Read Online Highland Vampire by Hannah Howell, Deborah Raleigh, Adrienne Basso - Free Book Online Page A
Ads: Link
listened to any of her lectures nor believed any of the lies she had told herself. It had gone on its merry way. Efrica knew that, if she was not already in love with Jankyn, she was but one kiss away from it.
"I am sorry if ye feel ye were ill treated, m'lady," Efrica murmured, silently wishing the woman would leave, would in fact go very far away. France would be a good start.
"Such things happen. One must learn from them. Aye, and try to pass that knowledge on to others, to try to save the heartbreak such men can cause. Oh, but despite my pain, I have few regrets. If one must slip from the path of virtue and good sense, one couldnae ask for a finer lover to lead one astray. So fierce in his passion, so skilled. But I shouldnae speak so plainly to such an innocent."
Given a little encouragement, Efrica suspected Lady Eleanor would quickly begin to speak even more plainly, but she would not offer the woman the chance. The very last thing she wished to hear was any intimate detail about the affair. Her own imagination conjured up more than she could stomach as it was.
"Nay, mayhap ye shouldnae." Efrica could tell by the slight widening of Lady Eleanor's pale blue eyes that she had not managed to keep all signs of her rising fury out of her voice.
"Now, child, ye must nay think ill of Jankyn. He is but a mon and they have e'er sought their pleasures where they can. 'Tis the nature of the beast. I should have been wiser. As a widow, and a few years older than ye, I am excused a few errors in judgment, as weel." Eleanor smiled and shook her head. "’Twas a verra sweet error, I confess. My late husband was many years older than I, and thus, I had no idea passion could be so wondrous, that a mon could banish all a woman's senses with but a stroke of his hand or a kiss."
One more such confidence and Efrica feared she would have to walk away or she would scratch the woman's much-praised eyes out. Jealousy tore at her insides. It was madness. Despite the feelings she had just acknowledged, she still felt Jankyn was all wrong for her, so she had no right to resent his finding pleasure elsewhere. This particular pleasure had also been sought before she had even arrived at court. That bit of good sense did little to ease the pain she felt, however.
"How odd that he hasnae yet arrived to stand guard o'er ye," Lady Eleanor murmured. "I hope he isnae unweel, or hurt."
There was something in Lady Eleanor's expression that caused Efrica to feel a growing sense of alarm start to cut through her misery and pain. "Jankyn has often been absent from these gatherings."
"True, yet I thought his need to protect ye had caused him to put an end to his self-imposed exile."
"He had work to do."
"Of course. That must be what he tends to now—his work. Ah, there is my good friend Lady Beatrice. I must speak with her. It has been a pleasure speaking with ye, Mistress Callan."
About as much pleasure as having a tooth drawn, Efrica thought, even as she mumbled a polite farewell. By the look that fleetingly passed over Lady Beatrice's round face as Lady Eleanor approached her, Efrica was sure that Lady Beatrice did not consider the redhead a friend. Efrica would not be surprised to discover that poor Lady Beatrice had a faithless husband or was about to be made to think she did.
Efrica glanced toward the entrance to the great hall and frowned. Lady Eleanor's words concerning Jankyn's absence troubled her. The woman was well aware that Jankyn had been avoiding the many gatherings at the court, that he had been avoiding her. That touch of concern in the woman's voice had been feigned; of that she had no doubt Was it a warning, or was the mention of Jankyn taking ill or being hurt meant to make Efrica do exactly what she was doing—worry?
Deciding she would drive herself daft if she did nothing, Efrica looked for David. When she espied him, he was looking toward the entrance to the great hall and frowning. The possibility that he expected Jankyn,
"I am sorry if ye feel ye were ill treated, m'lady," Efrica murmured, silently wishing the woman would leave, would in fact go very far away. France would be a good start.
"Such things happen. One must learn from them. Aye, and try to pass that knowledge on to others, to try to save the heartbreak such men can cause. Oh, but despite my pain, I have few regrets. If one must slip from the path of virtue and good sense, one couldnae ask for a finer lover to lead one astray. So fierce in his passion, so skilled. But I shouldnae speak so plainly to such an innocent."
Given a little encouragement, Efrica suspected Lady Eleanor would quickly begin to speak even more plainly, but she would not offer the woman the chance. The very last thing she wished to hear was any intimate detail about the affair. Her own imagination conjured up more than she could stomach as it was.
"Nay, mayhap ye shouldnae." Efrica could tell by the slight widening of Lady Eleanor's pale blue eyes that she had not managed to keep all signs of her rising fury out of her voice.
"Now, child, ye must nay think ill of Jankyn. He is but a mon and they have e'er sought their pleasures where they can. 'Tis the nature of the beast. I should have been wiser. As a widow, and a few years older than ye, I am excused a few errors in judgment, as weel." Eleanor smiled and shook her head. "’Twas a verra sweet error, I confess. My late husband was many years older than I, and thus, I had no idea passion could be so wondrous, that a mon could banish all a woman's senses with but a stroke of his hand or a kiss."
One more such confidence and Efrica feared she would have to walk away or she would scratch the woman's much-praised eyes out. Jealousy tore at her insides. It was madness. Despite the feelings she had just acknowledged, she still felt Jankyn was all wrong for her, so she had no right to resent his finding pleasure elsewhere. This particular pleasure had also been sought before she had even arrived at court. That bit of good sense did little to ease the pain she felt, however.
"How odd that he hasnae yet arrived to stand guard o'er ye," Lady Eleanor murmured. "I hope he isnae unweel, or hurt."
There was something in Lady Eleanor's expression that caused Efrica to feel a growing sense of alarm start to cut through her misery and pain. "Jankyn has often been absent from these gatherings."
"True, yet I thought his need to protect ye had caused him to put an end to his self-imposed exile."
"He had work to do."
"Of course. That must be what he tends to now—his work. Ah, there is my good friend Lady Beatrice. I must speak with her. It has been a pleasure speaking with ye, Mistress Callan."
About as much pleasure as having a tooth drawn, Efrica thought, even as she mumbled a polite farewell. By the look that fleetingly passed over Lady Beatrice's round face as Lady Eleanor approached her, Efrica was sure that Lady Beatrice did not consider the redhead a friend. Efrica would not be surprised to discover that poor Lady Beatrice had a faithless husband or was about to be made to think she did.
Efrica glanced toward the entrance to the great hall and frowned. Lady Eleanor's words concerning Jankyn's absence troubled her. The woman was well aware that Jankyn had been avoiding the many gatherings at the court, that he had been avoiding her. That touch of concern in the woman's voice had been feigned; of that she had no doubt Was it a warning, or was the mention of Jankyn taking ill or being hurt meant to make Efrica do exactly what she was doing—worry?
Deciding she would drive herself daft if she did nothing, Efrica looked for David. When she espied him, he was looking toward the entrance to the great hall and frowning. The possibility that he expected Jankyn,
Similar Books
