Read Online Island of the Heart by Sara Craven - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sara Craven
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Sandie was content,
at least on the surface of her consciousness. Underneath, she was
uneasily aware, there was a morass of tangled emotion,
encompassing sympathy of Crispin, condemnation of the girl who'd
treated him so callously, and violent resentment towards Flynn
Killane.
A hazy moon hung over the trees as they drove back to Killane.
Sandie felt reluctant to return to the house. It was no wonder that
Crispin, sensitive as he was, felt the need to escape from it
sometimes, she thought sadly. Flynn Killane had his island. Why
didn't he go there and stay there, instead of sitting in judgement? He
was the last person in the world with any right to criticise someone
else's morals, after all.
'Are you coming into the drawing-room?' Crispin asked, as they
entered the hall.
Sandie shook her head with a swift smile. 'It's been a wonderful
evening, but I'm rathef tired.'
'That's a pity.' He stroked the curve of her face with his finger.
'Because it doesn't have to end here— unless that's what you want.'
Her heart missed a beat, and her mouth was suddenly dry. She said
falteringly, 'I don't understand.'
'Yes, you do. You knew from the moment we saw each other, just as
I did. And we've become so close, darling, especially over the last
few hours. I've told you so much—revealed for the first time all the
hurt, all the loneliness Francesca left behind.' His voice was low, but
it vibrated passionately. 'But you could heal me, little Sandie. Don't
you know that?'
She didn't think she knew anything any more, she thought
confusedly. Crispin was supposed to be her teacher, but now he
wanted to be her lover. He'd promised he wouldn't rush her into
anything, and yet within forty-eight hours of her arrival...
She found her voice. 'It—it's too soon.'
'How can you legislate about these things? I need you, sweetheart,
and I think you need me. I want to know you in every way there is. I
want to share everything with you—emotional and artistic
fulfilment at their highest level. It could be a turning point in both
our lives.'
Sandie drew a breath. 'Crispin—I don't know whether I'm capable of
giving you what you want. I—I have to think about this...'
'Of course,' he said immediately. 'You're such a little innocent, my
pet, that you're bound to have misgivings. But you must see that the
closer we are in every way, the deeper the level of understanding
we'll be able to achieve in our music as well as everything else.
Maybe this is why you haven't quite come to terms with Elegy yet—
because the passion in it defeats you. Because you've never
experienced total fulfilment.'
Sandie bit her lip. 'Perhaps—I don't know.'
'How can you know?' He drew her into his arms. 'Let me open up
this new world for you, my sweet. I want you so much.'
She remained passive while he- kissed her, not encouraging the
pressure of his mouth, the tentative probing of his tongue, but not
rejecting it either. She had the uneasy feeling that if she responded
too warmly, Crispin might try further intimacies, and her instinct
told her she wasn't ready for that.
She detached herself gently from his embrace, and stood back. 'I
really am tired, Crispin. I need to go to bed.'
'So do I.' His smile was rueful as well as tender. 'But I can see I'll
have to be patient a little longer.' He looked down at her, his eyes
searching. 'Or must I? Won't you take pity on me tonight, my
sweet?'
She swallowed. 'I don't know—I can't think. I can't answer you
now...'
'Then I'll postpone the question until later. But not much later.' He
took her hands, lifting first one, then the other to his lips, then
turned and walked away towards the drawing-room. Before the door
closed behind him, Sandie heard Magda's voice raised in greeting
and welcome.
As Sandie began to climb the stairs, she was aware that her legs
were trembling. She felt torn apart by indecision. Her head might be
advising caution, but her heart was thudding
at least on the surface of her consciousness. Underneath, she was
uneasily aware, there was a morass of tangled emotion,
encompassing sympathy of Crispin, condemnation of the girl who'd
treated him so callously, and violent resentment towards Flynn
Killane.
A hazy moon hung over the trees as they drove back to Killane.
Sandie felt reluctant to return to the house. It was no wonder that
Crispin, sensitive as he was, felt the need to escape from it
sometimes, she thought sadly. Flynn Killane had his island. Why
didn't he go there and stay there, instead of sitting in judgement? He
was the last person in the world with any right to criticise someone
else's morals, after all.
'Are you coming into the drawing-room?' Crispin asked, as they
entered the hall.
Sandie shook her head with a swift smile. 'It's been a wonderful
evening, but I'm rathef tired.'
'That's a pity.' He stroked the curve of her face with his finger.
'Because it doesn't have to end here— unless that's what you want.'
Her heart missed a beat, and her mouth was suddenly dry. She said
falteringly, 'I don't understand.'
'Yes, you do. You knew from the moment we saw each other, just as
I did. And we've become so close, darling, especially over the last
few hours. I've told you so much—revealed for the first time all the
hurt, all the loneliness Francesca left behind.' His voice was low, but
it vibrated passionately. 'But you could heal me, little Sandie. Don't
you know that?'
She didn't think she knew anything any more, she thought
confusedly. Crispin was supposed to be her teacher, but now he
wanted to be her lover. He'd promised he wouldn't rush her into
anything, and yet within forty-eight hours of her arrival...
She found her voice. 'It—it's too soon.'
'How can you legislate about these things? I need you, sweetheart,
and I think you need me. I want to know you in every way there is. I
want to share everything with you—emotional and artistic
fulfilment at their highest level. It could be a turning point in both
our lives.'
Sandie drew a breath. 'Crispin—I don't know whether I'm capable of
giving you what you want. I—I have to think about this...'
'Of course,' he said immediately. 'You're such a little innocent, my
pet, that you're bound to have misgivings. But you must see that the
closer we are in every way, the deeper the level of understanding
we'll be able to achieve in our music as well as everything else.
Maybe this is why you haven't quite come to terms with Elegy yet—
because the passion in it defeats you. Because you've never
experienced total fulfilment.'
Sandie bit her lip. 'Perhaps—I don't know.'
'How can you know?' He drew her into his arms. 'Let me open up
this new world for you, my sweet. I want you so much.'
She remained passive while he- kissed her, not encouraging the
pressure of his mouth, the tentative probing of his tongue, but not
rejecting it either. She had the uneasy feeling that if she responded
too warmly, Crispin might try further intimacies, and her instinct
told her she wasn't ready for that.
She detached herself gently from his embrace, and stood back. 'I
really am tired, Crispin. I need to go to bed.'
'So do I.' His smile was rueful as well as tender. 'But I can see I'll
have to be patient a little longer.' He looked down at her, his eyes
searching. 'Or must I? Won't you take pity on me tonight, my
sweet?'
She swallowed. 'I don't know—I can't think. I can't answer you
now...'
'Then I'll postpone the question until later. But not much later.' He
took her hands, lifting first one, then the other to his lips, then
turned and walked away towards the drawing-room. Before the door
closed behind him, Sandie heard Magda's voice raised in greeting
and welcome.
As Sandie began to climb the stairs, she was aware that her legs
were trembling. She felt torn apart by indecision. Her head might be
advising caution, but her heart was thudding
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