Read Online Once an Innocent by Elizabeth Boyce - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elizabeth Boyce
Ads: Link
think your papa is wrong this time, little one.”
After a moment, her babe’s movements calmed. She heaved a tired sigh, then pushed herself to her feet. In her mind’s eye, Isabelle raced down the hall to run Marshall to ground. Reality held her back with a body she no longer recognized as her own. She stood as straight as her spine allowed but still felt as though there was no room inside to draw adequate breath. Aching hips and swollen ankles had transformed her usual, graceful gait to an ungainly, lumbering stride. She felt like an elephant tromping through the house — one that perspired in unseemly quantities, at that.
By the time she found her husband in his study, Isabelle was short of breath, unbearably hot, and cross. Marshall looked up from sorting papers with Perkins, his secretary. Though not a stick of furniture went anywhere, moving back to the country was still an enormous undertaking. Marshall’s face lit at her entrance, and he stepped around the desk to greet her.
“I’ve just had to treat Naomi most cruelly,” she announced before he’d come within arm’s reach. “Why, Marshall? Why, why,
why
must she go away?” Isabelle stomped a foot and planted her hands on her lower back. She pinned Marshall with the fiercest glare she could summon.
Marshall glanced at Perkins. The secretary cut a bow and beat a hasty retreat. “Come sit down, Isa.” He reached for her arm.
Isabelle scowled. “I don’t want to sit. I’ll get stuck in that little chair again, and you’ll have to call Perkins back to tug it while you pull my arms. No, thank you, I’ll stand.”
A hint of laughter twitched across his lips, but Marshall wisely smoothed his features. “Darling, as I said before, I cannot tell you why. I’m terribly sorry everyone involved is so upset. Aunt Janine may never speak to me after this.”
Isabelle pressed a hand to her chest. “And Naomi may never speak to me! If you’d seen the look on her face when I told her I don’t need her … ” She covered her eyes with her palms and once again saw Naomi’s stricken expression. A fresh pang of guilt shot through her.
“I hurt her,” she muttered miserably, “and I lied.”
Marshall’s arms wrapped around Isabelle; she sank against the support of his broad chest. “I
want
her to come home, Marshall. I’ve looked forward to her advice on decorating the nursery. I need another woman in the house besides your mother — ” Isabelle groaned as she realized she now had no company to look forward to during her confinement other than her estranged mother-in-law. “Naomi would have helped keep Caro’s claws in check, but now — ”
Marshall pushed her back to look into her eyes. “She won’t grieve you any more, Isa. I swear it. There’s nothing Mother can say or do to cause you trouble ever again.” He kissed her gently, and Isabelle’s heart constricted. His warm hands cradled her face. “You and the baby are all that matter,” Marshall said, his voice thick with emotion. “If she steps an inch out of line, I’ll lock her in the dower house.”
Isabelle drew a shaky breath and shook her head. Her fingers idly worked at fixing his perfectly good cravat knot. “But what of Naomi? Please say she can come home.”
Marshall rested his forehead against hers. Isabelle sensed how this weighed on him. Something had convinced him sending Naomi off to a country party at Jordan Atherton’s estate was more important than the wishes of Naomi, Aunt Janine, Isabelle, and even Marshall himself. “I wish I could tell you that,” he said, squeezing her hips. “But Naomi must go to Lintern Abbey. It’s important to all of us, though I don’t suppose we’ll ever know just how important.”
With a confused and aching heart, Isabelle sighed. What could possibly be so crucial about Naomi’s attendance at Jordan’s party? She knew Marshall told the truth — at least as he saw it. She could only hope he’d based his decision on
After a moment, her babe’s movements calmed. She heaved a tired sigh, then pushed herself to her feet. In her mind’s eye, Isabelle raced down the hall to run Marshall to ground. Reality held her back with a body she no longer recognized as her own. She stood as straight as her spine allowed but still felt as though there was no room inside to draw adequate breath. Aching hips and swollen ankles had transformed her usual, graceful gait to an ungainly, lumbering stride. She felt like an elephant tromping through the house — one that perspired in unseemly quantities, at that.
By the time she found her husband in his study, Isabelle was short of breath, unbearably hot, and cross. Marshall looked up from sorting papers with Perkins, his secretary. Though not a stick of furniture went anywhere, moving back to the country was still an enormous undertaking. Marshall’s face lit at her entrance, and he stepped around the desk to greet her.
“I’ve just had to treat Naomi most cruelly,” she announced before he’d come within arm’s reach. “Why, Marshall? Why, why,
why
must she go away?” Isabelle stomped a foot and planted her hands on her lower back. She pinned Marshall with the fiercest glare she could summon.
Marshall glanced at Perkins. The secretary cut a bow and beat a hasty retreat. “Come sit down, Isa.” He reached for her arm.
Isabelle scowled. “I don’t want to sit. I’ll get stuck in that little chair again, and you’ll have to call Perkins back to tug it while you pull my arms. No, thank you, I’ll stand.”
A hint of laughter twitched across his lips, but Marshall wisely smoothed his features. “Darling, as I said before, I cannot tell you why. I’m terribly sorry everyone involved is so upset. Aunt Janine may never speak to me after this.”
Isabelle pressed a hand to her chest. “And Naomi may never speak to me! If you’d seen the look on her face when I told her I don’t need her … ” She covered her eyes with her palms and once again saw Naomi’s stricken expression. A fresh pang of guilt shot through her.
“I hurt her,” she muttered miserably, “and I lied.”
Marshall’s arms wrapped around Isabelle; she sank against the support of his broad chest. “I
want
her to come home, Marshall. I’ve looked forward to her advice on decorating the nursery. I need another woman in the house besides your mother — ” Isabelle groaned as she realized she now had no company to look forward to during her confinement other than her estranged mother-in-law. “Naomi would have helped keep Caro’s claws in check, but now — ”
Marshall pushed her back to look into her eyes. “She won’t grieve you any more, Isa. I swear it. There’s nothing Mother can say or do to cause you trouble ever again.” He kissed her gently, and Isabelle’s heart constricted. His warm hands cradled her face. “You and the baby are all that matter,” Marshall said, his voice thick with emotion. “If she steps an inch out of line, I’ll lock her in the dower house.”
Isabelle drew a shaky breath and shook her head. Her fingers idly worked at fixing his perfectly good cravat knot. “But what of Naomi? Please say she can come home.”
Marshall rested his forehead against hers. Isabelle sensed how this weighed on him. Something had convinced him sending Naomi off to a country party at Jordan Atherton’s estate was more important than the wishes of Naomi, Aunt Janine, Isabelle, and even Marshall himself. “I wish I could tell you that,” he said, squeezing her hips. “But Naomi must go to Lintern Abbey. It’s important to all of us, though I don’t suppose we’ll ever know just how important.”
With a confused and aching heart, Isabelle sighed. What could possibly be so crucial about Naomi’s attendance at Jordan’s party? She knew Marshall told the truth — at least as he saw it. She could only hope he’d based his decision on
Similar Books
