Read Online Sacrifice (Fashionably Impure Book 3) by Natasha Blackthorne - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Natasha Blackthorne
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health. His studies.
Then finally, a pause. She took the
opportunity to transfer Laurie back to his mama then settled back in her own
chair. “I received a letter today from Adrian.”
Lord Ruel looked up from a deep
contemplation of the wood block that his son had handed to him. “Indeed, what does
he say?”
Her breathing quickened and her heart
pounded with the increased angst the topic produced in her and had been
producing in her ever since she had seen it.
“He says he is in New Orleans now.”
Ruel’s features froze.
Her blood froze in response. “Isn’t that
part of your plan?” she asked, unable to keep the anxiety from her voice.
“It wasn’t.”
“Nor was this extended time away from
England,” she replied, not even bothering to keep the vexation from her tone
this time. She couldn’t help blaming Ruel for their Adrian’s continued absence.
Did she see a shadow in the depths of
those blue eyes?
Now it was gone and he flashed her a
quick grin. “I trust Adrian’s judgment implicitly. If he felt the situation
warranted a longer stay or travel to New Orleans, he must have his reasons.”
Miranda found herself perched on the edge
of her seat, chest tight with both apprehension and some frustration. “But
surely he’s told you what is keeping him there and why he must travel to New
Orleans? Surely, you must know more.”
Ruel’s look turned regretful, almost
pained. “No, my dear, he hasn’t written to me since the last time.”
Miranda folded her hands primly on her
knees, as though by doing so, she wouldn’t lose sight of her manners. That she
wouldn’t become demanding or shrill as the urge within her demanded. She took a
deep, calming breath. “New Orleans. What business can he possibly have there?”
she asked, a useless venting of her worry.
And her hurt.
Why wouldn’t he share why he had to stay
so long in America? Why wouldn’t he tell her why he had to travel?
Devil take it! She was his countess.
His wife.
And she was completely at a loss as to
what he was doing.
When she had first read his letter, worry
and dread had consumed her. She had told herself that Ruel would have the
answers.
Now that hope had been proved fruitless,
anger began to seep through her worry and concern.
Damn, Adrian, what was going on the other
side of the world to hold him there?
A chuckle from Ruel jerked her from her
whirling emotions. She looked up to see him grinning.
“Ah, New Orleans.” His tone turned a
shade wistful. “Where the liquor flows freely and the women are so exotically
beautiful that they can ravish a man’s senses with just a look.”
“Can they indeed?” Miranda asked, in a
snappish voice that made her cringe. And betrayed the doubts that made her
despise herself.
“Yes,” Ruel said, “the finest of them are
quite lovely in a dark, exotic way. Almost—” he turned to his countess. “Almost
as exotically lovely as my lady.”
His gaze seemed to caress Anne and then
he leaned over to kiss his wife’s olive-hued cheek.
A flush spread over Anne’s face. Then she
seemed to shake herself and she turned to Miranda, her dark eyes kind. “Adrian
has always been a constant and loyal man.”
Ruel’s expression sobered. “Yes, of
course he is. You needn’t worry, Miranda.”
****
But Miranda did worry. Especially as she
marked the days off on her calendar and another month passed.
She received a letter from Adrian, saying
that he had journeyed to another place in Louisiana called Natchitoches.
And his words had been strung together
oddly. His usual bold, yet neatly penned, script nowhere to be seen for
the words were written in a jagged and
messy manner. Hard to read.
She remembered what Ruel had said about
liquor flowing freely there.
Had Adrian begun drinking heavily again?
The thought made her feel sick.
She had flown back to Mayfair, to Lloyd
House and demanded to see Ruel immediately.
He had not been at home and she had to go
to his
Then finally, a pause. She took the
opportunity to transfer Laurie back to his mama then settled back in her own
chair. “I received a letter today from Adrian.”
Lord Ruel looked up from a deep
contemplation of the wood block that his son had handed to him. “Indeed, what does
he say?”
Her breathing quickened and her heart
pounded with the increased angst the topic produced in her and had been
producing in her ever since she had seen it.
“He says he is in New Orleans now.”
Ruel’s features froze.
Her blood froze in response. “Isn’t that
part of your plan?” she asked, unable to keep the anxiety from her voice.
“It wasn’t.”
“Nor was this extended time away from
England,” she replied, not even bothering to keep the vexation from her tone
this time. She couldn’t help blaming Ruel for their Adrian’s continued absence.
Did she see a shadow in the depths of
those blue eyes?
Now it was gone and he flashed her a
quick grin. “I trust Adrian’s judgment implicitly. If he felt the situation
warranted a longer stay or travel to New Orleans, he must have his reasons.”
Miranda found herself perched on the edge
of her seat, chest tight with both apprehension and some frustration. “But
surely he’s told you what is keeping him there and why he must travel to New
Orleans? Surely, you must know more.”
Ruel’s look turned regretful, almost
pained. “No, my dear, he hasn’t written to me since the last time.”
Miranda folded her hands primly on her
knees, as though by doing so, she wouldn’t lose sight of her manners. That she
wouldn’t become demanding or shrill as the urge within her demanded. She took a
deep, calming breath. “New Orleans. What business can he possibly have there?”
she asked, a useless venting of her worry.
And her hurt.
Why wouldn’t he share why he had to stay
so long in America? Why wouldn’t he tell her why he had to travel?
Devil take it! She was his countess.
His wife.
And she was completely at a loss as to
what he was doing.
When she had first read his letter, worry
and dread had consumed her. She had told herself that Ruel would have the
answers.
Now that hope had been proved fruitless,
anger began to seep through her worry and concern.
Damn, Adrian, what was going on the other
side of the world to hold him there?
A chuckle from Ruel jerked her from her
whirling emotions. She looked up to see him grinning.
“Ah, New Orleans.” His tone turned a
shade wistful. “Where the liquor flows freely and the women are so exotically
beautiful that they can ravish a man’s senses with just a look.”
“Can they indeed?” Miranda asked, in a
snappish voice that made her cringe. And betrayed the doubts that made her
despise herself.
“Yes,” Ruel said, “the finest of them are
quite lovely in a dark, exotic way. Almost—” he turned to his countess. “Almost
as exotically lovely as my lady.”
His gaze seemed to caress Anne and then
he leaned over to kiss his wife’s olive-hued cheek.
A flush spread over Anne’s face. Then she
seemed to shake herself and she turned to Miranda, her dark eyes kind. “Adrian
has always been a constant and loyal man.”
Ruel’s expression sobered. “Yes, of
course he is. You needn’t worry, Miranda.”
****
But Miranda did worry. Especially as she
marked the days off on her calendar and another month passed.
She received a letter from Adrian, saying
that he had journeyed to another place in Louisiana called Natchitoches.
And his words had been strung together
oddly. His usual bold, yet neatly penned, script nowhere to be seen for
the words were written in a jagged and
messy manner. Hard to read.
She remembered what Ruel had said about
liquor flowing freely there.
Had Adrian begun drinking heavily again?
The thought made her feel sick.
She had flown back to Mayfair, to Lloyd
House and demanded to see Ruel immediately.
He had not been at home and she had to go
to his
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