assure you of my love, Dera? You must realize, for I've told you often enough, what I hope to accomplish. The cause I fight for is a just one. I cannot offer you a home until Ireland is free."
"Then you love Ireland more than me, Quint. She has your heart!"
He rubbed his chin. "Something has happened to you," he said thoughtfully. "Once you were eager for my kisses. Tell me, has Fairfax tasted the fruits of the marriage bed before the wedding?"
An urge to leave gripped her. If she waited any longer, she would be forced to admit she had seen him and Peg coupling like animals. Her final humiliation would be admitting she had heard him tell Peg he loved her.
"Think what you will," she answered. "But you'll never be able to offer me a home because you chase an elusive dream. At Christmas I shall become Lady Fairfax. His lordship has offered me his name and his home; and that includes all the wealth and power behind them, and I shall gladly marry the man to receive them." She sounded as shrewish and greedy as possible, wanting to hurt him.
His face grew red, then darkened until she gazed into an abyss of pure loathing. He reached out as if to slap her but thought better of it. Instead he seized her shoulders. "My wish is for your happiness with the man you love," he sneered. "I hope to God you get what you deserve."
"Leave her be, Quint,” Timothy’s voice interrupted. He entered the cottage. His cheeks glowed a bright crimson, and he breathed heavily. “Dera must return with me. If his lordship learns of this ....
They flew down the road in the direction of Quint's cottage. Not once did he slacken his hold upon her. His arm encircled her waist like a taut rope, cutting off her wind. She wished to turn around, to look him in the face, but she was frightened at what she might see. When they reached the cottage, he carried her inside and placed her beside the table.
He paced the length of the room, his black eyes not leaving her face. She waited in silence.
"Have you nothing to say, Dera?"
“ No."
He winced at the flatness of her tone. "I want to know the truth about you and Lord Fairfax. Have Timothy and Lydia connived to take you from me?"
He quickly took her in his arms and held her tightly. "I won't allow them or anyone to separate us," he said. "No matter what they or that filthy Englishman conjure up, I will keep you with me. I'll do as you have begged me to do. We'll leave this place!"
"Do you mean it?" Dera breathed.
"Aye. I can't stand the thought of that swine's hands upon you!" He kissed her deeply and with such passion her head swam. "1 want you," he whispered hoarsely into her ear.
Her body longed to respond to him, but she held herself stiffly in his arms and refused to return his kisses. The memory of Peg McConnell was still too fresh in her memory. She wished to hurt him as she had been hurt.
"Dera," he said, a note of impatience in his voice. "I'm asking you to leave with me. Now. Today."
"Then you're asking me to become you wife?" she asked.
"Well, nay, not yet. I've important things to tend to. I can't think of marrying until things are settled. Yet I can take you away from here and put you where you'll be safe from Fairfax, where you can wait for my return."
She threw off his hold and moved away. Everything suddenly became clear. The man she loved was selfish and hard. She wondered how she could have been such a fool as to think he truly loved her.
"You mean where I can wait until you extinguish the hatred in your heart! No matter how long I wait or how much 1 beg you, you'll never marry me. The man you detest has asked me to honor him by becoming his wife while you ask me to follow as your mistress. How dare you shame me in this way?"
There was anguish in his face now, something she had never before seen. Her heart beat with love and pity, but she remained a small distance from him. If he touched her again, she knew she would relent and do whatever he asked.
"Must I constantly assure you of my love, Dera? You must realize, for I've told you often enough, what I hope to accomplish. The cause I fight for is a just one. I cannot offer you a home until Ireland is free."
"Then you love Ireland more than me, Quint. She has your heart!"
He rubbed his chin. "Something has happened to you," he said thoughtfully. "Once you were eager for my kisses. Tell me, has Fairfax tasted the fruits of the marriage bed before the wedding?"
An urge to leave gripped her. If she waited any longer, she would be forced to admit she had seen him and Peg coupling like animals. Her final humiliation would be admitting she had heard him tell Peg he loved her.
"Think what you will," she answered. "But you'll never be able to offer me a home because you chase an elusive dream. At Christmas I shall become Lady Fairfax. His lordship has offered me his name and his home; and that includes all the wealth and power behind them, and I shall gladly marry the man to receive them." She sounded as shrewish and greedy as possible, wanting to hurt him.
His face grew red, then darkened until she gazed into an abyss of pure loathing. He reached out as if to slap her but thought better of it. Instead he seized her shoulders. "My wish is for your happiness with the man you love," he sneered. "I hope to God you get what you deserve."
"Leave her be, Quint,” Timothy’s voice interrupted. He entered the cottage. His cheeks glowed a bright crimson, and he breathed heavily. “Dera must return with me. If his lordship learns of this ....
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