Read Online Retreat From Love by Samantha Kane - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Samantha Kane
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Grace. I have purchased nary a thing. You have picked, purchased and delivered all these items for me. It is hardly my fault you are worn out from shopping!”
Freddy just laughed and appealed to Brett. “Now, Brett, you must tell us who is to blame.”
Brett smiled indulgently from Anne’s other side. “You are both to blame. You have dragged me around town all morning, and I am not only famished but thirsty as well.”
He indicated the inn at the end of the road they were on. “Shall we be able to find decent food there, Anne?”
Anne could have kicked herself. Not only was he hungry, but she would wager his leg was also very sore. She quickly nodded in assent. “Yes, the Duck has excellent food, Brett.”
Brett gave her a tight smile and then looked away. He quickened his pace, leaving Anne and Freddy to follow him. Anne couldn’t tear her eyes away. His limp was pronounced, but she couldn’t say if it was worse than normal, not having any idea what normal was for Brett. He seemed agile enough. And watching him walk was
extraordinarily arousing. His backside and legs were lovingly encased in tight buckskins that outlined every muscular curve. She could actually see the muscles in the right side of his buttocks flex as he turned to cross the street to the Duck. She shivered a little.
“Are you cold?” Freddy asked incredulously. “It is so warm I fear for my linen, and yet you are shivering next to me.”
Anne huffed out a breathless chuckle. “No, Freddy, I’m not cold.” She quirked her head and gripped his arm tighter as she looked up at him.
Freddy’s mouth tipped up on one side. He watched Brett for a moment and then returned her chuckle.
“Do you think his leg is bothering him?” Anne couldn’t shake her guilt over forgetting about his injury while they were “nattering about”, in Freddy’s words.
Freddy made a face and shrugged. “Who knows? He will never admit it when it does.” He sighed. “It has taken me years to understand that Brett’s leg is just something he, and everyone around him, has to live with. Fretting over it, or him, will not make it better. He will never be better than he is. To constantly inquire of his comfort now only 39
Samantha Kane
irritates him.” He patted Anne’s hand and stopped right before entering the inn behind Brett. “He is a reasonable man, Anne. When something is too much for him, he admits it. He does not intentionally or deliberately do anything to aggravate or worsen his condition. And yet he has decided not to let his lameness interfere with living his life as he sees fit.”
Anne took a deep breath. For some reason Freddy’s words made her emotional.
Was it the knowledge of Brett’s pain? The idea that it would forever be a reminder of what he’d suffered? Or knowing that he had a full life that did not include Anne?
Freddy ran his hand soothingly down her arm just as the door opened and Brett stuck his head out. “Are you two coming in? Or are you going to eat out here in the yard?”
Anne smiled at him. Too quickly, she guessed when he narrowed his eyes at her speculatively. “I had something in my eye,” she fabricated, gently rubbing the corner, surreptitiously wiping away any telltale moisture.
Brett reached out a hand and helped her up the step. “The road was dusty. Come inside. Do you need something for it?”
Anne shook her head, still smiling. “No, it’s gone now. Thank you.” She turned back to Freddy where he still stood in the yard. “Your Grace? Do come inside.”
Freddy smiled too quickly and it was Anne’s turn to look at him suspiciously. But he just laughed and placed a hand at her elbow to urge her all the way in.
Lunch consisted of modest fare, to Mr. and Mrs. Gilchrist’s chagrin. They’d run the inn for years, having inherited it from Mrs. Gilchrist’s father. Freddy soothed all their agitation in that special way Anne was beginning to realize was as natural as breathing to him. His
Freddy just laughed and appealed to Brett. “Now, Brett, you must tell us who is to blame.”
Brett smiled indulgently from Anne’s other side. “You are both to blame. You have dragged me around town all morning, and I am not only famished but thirsty as well.”
He indicated the inn at the end of the road they were on. “Shall we be able to find decent food there, Anne?”
Anne could have kicked herself. Not only was he hungry, but she would wager his leg was also very sore. She quickly nodded in assent. “Yes, the Duck has excellent food, Brett.”
Brett gave her a tight smile and then looked away. He quickened his pace, leaving Anne and Freddy to follow him. Anne couldn’t tear her eyes away. His limp was pronounced, but she couldn’t say if it was worse than normal, not having any idea what normal was for Brett. He seemed agile enough. And watching him walk was
extraordinarily arousing. His backside and legs were lovingly encased in tight buckskins that outlined every muscular curve. She could actually see the muscles in the right side of his buttocks flex as he turned to cross the street to the Duck. She shivered a little.
“Are you cold?” Freddy asked incredulously. “It is so warm I fear for my linen, and yet you are shivering next to me.”
Anne huffed out a breathless chuckle. “No, Freddy, I’m not cold.” She quirked her head and gripped his arm tighter as she looked up at him.
Freddy’s mouth tipped up on one side. He watched Brett for a moment and then returned her chuckle.
“Do you think his leg is bothering him?” Anne couldn’t shake her guilt over forgetting about his injury while they were “nattering about”, in Freddy’s words.
Freddy made a face and shrugged. “Who knows? He will never admit it when it does.” He sighed. “It has taken me years to understand that Brett’s leg is just something he, and everyone around him, has to live with. Fretting over it, or him, will not make it better. He will never be better than he is. To constantly inquire of his comfort now only 39
Samantha Kane
irritates him.” He patted Anne’s hand and stopped right before entering the inn behind Brett. “He is a reasonable man, Anne. When something is too much for him, he admits it. He does not intentionally or deliberately do anything to aggravate or worsen his condition. And yet he has decided not to let his lameness interfere with living his life as he sees fit.”
Anne took a deep breath. For some reason Freddy’s words made her emotional.
Was it the knowledge of Brett’s pain? The idea that it would forever be a reminder of what he’d suffered? Or knowing that he had a full life that did not include Anne?
Freddy ran his hand soothingly down her arm just as the door opened and Brett stuck his head out. “Are you two coming in? Or are you going to eat out here in the yard?”
Anne smiled at him. Too quickly, she guessed when he narrowed his eyes at her speculatively. “I had something in my eye,” she fabricated, gently rubbing the corner, surreptitiously wiping away any telltale moisture.
Brett reached out a hand and helped her up the step. “The road was dusty. Come inside. Do you need something for it?”
Anne shook her head, still smiling. “No, it’s gone now. Thank you.” She turned back to Freddy where he still stood in the yard. “Your Grace? Do come inside.”
Freddy smiled too quickly and it was Anne’s turn to look at him suspiciously. But he just laughed and placed a hand at her elbow to urge her all the way in.
Lunch consisted of modest fare, to Mr. and Mrs. Gilchrist’s chagrin. They’d run the inn for years, having inherited it from Mrs. Gilchrist’s father. Freddy soothed all their agitation in that special way Anne was beginning to realize was as natural as breathing to him. His
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