Read Online Summer of the Moon Flower (The de Vargas Family) by Annie Seaton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Annie Seaton
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Sofia?
She did not reply and tried to inject
displeasure into the stare she directed at him. He let go of her face and
trailed gentle fingers down her neck before placing his hands on the table.
“Sofia, I am an honest man and not used to
deception.” He held her gaze and continued. “I do not have a wife. The woman
you met this afternoon is… my…” He paused and looked at her.”She is the wife of
an acquaintance who knew I was travelling to Vienna.”
Her first reaction was relief, but then
discomfort covered her like the cold fingers of the mist outside as suspicion
began to build in her mind.
“Why, then sir, did you pretend she was
your wife?” Her voice was heavy with displeasure. He hesitated and she sensed
he was being less than truthful with her.
“I did not want you to think I—”
“Why were you in my salon?” She cut off his
words before he could complete the lie she knew was about to come from his
lips.
“The truth?”
She nodded.
“I wanted to meet you and it seemed the
only way to make your acquaintance. You do not mix widely in society.”
“No, that’s true,” she replied. “However,
sir, you have me intrigued. Why would you wish to meet me? So far from your
earldom and your island…or is that all a fancy as well?”
Dougal straightened in the seat and smiled
at her. “I apologize for the one and only untruth I told you today, Sofia. Yes,
I am an earl. I have a castle on Little Rothmore and I am travelling to the
Alps to take the mountain air. I am with my manservant, Edward and I will be
leaving the…my acquaintance’s wife in Vienna until her garments are ready.”
“And her health?”
“Er…she is indisposed and is need of
medical attention which has been arranged.”
He turned his gaze to the window as he
spoke and she knew once more, he was not telling the truth. Despite his lies,
she was pleased he was sitting here with her. It was not often she had the
company of intelligent men in a social setting. The time she spent in the
laboratory with Ernst and Johann was fraught with tension, and Henri, her own
manservant was more like a father to her.
“Would you like to join me for coffee?”
His features relaxed as a smile broke over
his face and he reached across and picked up her hand. “I would be delighted,
Madame.”
Hans returned with her Buchtein and
sweetened milky coffee. He assured Dougal it was acceptable for him to stay in
the ladies parlour until more customers arrived later in the evening. Sofia
sipped on her coffee and observed the man sitting across from her.
His dark hair was pulled back and tied in a
tail with a strip of leather, and left his features clear for close inspection.
Deep blue eyes of a clarity she had not seen before, were framed by dark
curling lashes. Her gaze travelled down to his full lips and on closer
inspection, discovered a narrow white scar ran from the side of his mouth to
the centre of his cheek.. His cheeks had the ruddy glow of a man who spent a
lot of time outdoors and the hand that had held hers was work-roughened.
“Tell me about yourself, Dougal. Why are
you in Vienna?”
“I had business to attend to and then I am
taking a holiday in the mountains,” he replied. “There is an Austrian cattle
breed which survives in the rocky conditions and cold temperatures in the
alpine pastures I wish to inspect.
“The rocky condition and bitter
temperatures are the same as my island home.” He laughed. “Very different to
the sophistication of Vienna.”
“I am well used to travelling in your
country. My sister lives in Cornwall and I visit her.” Sofia sighed. “Although
not as frequently as I would like.”
The sound of laughter drifted in from the
foyer and Dougal stood and held his hand out to her.
“I shall depart the ladies parlor,” he said
with a smile. “Perhaps you will allow me to escort you to your apartment?”
Sofia looked up at him, torn between her suspicions
of him and her intuition he was a
She did not reply and tried to inject
displeasure into the stare she directed at him. He let go of her face and
trailed gentle fingers down her neck before placing his hands on the table.
“Sofia, I am an honest man and not used to
deception.” He held her gaze and continued. “I do not have a wife. The woman
you met this afternoon is… my…” He paused and looked at her.”She is the wife of
an acquaintance who knew I was travelling to Vienna.”
Her first reaction was relief, but then
discomfort covered her like the cold fingers of the mist outside as suspicion
began to build in her mind.
“Why, then sir, did you pretend she was
your wife?” Her voice was heavy with displeasure. He hesitated and she sensed
he was being less than truthful with her.
“I did not want you to think I—”
“Why were you in my salon?” She cut off his
words before he could complete the lie she knew was about to come from his
lips.
“The truth?”
She nodded.
“I wanted to meet you and it seemed the
only way to make your acquaintance. You do not mix widely in society.”
“No, that’s true,” she replied. “However,
sir, you have me intrigued. Why would you wish to meet me? So far from your
earldom and your island…or is that all a fancy as well?”
Dougal straightened in the seat and smiled
at her. “I apologize for the one and only untruth I told you today, Sofia. Yes,
I am an earl. I have a castle on Little Rothmore and I am travelling to the
Alps to take the mountain air. I am with my manservant, Edward and I will be
leaving the…my acquaintance’s wife in Vienna until her garments are ready.”
“And her health?”
“Er…she is indisposed and is need of
medical attention which has been arranged.”
He turned his gaze to the window as he
spoke and she knew once more, he was not telling the truth. Despite his lies,
she was pleased he was sitting here with her. It was not often she had the
company of intelligent men in a social setting. The time she spent in the
laboratory with Ernst and Johann was fraught with tension, and Henri, her own
manservant was more like a father to her.
“Would you like to join me for coffee?”
His features relaxed as a smile broke over
his face and he reached across and picked up her hand. “I would be delighted,
Madame.”
Hans returned with her Buchtein and
sweetened milky coffee. He assured Dougal it was acceptable for him to stay in
the ladies parlour until more customers arrived later in the evening. Sofia
sipped on her coffee and observed the man sitting across from her.
His dark hair was pulled back and tied in a
tail with a strip of leather, and left his features clear for close inspection.
Deep blue eyes of a clarity she had not seen before, were framed by dark
curling lashes. Her gaze travelled down to his full lips and on closer
inspection, discovered a narrow white scar ran from the side of his mouth to
the centre of his cheek.. His cheeks had the ruddy glow of a man who spent a
lot of time outdoors and the hand that had held hers was work-roughened.
“Tell me about yourself, Dougal. Why are
you in Vienna?”
“I had business to attend to and then I am
taking a holiday in the mountains,” he replied. “There is an Austrian cattle
breed which survives in the rocky conditions and cold temperatures in the
alpine pastures I wish to inspect.
“The rocky condition and bitter
temperatures are the same as my island home.” He laughed. “Very different to
the sophistication of Vienna.”
“I am well used to travelling in your
country. My sister lives in Cornwall and I visit her.” Sofia sighed. “Although
not as frequently as I would like.”
The sound of laughter drifted in from the
foyer and Dougal stood and held his hand out to her.
“I shall depart the ladies parlor,” he said
with a smile. “Perhaps you will allow me to escort you to your apartment?”
Sofia looked up at him, torn between her suspicions
of him and her intuition he was a
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