Read Online Her Chance Encounters by Ruby Caine - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ruby Caine
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few dreams, that's all."
Glaring openly now, Adrienne added, " Stop talking for me. I wasn't dreaming when I almost ran..."
He interrupted her before she could provide too many details for Madame Lenore to latch on to. Any tiny hint of information could be woven into some false reading. "Adrienne knows full well about me wanting River Oaks. We are in negotiations."
"We most certainly are not." How dare Chance even imply otherwise?
"Negotiations break down," Lenore smiled at him.
"You just want to get your hands on River Oaks so you can run your psychic bullshit con in a spooky setting."
"Excuse me, but would you both refrain from speaking about me as if I weren't in the room." Adrienne demanded. Neither of them paid any attention. They kept tossing insults and accusations back and forth, ignoring her completely. Maybe she should dump her hot coffee on their heads to get their attention. The urge to do just that disappeared when the strange smell seeped into the room, followed by the cool breeze.
A gay giggle drew her eyes towards the hallway. Cherice's white face greeted her, and a waving hand beckoned Adrienne to follow. Since the other two were ignoring her anyway, she went without a word. Cherice's childish giggles led her through the house toward the second floor. Remembering Chance's decree about staying away from this area, Adrienne hesitated at the foot of the stairs.
"Come see what I found," the child called out.
With one last look toward where she left the other two, Adrienne mounted the stairs and searched for a light switch. She found the child in a room on the right. It seemed to be some sort of storage area. The little girl was rummaging through an old, dusty chest in a corner of the room. "Cherice, where have you been? We've been searching for you."
"Please do not be cross with me. You are my only friend."
"I'm not mad, honey. I was just worried."
"Come and see," Cherice motioned. "This is my mommy's hope chest. After she left, Daddy packed all of her things in it and brought it up here. Sometimes at night, when he is not around, I look inside."
Adrienne moved closer to the cedar chest and helped Cherice look through the items. They found dozens of dresses, books, jewelry and other personal items. Adrienne felt as if they were trespassing. The little girl sent a chill through Adrienne's body when she touched her arm. "Mommy's pretty blue necklace is missing. She wore it all the time, but then she must have misplaced it. I am not supposed to mention it to Daddy, because he might get mad. Maybe Mommy is with the necklace someplace."
Adrienne's heart swelled with pity as she knelt beside the child. "Tell me about your mother, honey."
"She is the most beautiful woman in the whole world. We used to walk all around the parish, looking at all the other ladies and their pretty houses. No one was as pretty as my mommy. Mommy said our house was the finest of them all, except for that big plantation down river."
When the child picked up a silky dress, neither of them noticed the leather bound book that silently slipped from the chest to the floor. "This was Mommy's favorite dress. Holding it to her nose, the child giggled with joy.
"Would you put it on Adrienne?"
"I couldn't do that, Cherice."
Clapping her hands with delight, the little girl started jumping up and down. "Mommy would not mind if you wear it. Please, Adrienne? It would be as if my mommy was home again. I miss her so much."
Adrienne wondered what harm there was in putting on an old dress. Making Cherice happy outweighed any concerns. Pulling off her clothes, she let the silky dress flutter around her. The material clung provocatively to her slender figure. Her great aunt Wynona must have been close to her own size.
Cherice stared at Adrienne as the woman looked at herself in an antique mirror near the wall. The little girl stopped seeing Adrienne all together. In her mind, this was someone entirely different. "Mommy? I have finally found
Glaring openly now, Adrienne added, " Stop talking for me. I wasn't dreaming when I almost ran..."
He interrupted her before she could provide too many details for Madame Lenore to latch on to. Any tiny hint of information could be woven into some false reading. "Adrienne knows full well about me wanting River Oaks. We are in negotiations."
"We most certainly are not." How dare Chance even imply otherwise?
"Negotiations break down," Lenore smiled at him.
"You just want to get your hands on River Oaks so you can run your psychic bullshit con in a spooky setting."
"Excuse me, but would you both refrain from speaking about me as if I weren't in the room." Adrienne demanded. Neither of them paid any attention. They kept tossing insults and accusations back and forth, ignoring her completely. Maybe she should dump her hot coffee on their heads to get their attention. The urge to do just that disappeared when the strange smell seeped into the room, followed by the cool breeze.
A gay giggle drew her eyes towards the hallway. Cherice's white face greeted her, and a waving hand beckoned Adrienne to follow. Since the other two were ignoring her anyway, she went without a word. Cherice's childish giggles led her through the house toward the second floor. Remembering Chance's decree about staying away from this area, Adrienne hesitated at the foot of the stairs.
"Come see what I found," the child called out.
With one last look toward where she left the other two, Adrienne mounted the stairs and searched for a light switch. She found the child in a room on the right. It seemed to be some sort of storage area. The little girl was rummaging through an old, dusty chest in a corner of the room. "Cherice, where have you been? We've been searching for you."
"Please do not be cross with me. You are my only friend."
"I'm not mad, honey. I was just worried."
"Come and see," Cherice motioned. "This is my mommy's hope chest. After she left, Daddy packed all of her things in it and brought it up here. Sometimes at night, when he is not around, I look inside."
Adrienne moved closer to the cedar chest and helped Cherice look through the items. They found dozens of dresses, books, jewelry and other personal items. Adrienne felt as if they were trespassing. The little girl sent a chill through Adrienne's body when she touched her arm. "Mommy's pretty blue necklace is missing. She wore it all the time, but then she must have misplaced it. I am not supposed to mention it to Daddy, because he might get mad. Maybe Mommy is with the necklace someplace."
Adrienne's heart swelled with pity as she knelt beside the child. "Tell me about your mother, honey."
"She is the most beautiful woman in the whole world. We used to walk all around the parish, looking at all the other ladies and their pretty houses. No one was as pretty as my mommy. Mommy said our house was the finest of them all, except for that big plantation down river."
When the child picked up a silky dress, neither of them noticed the leather bound book that silently slipped from the chest to the floor. "This was Mommy's favorite dress. Holding it to her nose, the child giggled with joy.
"Would you put it on Adrienne?"
"I couldn't do that, Cherice."
Clapping her hands with delight, the little girl started jumping up and down. "Mommy would not mind if you wear it. Please, Adrienne? It would be as if my mommy was home again. I miss her so much."
Adrienne wondered what harm there was in putting on an old dress. Making Cherice happy outweighed any concerns. Pulling off her clothes, she let the silky dress flutter around her. The material clung provocatively to her slender figure. Her great aunt Wynona must have been close to her own size.
Cherice stared at Adrienne as the woman looked at herself in an antique mirror near the wall. The little girl stopped seeing Adrienne all together. In her mind, this was someone entirely different. "Mommy? I have finally found
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