Read Online She Will Rejoice by Becky Riker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Becky Riker
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follow her with an explanation or a plea to be with her.
Finn remained in his position for four or five seconds. Then he stood to his feet, went into his room and closed the door.
Naomi refused tea and cried he rself to sleep that night. She woke the following morning with a headache. Sitting up in bed, it took a moment or two for the young woman to orient herself to her surroundings. When she did, and when she remembered what had transpired the night before, she threw back her covers and went through the bathing chamber to her husband’s room. His deep chuckled registered in her ears just as she threw open the door.
He was not alone.
Finn was standing in the middle of the room with a maid. As far as Naomi could see there was nothing untoward going on, but the maid wore a guilty blush. Finn raised an eyebrow in question.
Naomi told herself to remain where she was. She was not going to accuse her husband in front of the maid, but she was not going to leave to allow them the freedom to continue what they had begun – if, indeed, they had begun something.
The maid curtseyed and left as quickly as possible.
Finn watched her leave, but then walked toward the fireplace and brushed with his booted toe at some ashes that had spilled on the hearth, “Did you need something, or were you just so eager to see my chamber you couldn’t bother to knock?”
Naomi’s blood boiled, “I needed to see you, Finn,” she stepped closer to him, “but I no longer feel the need to apologize for my treatment of you last night.”
His head jerked up, “Apologize?”
“Yes. I was under the impression that I should have kept you with me. I perhaps should have made an attempt to ease your suffering, but I can clearly see you will find comfort elsewhere.”
Finn was in front of his wife in two strides, “Nothing was going on in here, Naomi.”
She wondered if he truly believed that, or if he said the first thing that entered his mind.
“And if I had not come in when I did?” she pressed, stepping back from him slightly.
He breathed heavily, “I have never bedded a maid, Naomi.”
She was not comforted by his emphasis on the word ‘maid.’
“And I am not looking for comfort or anything else from anyone but you,” he reached toward her and pulled gently on her arms.
Naomi wanted to believe him, but she had an uneasy feeling. It was likely true that he would not have gone further with the maid than a little flirting, but she did not care for even that much. Moreover, if rumors could be trusted, it was not the household help she need worry about.
She allowed herself to be drawn to him.
“I am sorry,” he whispered into her hair. “I never wanted to hurt you.”
She was not appeased. He was not apologizing for his questionable behavior but for hurting her. Naomi was about to pull away again.
“I love you,” his words st opped her. “I did not expect to, but I do.”
She turned her face up to him, trying to gauge the truth in his statement.
She read the warmth in his expression, “I love you too, Finn.”
He smiled and angled his head to kiss her just as a knock sounded on his door.
Finn growled at the interruption, “What is it?”
Naomi darted behind her husband when she realized the door was opening. He grabbed his own dressing gown from the back of a chair and shoved it toward her.
“Mr. Haydn,” the butler’s expression was solemn, “your mother would like to see you now.”
Naomi could hear her husband grind his teeth.
“Now is not a good time, Dillon,” he barked.
Naomi noted that the older man did not even flinch. He simply nodded and began to back out.
“Wait!” she called out as she stepped from behind Finn, “please inform Mrs. Haydn we will be there shortly.”
Dillon met her eyes for one brief moment before turning to his master for confirmation. Finn nodded, and the man left.
“My dear,” he grasped her wrist so she could not immediately escape, “we do not need to be jumping at
Finn remained in his position for four or five seconds. Then he stood to his feet, went into his room and closed the door.
Naomi refused tea and cried he rself to sleep that night. She woke the following morning with a headache. Sitting up in bed, it took a moment or two for the young woman to orient herself to her surroundings. When she did, and when she remembered what had transpired the night before, she threw back her covers and went through the bathing chamber to her husband’s room. His deep chuckled registered in her ears just as she threw open the door.
He was not alone.
Finn was standing in the middle of the room with a maid. As far as Naomi could see there was nothing untoward going on, but the maid wore a guilty blush. Finn raised an eyebrow in question.
Naomi told herself to remain where she was. She was not going to accuse her husband in front of the maid, but she was not going to leave to allow them the freedom to continue what they had begun – if, indeed, they had begun something.
The maid curtseyed and left as quickly as possible.
Finn watched her leave, but then walked toward the fireplace and brushed with his booted toe at some ashes that had spilled on the hearth, “Did you need something, or were you just so eager to see my chamber you couldn’t bother to knock?”
Naomi’s blood boiled, “I needed to see you, Finn,” she stepped closer to him, “but I no longer feel the need to apologize for my treatment of you last night.”
His head jerked up, “Apologize?”
“Yes. I was under the impression that I should have kept you with me. I perhaps should have made an attempt to ease your suffering, but I can clearly see you will find comfort elsewhere.”
Finn was in front of his wife in two strides, “Nothing was going on in here, Naomi.”
She wondered if he truly believed that, or if he said the first thing that entered his mind.
“And if I had not come in when I did?” she pressed, stepping back from him slightly.
He breathed heavily, “I have never bedded a maid, Naomi.”
She was not comforted by his emphasis on the word ‘maid.’
“And I am not looking for comfort or anything else from anyone but you,” he reached toward her and pulled gently on her arms.
Naomi wanted to believe him, but she had an uneasy feeling. It was likely true that he would not have gone further with the maid than a little flirting, but she did not care for even that much. Moreover, if rumors could be trusted, it was not the household help she need worry about.
She allowed herself to be drawn to him.
“I am sorry,” he whispered into her hair. “I never wanted to hurt you.”
She was not appeased. He was not apologizing for his questionable behavior but for hurting her. Naomi was about to pull away again.
“I love you,” his words st opped her. “I did not expect to, but I do.”
She turned her face up to him, trying to gauge the truth in his statement.
She read the warmth in his expression, “I love you too, Finn.”
He smiled and angled his head to kiss her just as a knock sounded on his door.
Finn growled at the interruption, “What is it?”
Naomi darted behind her husband when she realized the door was opening. He grabbed his own dressing gown from the back of a chair and shoved it toward her.
“Mr. Haydn,” the butler’s expression was solemn, “your mother would like to see you now.”
Naomi could hear her husband grind his teeth.
“Now is not a good time, Dillon,” he barked.
Naomi noted that the older man did not even flinch. He simply nodded and began to back out.
“Wait!” she called out as she stepped from behind Finn, “please inform Mrs. Haydn we will be there shortly.”
Dillon met her eyes for one brief moment before turning to his master for confirmation. Finn nodded, and the man left.
“My dear,” he grasped her wrist so she could not immediately escape, “we do not need to be jumping at
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