Read Online Season of Shadows by Yvonne Whittal - Free Book Online
Authors: Yvonne Whittal
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succeeded in penetrating deep enough beneath that hard
veneer to hurt him so badly?
'Why are you telling me this?' Laura asked curiously.
'Well… firstly, because I happen to be fond of
Anton, and I'd like to see this marriage succeed. Secondly, because the
success of this marriage will depend largely on your patience and
understanding, and thirdly,' she smiled humorously, 'because I think
I'm going to enjoy having you as a friend and neighbour.'
A knock on the door ended their conversation abruptly, and
an anxious little voice cried out, 'Aunty Laura, are you there?'
'Come in, Sally.'
The door was flung open and Sally almost stumbled into the
room in her excitement, the pink, frilly dress enhancing the darkness
of her eyes, and the sheen of- her almost black hair hanging in two
neat plaits down her back.
'Oh, you look beautiful!' she sighed, her eager glance
taking in Laura's appearance, and then, remembering the purpose of her
errand, she said excitedly, 'Uncle Anton says you may come down
whenever you're ready. Mr Fuller has arrived and he's waiting
downstairs.'
Laura nodded, her throat suddenly too dry to speak.
'We'll be down in a minute,' Gina intervened hurriedly,
ushering the child from the room and returning swiftly to Laura's side.
'Gina!' Laura cried out her name in a moment of panic,
gripping the hands extended towards her as if they offered safety from
a danger as yet unknown.
'Courage, Laura, courage,' Gina whispered softly, her
fingers tightening about Laura's, then she turned towards the door.
'Come down as soon as you're ready.'
Courage
. She had never lacked courage
before, Laura thought as the door closed behind Gina's slim, elegant
figure in the blue and white suit. She had never before lacked the
courage to face up to her convictions, but at this precise moment she
felt the cowardly desire to run, and never to stop running until she
was safe somewhere where Anton would never find her. This was the
supreme test of her courage, she realised, and taking a deep, steadying
breath, she cast a final critical glance at herself in the mirror
before leaving her room and going downstairs.
In the living-room the Reverend Mr Fuller, Anton, and
Graham and Gina Abbot awaited her arrival, and they turned to face her
when she entered. 'Oh, God, what am I doing here?' she thought in a
moment of blind panic as she paused just inside the doorway, and then
she saw Sally, her eyes bright with excitement in her glowing, happy
face. She had to go through with it for Sally's sake, she realised
grimly, and she could only pray that she would find the courage to face
what lay before her.
Anton stepped forward, his eyes narrowed and shuttered,
and, as she placed her hand in his, she felt an inexplicable little
shiver race through her. His mouth tightened, as if her hesitation
angered him, then he drew her further into the living-room and the
ceremony began.
CHAPTER FOUR
Mr
Fuller, a portly gentleman with a red face, conducted the
marriage ceremony in a voice that communicated its brittleness to
Laura's nerves. A wedding ring, a cold, hard seal of possession, was
slipped on to her finger, giving the man who placed it there the
unquestionable right to her body, and at this thought she only barely
succeeded in suppressing a shudder when Anton lowered his proud head to
touch her lips briefly with his own when Mr Fuller made the customary
suggestion that the groom should kiss the bride.
Champagne corks popped loudly, and glasses were filled in
order to toast their happiness, but Laura felt a numbness shifting over
her as if she had transgressed beyond the point of fear to a neutral
plane where nothing, and no one, could touch her. The time to depart
came all too soon. Graham and Gina kissed her as if they had known her
for years, but it was Sally's clinging arms about her neck that
registered most, and Laura caught her close in a rush of sudden warmth
until Anton announced impatiently that it was time they
veneer to hurt him so badly?
'Why are you telling me this?' Laura asked curiously.
'Well… firstly, because I happen to be fond of
Anton, and I'd like to see this marriage succeed. Secondly, because the
success of this marriage will depend largely on your patience and
understanding, and thirdly,' she smiled humorously, 'because I think
I'm going to enjoy having you as a friend and neighbour.'
A knock on the door ended their conversation abruptly, and
an anxious little voice cried out, 'Aunty Laura, are you there?'
'Come in, Sally.'
The door was flung open and Sally almost stumbled into the
room in her excitement, the pink, frilly dress enhancing the darkness
of her eyes, and the sheen of- her almost black hair hanging in two
neat plaits down her back.
'Oh, you look beautiful!' she sighed, her eager glance
taking in Laura's appearance, and then, remembering the purpose of her
errand, she said excitedly, 'Uncle Anton says you may come down
whenever you're ready. Mr Fuller has arrived and he's waiting
downstairs.'
Laura nodded, her throat suddenly too dry to speak.
'We'll be down in a minute,' Gina intervened hurriedly,
ushering the child from the room and returning swiftly to Laura's side.
'Gina!' Laura cried out her name in a moment of panic,
gripping the hands extended towards her as if they offered safety from
a danger as yet unknown.
'Courage, Laura, courage,' Gina whispered softly, her
fingers tightening about Laura's, then she turned towards the door.
'Come down as soon as you're ready.'
Courage
. She had never lacked courage
before, Laura thought as the door closed behind Gina's slim, elegant
figure in the blue and white suit. She had never before lacked the
courage to face up to her convictions, but at this precise moment she
felt the cowardly desire to run, and never to stop running until she
was safe somewhere where Anton would never find her. This was the
supreme test of her courage, she realised, and taking a deep, steadying
breath, she cast a final critical glance at herself in the mirror
before leaving her room and going downstairs.
In the living-room the Reverend Mr Fuller, Anton, and
Graham and Gina Abbot awaited her arrival, and they turned to face her
when she entered. 'Oh, God, what am I doing here?' she thought in a
moment of blind panic as she paused just inside the doorway, and then
she saw Sally, her eyes bright with excitement in her glowing, happy
face. She had to go through with it for Sally's sake, she realised
grimly, and she could only pray that she would find the courage to face
what lay before her.
Anton stepped forward, his eyes narrowed and shuttered,
and, as she placed her hand in his, she felt an inexplicable little
shiver race through her. His mouth tightened, as if her hesitation
angered him, then he drew her further into the living-room and the
ceremony began.
CHAPTER FOUR
Mr
Fuller, a portly gentleman with a red face, conducted the
marriage ceremony in a voice that communicated its brittleness to
Laura's nerves. A wedding ring, a cold, hard seal of possession, was
slipped on to her finger, giving the man who placed it there the
unquestionable right to her body, and at this thought she only barely
succeeded in suppressing a shudder when Anton lowered his proud head to
touch her lips briefly with his own when Mr Fuller made the customary
suggestion that the groom should kiss the bride.
Champagne corks popped loudly, and glasses were filled in
order to toast their happiness, but Laura felt a numbness shifting over
her as if she had transgressed beyond the point of fear to a neutral
plane where nothing, and no one, could touch her. The time to depart
came all too soon. Graham and Gina kissed her as if they had known her
for years, but it was Sally's clinging arms about her neck that
registered most, and Laura caught her close in a rush of sudden warmth
until Anton announced impatiently that it was time they
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