Read Online The Escape by Kristabel Reed - Free Book Online Page B

single tryst won’t spoil what we have,” Annette agreed as if they’d practiced this conversation.
    As much as that thought amused Gabrielle, she shook her head. She couldn’t have this, them believing an afternoon’s delight would ease everything.
    “I’ll have the servants make up your room,” Annette added, releasing her hand and stepping back to do just that as if the matter had been settled.
    “No,” Gabrielle said quickly. “No, please don’t. I won’t stay. It’s true, I love Eric. And I plan to return to him.”
    She embraced Margaux and turned to Annette who hadn’t moved another step though she clearly looked as if she wanted to. Emotion choked her, and she smiled at them, warm and loving.
    “But I wanted to say goodbye and tell you that you needn’t feel you have to be alone or lonely.” Gabrielle took both their hands again and made sure she held their attention. “Margaux, your father’s aide, Philippe, watches you with such affection. If you’d merely return his gaze, he’d be yours forever.”
    She kissed Annette’s cheek. Behind her Gabrielle could just see out the windows but Eric had hidden himself well and she couldn’t see him.
    “Annette, Monsieur de Claude makes it a point to watch you whenever you leave the house.” Gabrielle nodded at the look of utter shock in Annette’s eyes and insisted, “Greet him and let yourself be loved.”
    She took a step back, releasing their hands even as they protested her plan. They didn’t, she noticed, protest her observations about the men Gabrielle knew to be clearly smitten with them. Major Phillipe Lemieux had long wanted Margaux so far as Gabrielle could tell and she knew the look of a man in love. And the Fortier’s’ neighbor de Claude did, indeed, gaze at Annette with such longing Gabrielle wondered the air between them didn’t burn with his wanting.
    Turning for the door, she didn’t realize Margaux’s and Annette’s protests had abruptly died. Theodore stood in the doorway, looking far more fearsome than she could ever remember him looking.
    “I’d like a moment with my sister.” Theodore’s voice cut through the parlor.
    “Listen to him,” Margaux whispered as she pulled Annette along. They both looked at her worriedly, but left nonetheless. “Listen to his reason.”
    The parlor doors shut behind them though didn’t latch if Gabrielle heard correctly over the roaring in her ears. Her heart raced with a thread of fear but she raised her chin in defiance. She’d see no help from either the sisters or the staff, and didn’t know if Eric could see into the front parlor.
    A thousand thoughts raced through her mind: Perhaps for once her brother would listen to reason; perhaps Margaux and Annette would have a change of heart and return; or perhaps Eric could truly see inside the Fortier’s front parlor and wouldn’t allow Theodore to take her back to his townhouse.
    However, Gabrielle knew none of those thoughts could be true. She was well and truly trapped.
    “What were you thinking?” he demanded in a hard voice. His arms folded over his chest, but he hadn’t moved from the doors. No doubt so she wouldn’t try to escape. “Did you find your way back to the damn Club?”
    “They’re alive,” she shot at him. “They’re both alive, you lying bastard!”
    Gabrielle wanted to attack him, wanted to hit him, throw things at him, but didn’t want to be within arm’s reach. Well known for his mercurial temper, Gabrielle didn’t want to take the chance he’d physically assault her.
    He stalked her, long steps eating the distance between them. His eyes, so like the blue of hers, darkened with mad fury.
    “I don’t care,” he snarled. “You’re not to be with them! You’re not to be their whore!” His voice rose unsteadily, hands curling into fists. “I’ll find them and kill them myself if you don’t do as I instruct.”
    He lashed out and grabbed her arm, grip bruising as he yanked her against