Read Online The Fire's Center by Shannon Farrell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shannon Farrell
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contact, but she merely met his own gaze inquiringly, and he felt he had to say something to explain why he was staring at her.
"That cream coloured blouse, and hunter green skirt certainly suit you. Do all the things fit?"
She shrugged one shoulder. "I must admit I haven’t tried them all on, since I didn’t have time this morning if we were to be on the road by eleven, but they all seem to be fine. Once again, it was very generous of you."
Lucien tried to make light of her thanks by teasing, "What? You haven’t tried them all on? I would have thought that would be the first thing any woman would do as soon as she got something new to wear. My married friends complain their wives do nothing but primp and preen and visit their milliners and sempstresses all day."
"I prefer a good book myself, when I have any free time, which isn’t often," Riona said a trifle coldly, and then concentrated on chewing her food slowly, trying to eat as much as he could to please him.
He blinked, and then realized once more that he was treating her like an addle-pated woman of his own class, not the resourceful young governess she actually was. "I am sorry, you’re right of course. I suppose you and your sisters make all of your own clothes as well?"
Riona nodded. "We did, when we could afford the cloth. Mr. Woodham did give me a clothing allowance, so I managed to buy some bolts of cloth, enough to clothe everyone in the family."
"It must have been a great sacrifice," Lucien commented. "I know how women like pretty clothes."
"Have you much experience of women then, Dr. Woulfe?" Riona asked a trifle sharply, suddenly feeling an inexplicable pang.
Lucien’s golden eyes mingled with her own for a moment, before he answered honestly, "No, no I suppose I haven’t. I’m not a shy, blushing virgin, make no mistake, but nor am I a man about town either, if you take my meaning."
Riona coloured to the roots of her hair.
Lucien apologized, "I’m sorry if I offended you with my candour."
"Not at all, Dr. Woulfe, it is I who should apologize for asking such a personal question when it's clearly none of my business," Riona said hurriedly as she stood up to leave the table.
"I’m sure our rooms should be ready now, so if you will excuse me..."
Lucien rose himself and attempted to forestall her, but she was already at the door leading to the foyer. "But Riona, you haven’t finished your tea!"
"I've had more than enough, thank you," Riona replied as she headed up the stairs rapidly.
Rather than make a scene chasing after her, Lucien decided to let Riona go, and returned to the table, where he moodily sat gazing out of the window at the flurry of large white fluffy flakes that had begun to tumble down out of the steel-grey sky.
He was angry with himself for having given her such an unguarded reply, and wondered, not for the first time, at the wisdom of bringing her into his house. She was after all very young, only just turned twenty-two, while he was thirty-two, nearly old enough to be her father, he thought with a bitter smile.
But if not his own house, then where? His brother Quentin would no doubt take her in if he asked him to, but he didn’t like owing his brother favours. Nor did he like to have anything more to do with Antoinette than he could possibly help.
Not that she had ever said or done anything improper towards him in the all the years she had been married to his brother, but all the same, every so often, there was a flicker, something in her glance....
But perhaps he was just being fanciful, he decided with an inward shrug. Just as he might be imagining dangers now where there were none.
Riona would be ideal for his clinic once she got started. If he could eventually find her a suitable set of rooms somewhere later on, especially if they located her father in the capital, then all the proprieties would be observed.
But
"That cream coloured blouse, and hunter green skirt certainly suit you. Do all the things fit?"
She shrugged one shoulder. "I must admit I haven’t tried them all on, since I didn’t have time this morning if we were to be on the road by eleven, but they all seem to be fine. Once again, it was very generous of you."
Lucien tried to make light of her thanks by teasing, "What? You haven’t tried them all on? I would have thought that would be the first thing any woman would do as soon as she got something new to wear. My married friends complain their wives do nothing but primp and preen and visit their milliners and sempstresses all day."
"I prefer a good book myself, when I have any free time, which isn’t often," Riona said a trifle coldly, and then concentrated on chewing her food slowly, trying to eat as much as he could to please him.
He blinked, and then realized once more that he was treating her like an addle-pated woman of his own class, not the resourceful young governess she actually was. "I am sorry, you’re right of course. I suppose you and your sisters make all of your own clothes as well?"
Riona nodded. "We did, when we could afford the cloth. Mr. Woodham did give me a clothing allowance, so I managed to buy some bolts of cloth, enough to clothe everyone in the family."
"It must have been a great sacrifice," Lucien commented. "I know how women like pretty clothes."
"Have you much experience of women then, Dr. Woulfe?" Riona asked a trifle sharply, suddenly feeling an inexplicable pang.
Lucien’s golden eyes mingled with her own for a moment, before he answered honestly, "No, no I suppose I haven’t. I’m not a shy, blushing virgin, make no mistake, but nor am I a man about town either, if you take my meaning."
Riona coloured to the roots of her hair.
Lucien apologized, "I’m sorry if I offended you with my candour."
"Not at all, Dr. Woulfe, it is I who should apologize for asking such a personal question when it's clearly none of my business," Riona said hurriedly as she stood up to leave the table.
"I’m sure our rooms should be ready now, so if you will excuse me..."
Lucien rose himself and attempted to forestall her, but she was already at the door leading to the foyer. "But Riona, you haven’t finished your tea!"
"I've had more than enough, thank you," Riona replied as she headed up the stairs rapidly.
Rather than make a scene chasing after her, Lucien decided to let Riona go, and returned to the table, where he moodily sat gazing out of the window at the flurry of large white fluffy flakes that had begun to tumble down out of the steel-grey sky.
He was angry with himself for having given her such an unguarded reply, and wondered, not for the first time, at the wisdom of bringing her into his house. She was after all very young, only just turned twenty-two, while he was thirty-two, nearly old enough to be her father, he thought with a bitter smile.
But if not his own house, then where? His brother Quentin would no doubt take her in if he asked him to, but he didn’t like owing his brother favours. Nor did he like to have anything more to do with Antoinette than he could possibly help.
Not that she had ever said or done anything improper towards him in the all the years she had been married to his brother, but all the same, every so often, there was a flicker, something in her glance....
But perhaps he was just being fanciful, he decided with an inward shrug. Just as he might be imagining dangers now where there were none.
Riona would be ideal for his clinic once she got started. If he could eventually find her a suitable set of rooms somewhere later on, especially if they located her father in the capital, then all the proprieties would be observed.
But
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