Read Online The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
Tags: Fiction, Historical fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Sagas, Love Stories, London (England) - Social Life and Customs - 19th Century
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and Brandon reluctantly turned Heather loose. She ran to the window seat and hurriedly fastened her clothes as he moved behind his desk and sat down. She felt his eyes on her and the color rose high to her cheeks.
Some time later the messenger was admitted and she turned her back to the occupants of the room and sank to the cushions of the seat. That anyone should find her in Captain Birmingham's cabin embarrassed her to the bone. Her face flaming with the shame of it, she wanted very much to die. Through the windows she watched the water lap against the sides of a merchantman docked nearby and mused how, if she but had the nerve, the water might put her problems to an end. She thought she might welcome its liquid fingers snuffing out her life. She leaned forward to gaze more intently at the dark swirling river, unaware that the messenger had left and that Brandon had come up behind her. He dropped a hand to her shoulder and she jumped with a start. He laughed softly and sank down beside her on the cushions and touched a curl over her breast.
"I'm afraid I must leave for a few hours, Heather, but I'll return as soon as I'm able. George has been instructed to keep an eye upon you so I beg you not to make it difficult for him. He's a gentle soul where ladies are concerned despite what you may have thought last night. I have informed him that I want you here when I return, so do not try to get away. I'll have his skin if you succeed and I'd find you again if I had to tear down all of London."
"I don't care in the least if you skin your man," she replied heatedly. "But if the opportunity to escape presents itself, I'll take it."
Brandon raised an eyebrow. "In that case, Heather, I shall take you with me."
She almost panicked. "Oh, don't!" she cried. "Please. I beg of you. I would die of shame if you did. Oh, please do not. If you wish, I'll read while you're away. I swear."
Brandon studied her with a great deal of interest. "You can read?" he asked.
"Yes," she returned softly.
He smiled down at her. Not many women could read, and he felt a new respect for the girl.
"Very well," he said finally. "I will leave you here, and I'll stop at a clothier's on the way back so that you may look like a woman. Now stand up and let me judge your size."
Self-consciously, Heather complied and slowly turned around before him as he directed. His eyes moved over her appreciatively.
"You're hardly bigger than a mite."
"Some people say I'm thin," she commented softly, remembering some of her aunt's insulting remarks.
Brandon laughed, "I can imagine the jealous old crones who said that. They were probably wallowing in their own fat."
A small smile broke across Heather's features as he seemed to describe her aunt, and then it was gone, almost as quickly as it had come, but it did not go unnoticed.
"Ah-h," he grinned. "I knew I could make you do that sooner or later."
Heather turned away and lifted her nose high in the air. "Because of you, I have little to be happy about."
"Now it's that again, is it?" he chuckled. "Your moods are very changeable, m'lady." He rose and came to stand behind her. "Now let us see if some of that ice has thawed from your lips. I wish to feel some warmth for a change. Come, kiss me as a mistress should. I've not time for more."
Heather released a quivering sigh of relief at not having a repeat performance of his lovemaking. She concluded a bit of effort on her part, as if yielding to his protestations, would do much to allay whatever fears or suspicions he might be harboring over leaving her. She turned and with a new determination, slid her arms behind his neck and pulled his head down to hers. His brows lifted as if he were considering this new change in her and Heather, not wanting him to dwell too long upon the matter, pressed moist, warm lips upon his and seizing upon her meager experience, kissed him long and in a loving fashion,
Some time later the messenger was admitted and she turned her back to the occupants of the room and sank to the cushions of the seat. That anyone should find her in Captain Birmingham's cabin embarrassed her to the bone. Her face flaming with the shame of it, she wanted very much to die. Through the windows she watched the water lap against the sides of a merchantman docked nearby and mused how, if she but had the nerve, the water might put her problems to an end. She thought she might welcome its liquid fingers snuffing out her life. She leaned forward to gaze more intently at the dark swirling river, unaware that the messenger had left and that Brandon had come up behind her. He dropped a hand to her shoulder and she jumped with a start. He laughed softly and sank down beside her on the cushions and touched a curl over her breast.
"I'm afraid I must leave for a few hours, Heather, but I'll return as soon as I'm able. George has been instructed to keep an eye upon you so I beg you not to make it difficult for him. He's a gentle soul where ladies are concerned despite what you may have thought last night. I have informed him that I want you here when I return, so do not try to get away. I'll have his skin if you succeed and I'd find you again if I had to tear down all of London."
"I don't care in the least if you skin your man," she replied heatedly. "But if the opportunity to escape presents itself, I'll take it."
Brandon raised an eyebrow. "In that case, Heather, I shall take you with me."
She almost panicked. "Oh, don't!" she cried. "Please. I beg of you. I would die of shame if you did. Oh, please do not. If you wish, I'll read while you're away. I swear."
Brandon studied her with a great deal of interest. "You can read?" he asked.
"Yes," she returned softly.
He smiled down at her. Not many women could read, and he felt a new respect for the girl.
"Very well," he said finally. "I will leave you here, and I'll stop at a clothier's on the way back so that you may look like a woman. Now stand up and let me judge your size."
Self-consciously, Heather complied and slowly turned around before him as he directed. His eyes moved over her appreciatively.
"You're hardly bigger than a mite."
"Some people say I'm thin," she commented softly, remembering some of her aunt's insulting remarks.
Brandon laughed, "I can imagine the jealous old crones who said that. They were probably wallowing in their own fat."
A small smile broke across Heather's features as he seemed to describe her aunt, and then it was gone, almost as quickly as it had come, but it did not go unnoticed.
"Ah-h," he grinned. "I knew I could make you do that sooner or later."
Heather turned away and lifted her nose high in the air. "Because of you, I have little to be happy about."
"Now it's that again, is it?" he chuckled. "Your moods are very changeable, m'lady." He rose and came to stand behind her. "Now let us see if some of that ice has thawed from your lips. I wish to feel some warmth for a change. Come, kiss me as a mistress should. I've not time for more."
Heather released a quivering sigh of relief at not having a repeat performance of his lovemaking. She concluded a bit of effort on her part, as if yielding to his protestations, would do much to allay whatever fears or suspicions he might be harboring over leaving her. She turned and with a new determination, slid her arms behind his neck and pulled his head down to hers. His brows lifted as if he were considering this new change in her and Heather, not wanting him to dwell too long upon the matter, pressed moist, warm lips upon his and seizing upon her meager experience, kissed him long and in a loving fashion,
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