Read Online Kathryn Smith by For the First Time - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: For the First Time
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thoughts, Blythe flipped open her fan and applied it vigorously to cooling her flushed face. She strode across the dance floor toward the French doors that led out into the courtyard. A little fresh air would set her to rights.
Outside the air was warm, but cooler than that of the ballroom. A soft breeze blew through the west archway. The house was built around the courtyard, forming a square. Arches were built into the east, west, and north sides to allow guests alternative ways in and out of the courtyard.
A kind of garden, the courtyard had a stone floor with a large fountain in the center. Mermaids, a regular topic of conversation in most seaside villages, frolicked in the constantlyburbling water. A table and several chairs were positioned under a canopy for the family or guests to dine alfresco if they wished. Rose bushes, potted shrubs, and marble statuary gave the courtyard its “garden” feel and seclusion. The courtyard was huge, and there were many private spots where the glow of the lanterns didn’t reach, especially toward the back where lovers could escape for a bit of privacy.
It wasn’t Blythe’s intention to go looking for such a display. She simply wanted to cool off and put all thoughts of Devlin Ryland out of her mind. Honestly, how foolish was she? A man paid attention to her and she immediately became infatuated with him. Maybe Miles was right. Maybe she needed to spend more time in town. A week or two in London ought to cure her of any romantic fantasies.
“Why are you acting this way?”
Blythe jumped at the harshly uttered question. Where had it come from?
“I do not understand you at all!”
A man and a woman, obviously having an argument. If she wasn’t mistaken, the lady was crying. Well, she wasn’t an eavesdropper, so she’d give them all the privacy they wanted.
“Teresa, my love. Please do not cry.”
Blythe froze. All thoughts of leaving vanished. It was Carny. Carny and his wife who were arguing. Why?
Oh, it was none of her business—in fact less so now than it had been before she discovered their identities—but she couldn’t help herself. Quietly, she crept closer to the wall of roses that separated her well-lit path from the dim corner that concealed the couple.
“You make me cry!” Teresa replied in her thick Spanish accent. “You are so mean sometimes!”
“You know I would never hurt you.”
Blythe grimaced. She’d heard that before. She had no doubt of Carny’s sincerity at this moment, but she hoped for Teresa’s sake that they didn’t go to war again anytime soon,otherwise Carny might find someone he liked even better than her.
Oh, that wasn’t fair—not to Carny or to Teresa. Jilting her was one thing, but she couldn’t believe even Carny would forsake his marriage vows.
“Just go away. I have to stop crying and I will not stop with you here.”
“Teresa—”
“Go!”
Much to Blythe’s surprise, Carny did as he was told. Hugging the side of the bush so as not to be seen, Blythe watched him go as a dozen thorns bit into her backside. It was only that she would rather suffer pain than talk to Carny that kept her from cursing.
As soon as she was certain he was gone, Blythe moved away from the bush. She’d go back inside before Teresa—
“How much did you hear?”
—saw her. Blast.
Turning, Blythe offered what she hoped was an apologetic smile and not the grimace it felt like. “More than I should have. My apologies.”
The little woman nodded, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. She looked so tiny, so fragile. Protectiveness rose up in Blythe’s breast, even as her common sense cried out in exasperation.
She did not want to befriend Carny’s wife. That would be too much, even for her.
“I know I would not be your first choice of a confidante, but…” Sigh. “Would you like to talk?”
Wide, dark eyes stared up at her from a tear-ravaged face. Another nod. “I would, yes.”
Blythe slipped an arm around the other
Outside the air was warm, but cooler than that of the ballroom. A soft breeze blew through the west archway. The house was built around the courtyard, forming a square. Arches were built into the east, west, and north sides to allow guests alternative ways in and out of the courtyard.
A kind of garden, the courtyard had a stone floor with a large fountain in the center. Mermaids, a regular topic of conversation in most seaside villages, frolicked in the constantlyburbling water. A table and several chairs were positioned under a canopy for the family or guests to dine alfresco if they wished. Rose bushes, potted shrubs, and marble statuary gave the courtyard its “garden” feel and seclusion. The courtyard was huge, and there were many private spots where the glow of the lanterns didn’t reach, especially toward the back where lovers could escape for a bit of privacy.
It wasn’t Blythe’s intention to go looking for such a display. She simply wanted to cool off and put all thoughts of Devlin Ryland out of her mind. Honestly, how foolish was she? A man paid attention to her and she immediately became infatuated with him. Maybe Miles was right. Maybe she needed to spend more time in town. A week or two in London ought to cure her of any romantic fantasies.
“Why are you acting this way?”
Blythe jumped at the harshly uttered question. Where had it come from?
“I do not understand you at all!”
A man and a woman, obviously having an argument. If she wasn’t mistaken, the lady was crying. Well, she wasn’t an eavesdropper, so she’d give them all the privacy they wanted.
“Teresa, my love. Please do not cry.”
Blythe froze. All thoughts of leaving vanished. It was Carny. Carny and his wife who were arguing. Why?
Oh, it was none of her business—in fact less so now than it had been before she discovered their identities—but she couldn’t help herself. Quietly, she crept closer to the wall of roses that separated her well-lit path from the dim corner that concealed the couple.
“You make me cry!” Teresa replied in her thick Spanish accent. “You are so mean sometimes!”
“You know I would never hurt you.”
Blythe grimaced. She’d heard that before. She had no doubt of Carny’s sincerity at this moment, but she hoped for Teresa’s sake that they didn’t go to war again anytime soon,otherwise Carny might find someone he liked even better than her.
Oh, that wasn’t fair—not to Carny or to Teresa. Jilting her was one thing, but she couldn’t believe even Carny would forsake his marriage vows.
“Just go away. I have to stop crying and I will not stop with you here.”
“Teresa—”
“Go!”
Much to Blythe’s surprise, Carny did as he was told. Hugging the side of the bush so as not to be seen, Blythe watched him go as a dozen thorns bit into her backside. It was only that she would rather suffer pain than talk to Carny that kept her from cursing.
As soon as she was certain he was gone, Blythe moved away from the bush. She’d go back inside before Teresa—
“How much did you hear?”
—saw her. Blast.
Turning, Blythe offered what she hoped was an apologetic smile and not the grimace it felt like. “More than I should have. My apologies.”
The little woman nodded, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. She looked so tiny, so fragile. Protectiveness rose up in Blythe’s breast, even as her common sense cried out in exasperation.
She did not want to befriend Carny’s wife. That would be too much, even for her.
“I know I would not be your first choice of a confidante, but…” Sigh. “Would you like to talk?”
Wide, dark eyes stared up at her from a tear-ravaged face. Another nod. “I would, yes.”
Blythe slipped an arm around the other
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