Read Online Mishap Marriage by Helen Dickson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Helen Dickson
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before each new discovery. Then, in joy and wonderment, they closed on each new discovery.
Her loose hair was a glorious jasmine-perfumed silk tent that covered them both as they kissed. It fell on Zack’s cheeks, his lips and twisted in and out of his fingers. It was the thread that wove them together, that would keep them from ever separating.
Absorbed in the enchantment of the moment, their ears were deaf to the approach of others into their own private world.
‘Good Lord!’ The exclamation exploded the silence of the creek. ‘You blackguard! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Get away from my sister, this instant! ’
Recognising Antony’s voice, supple as an eel, Shona somehow managed to slip out of his arms and scramble to her feet. Zack, uttering a quiet curse, did so at a more leisurely pace. Springing back guiltily from her compromising embrace, Shona turned to see her brother striding towards them. His fists were clenched by his sides, his face darkened to a raging purple. She had to bite her lips to stop herself crying out in horror. Behind him were Carmelita and two of his planter friends with their wives.
Crimson with shame, she drew back. She went cold and her throat tightened convulsively. Her disgrace was total. To have her virtue questioned before the elite ranks of Santamaria society was nearly as damning as if she had paraded naked through the town. To find herself half-naked before her neighbours, whose eyes fastened upon her greedily, their faces expectant... She reached for her dress and held it to her in an attempt to maintain her modesty. She heard the captain curse under his breath, but she was too numb to do likewise, even if she had known the proper words.
Antony stared at his sister’s scantily clad form in icy stillness—silent accusation that promised there would be consequences later. ‘Just look at you. Have you no shame? Return to the house at once, where I will decide how to deal with this.’ He turned to his friends. ‘I owe you an apology. I invited you down here to introduce you to Captain Fitzgerald. What we saw speaks for itself. However, I ask for your discretion and hope you will have the goodness to overlook the unfortunate incident. Please—will you excuse us and return to the house where you will be served refreshments. I will be up shortly.’
Both gentlemen bowed, politely enough, but stiff with reproach, and turned and walked side by side back along the path, the ladies with their heads close together quietly discussing what had transpired.
Antony turned his fury on Captain Fitzgerald. ‘Damnation, sir, what do you mean by this? How dare you make a move like that on my sister! What do you think this house is? A brothel?’
‘That is exactly what he must think,’ Carmelita sneered with her harsh Spanish accent. ‘Although I must congratulate you, Shona,’ she said, looking at her sister-in-law, who chose to disobey her brother’s order to return to the house. ‘If you set out to seduce him, then what we have just witnessed confirms that you have succeeded admirably.’
In a few seconds the captain’s face expressed first stupefaction, then fury as the full meaning of her words sank in, then a look of implacable contempt transformed his features. Although she was quaking inside, Shona remained where she was and faced him with outward calm. His eyes remained riveted on her. Those eyes of his, which only moments before had been soft with passion, were as hard as iron as they stared into hers. They raked Shona’s stricken face and she watched in agony as they registered first disbelief, and then a terrible anger—anger so deep that all the muscles in his face tightened into a mask of cold rage. She stood there, irate, guilty and confused, as his fury exploded around her.
‘You planned this!’ he hissed, his eyes turning to shards of ice, and in that moment he was absolutely convinced that Shona McKenzie was the most consummate actress on
Her loose hair was a glorious jasmine-perfumed silk tent that covered them both as they kissed. It fell on Zack’s cheeks, his lips and twisted in and out of his fingers. It was the thread that wove them together, that would keep them from ever separating.
Absorbed in the enchantment of the moment, their ears were deaf to the approach of others into their own private world.
‘Good Lord!’ The exclamation exploded the silence of the creek. ‘You blackguard! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Get away from my sister, this instant! ’
Recognising Antony’s voice, supple as an eel, Shona somehow managed to slip out of his arms and scramble to her feet. Zack, uttering a quiet curse, did so at a more leisurely pace. Springing back guiltily from her compromising embrace, Shona turned to see her brother striding towards them. His fists were clenched by his sides, his face darkened to a raging purple. She had to bite her lips to stop herself crying out in horror. Behind him were Carmelita and two of his planter friends with their wives.
Crimson with shame, she drew back. She went cold and her throat tightened convulsively. Her disgrace was total. To have her virtue questioned before the elite ranks of Santamaria society was nearly as damning as if she had paraded naked through the town. To find herself half-naked before her neighbours, whose eyes fastened upon her greedily, their faces expectant... She reached for her dress and held it to her in an attempt to maintain her modesty. She heard the captain curse under his breath, but she was too numb to do likewise, even if she had known the proper words.
Antony stared at his sister’s scantily clad form in icy stillness—silent accusation that promised there would be consequences later. ‘Just look at you. Have you no shame? Return to the house at once, where I will decide how to deal with this.’ He turned to his friends. ‘I owe you an apology. I invited you down here to introduce you to Captain Fitzgerald. What we saw speaks for itself. However, I ask for your discretion and hope you will have the goodness to overlook the unfortunate incident. Please—will you excuse us and return to the house where you will be served refreshments. I will be up shortly.’
Both gentlemen bowed, politely enough, but stiff with reproach, and turned and walked side by side back along the path, the ladies with their heads close together quietly discussing what had transpired.
Antony turned his fury on Captain Fitzgerald. ‘Damnation, sir, what do you mean by this? How dare you make a move like that on my sister! What do you think this house is? A brothel?’
‘That is exactly what he must think,’ Carmelita sneered with her harsh Spanish accent. ‘Although I must congratulate you, Shona,’ she said, looking at her sister-in-law, who chose to disobey her brother’s order to return to the house. ‘If you set out to seduce him, then what we have just witnessed confirms that you have succeeded admirably.’
In a few seconds the captain’s face expressed first stupefaction, then fury as the full meaning of her words sank in, then a look of implacable contempt transformed his features. Although she was quaking inside, Shona remained where she was and faced him with outward calm. His eyes remained riveted on her. Those eyes of his, which only moments before had been soft with passion, were as hard as iron as they stared into hers. They raked Shona’s stricken face and she watched in agony as they registered first disbelief, and then a terrible anger—anger so deep that all the muscles in his face tightened into a mask of cold rage. She stood there, irate, guilty and confused, as his fury exploded around her.
‘You planned this!’ he hissed, his eyes turning to shards of ice, and in that moment he was absolutely convinced that Shona McKenzie was the most consummate actress on
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