Read Online Love Then Begins by Gail McEwen, Tina Moncton - Free Book Online
Authors: Gail McEwen, Tina Moncton
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into in marrying a man who is an apparent stranger even to himself!”
He turned away from her.
“Well, I suppose you could be right. In any case, you have married me. Whatever I am, I was never a bad man, Holly. And the truth of me and my life . . . the truth . . . is hard. Hard to understand and hard to face.”
Glancing at her he gave a sheepish smile. “I suppose the honeymoon effectively ends here.”
To his distress, Holly merely walked back to the window seat and sat down. The silence filled the room as he waited for her to speak and the tension within him stretched and tightened until he felt that he would snap. He could tell that she was taking her time, thinking something out carefully. Her quiet sigh made him jump and quickly turn in the direction of the sound.
“No . . .” she said thoughtfully. “I’m not being fair. You already told me.”
He took a step in her direction, but then stopped.
“I already told you?” he asked in confusion, “I told you what? I thought all this was about what I have not told you.”
“My heart,” she said, turning her head up to him, “has been a stranger to me until now . . . until you. That is what you said to me, remember? I knew it was true then. I know it is true. And now I’m quarrelling with you about it. Perhaps I don’t know very much about what you are, or were . . . but I do know who you are and what is in your heart. You frighten me to death, but I love you.”
Very slowly he resumed his place beside her, though keeping himself at a safe distance. He swallowed hard.
“Oh,” was all he could say. But then he looked at her. “You have done it again,” he whispered. “You have rendered me speechless, madam. You are, truly, amazing. And you are brave beyond words. And I owe you the same in return. I will give you the same in return.”
She reached out her hand to touch his cheek and in the same instant he reached towards her, too, and pulled her into his arms.
“So what does your heart tell you?” she whispered against his shoulder.
“That I am a lucky wretch of a man. And that you are right.”
“And when I listen to mine, it tells me you are a good man and I am lucky to be loved by you.”
“The first and the only one I have loved so bravely. So completely. So . . . I am still in need of guidance and patience. Please?”
She laughed into his chest.
“Oh no,” she said, “In this, I am not the least bit qualified to be the teacher. I fear, my love, that we must learn to navigate this unknown path together.”
She felt his arms tighten around her, felt his breath in her hair and she inhaled the scent of him deeply as she snaked her arms beneath his jacket and felt his warm skin through the fabric of his shirt.
“But I suppose this honeymoon must end and we must move on . . . ?”
She looked at him questioningly. He nodded.
“Yes. I’m afraid we must. As much as I hate Cumbermere I am afraid we’re obligated. And overdue.
She frowned. “Hate it? Surely not.”
He nodded. “Oh yes. It is a gloomy place and it badly needs that laughter of yours. And mine,” he added smiling.
“Well, if that is the case, you know what to do to make me laugh.”
“Yes. And I have high hopes that against all odds together we shall perform miracles in that place. Together. Although . . .” he said impulsively and took her hand, “I am sure we can delay our departure for another few days.”
“Good,” she smiled, “because there are a few familiar places I should like to go back and visit first.”
“That may be so,” he smiled, “but I seem to remember promising you that, after luncheon, which is still growing cold, there will be no more business today.”
“ L ADY B AUGHAM, YOU HAVE A truly gorgeous bottom.”
The lady wriggled said bottom vigorously in an attempt to shake off her admirer. “Stop it,” she said when she felt his lips against her curves, “you are distracting me. You are much better at this than I am and you
He turned away from her.
“Well, I suppose you could be right. In any case, you have married me. Whatever I am, I was never a bad man, Holly. And the truth of me and my life . . . the truth . . . is hard. Hard to understand and hard to face.”
Glancing at her he gave a sheepish smile. “I suppose the honeymoon effectively ends here.”
To his distress, Holly merely walked back to the window seat and sat down. The silence filled the room as he waited for her to speak and the tension within him stretched and tightened until he felt that he would snap. He could tell that she was taking her time, thinking something out carefully. Her quiet sigh made him jump and quickly turn in the direction of the sound.
“No . . .” she said thoughtfully. “I’m not being fair. You already told me.”
He took a step in her direction, but then stopped.
“I already told you?” he asked in confusion, “I told you what? I thought all this was about what I have not told you.”
“My heart,” she said, turning her head up to him, “has been a stranger to me until now . . . until you. That is what you said to me, remember? I knew it was true then. I know it is true. And now I’m quarrelling with you about it. Perhaps I don’t know very much about what you are, or were . . . but I do know who you are and what is in your heart. You frighten me to death, but I love you.”
Very slowly he resumed his place beside her, though keeping himself at a safe distance. He swallowed hard.
“Oh,” was all he could say. But then he looked at her. “You have done it again,” he whispered. “You have rendered me speechless, madam. You are, truly, amazing. And you are brave beyond words. And I owe you the same in return. I will give you the same in return.”
She reached out her hand to touch his cheek and in the same instant he reached towards her, too, and pulled her into his arms.
“So what does your heart tell you?” she whispered against his shoulder.
“That I am a lucky wretch of a man. And that you are right.”
“And when I listen to mine, it tells me you are a good man and I am lucky to be loved by you.”
“The first and the only one I have loved so bravely. So completely. So . . . I am still in need of guidance and patience. Please?”
She laughed into his chest.
“Oh no,” she said, “In this, I am not the least bit qualified to be the teacher. I fear, my love, that we must learn to navigate this unknown path together.”
She felt his arms tighten around her, felt his breath in her hair and she inhaled the scent of him deeply as she snaked her arms beneath his jacket and felt his warm skin through the fabric of his shirt.
“But I suppose this honeymoon must end and we must move on . . . ?”
She looked at him questioningly. He nodded.
“Yes. I’m afraid we must. As much as I hate Cumbermere I am afraid we’re obligated. And overdue.
She frowned. “Hate it? Surely not.”
He nodded. “Oh yes. It is a gloomy place and it badly needs that laughter of yours. And mine,” he added smiling.
“Well, if that is the case, you know what to do to make me laugh.”
“Yes. And I have high hopes that against all odds together we shall perform miracles in that place. Together. Although . . .” he said impulsively and took her hand, “I am sure we can delay our departure for another few days.”
“Good,” she smiled, “because there are a few familiar places I should like to go back and visit first.”
“That may be so,” he smiled, “but I seem to remember promising you that, after luncheon, which is still growing cold, there will be no more business today.”
“ L ADY B AUGHAM, YOU HAVE A truly gorgeous bottom.”
The lady wriggled said bottom vigorously in an attempt to shake off her admirer. “Stop it,” she said when she felt his lips against her curves, “you are distracting me. You are much better at this than I am and you
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