Read Online The Lady Who Saw Too Much by Thomasine Rappold - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Thomasine Rappold
Ads: Link
herself with this reasoning, she heard a knock on the door.
“The pastor has arrived,” Alice said as she peeked into the room. “Everyone is ready.”
Gia took a calming breath and followed Alice out the door. Landen stood in the hall at the bottom of the stairs. Her heart fluttered. Wearing a dark morning coat and gray cravat, he looked so handsome. And unhappy.
While she’d thought herself prepared to bear the burden of his misery in exchange for saving his life, looking at him now, shoulders slumped, head bowed in defeat, she wasn’t so sure. She preferred his anger to this. When he spotted her on the stairs and his eyes turned to blue ice, she welcomed his contempt and disdain like a pair of old friends.
He would never forgive her for ruining his life. The memory of Charlotte Filkins’s pained face flashed in her mind. She blinked it away and descended the stairs. With each careful step, she grew more conscious of the heavy hoops and petticoats beneath her full skirts. The beautiful lace and silk trappings were made heavier by her doubts and the sight of the stranger she’d wed.
She knew nothing about him. All she knew was his anger. The anger she’d caused by forcing him to this moment. And his kiss—the heat that burned in his eyes when stoked by desire. Anger and desire. Hardly the stuff upon which to build marriage.
The distance to her groom closed, and her heart pounded faster. To her pleasant surprise, Landen’s sharp frown eased as she neared. He straightened at attention, his features unmoving, except for his eyes. The flicker of heat in his gaze told her he liked what he saw. The deep swallow he took confirmed her suspicion.
Despite everything, he still wanted her. Her heart leapt. The thought sent her soaring. Not that she was so foolish as to hope he might ever love her. But if his desire for her could somehow thaw his glacial hatred, perhaps he might grow to tolerate her. Even care for her.
This hope blossomed as he stared at her, speechless. His lips parted as though he were about to speak. She stared up into his handsome face, waiting for some words of reassurance. Anything that might help her believe she wasn’t about to make the biggest mistake of her life.
Instead, he offered only his arm when he said, “Let’s get this over with.”
Chapter 8
An hour later Landen found himself married. To his surprise he felt no differently than he had before reciting his vows. The sky hadn’t come crashing down upon his head, and the world went on as if nothing had changed. And yet, nothing would ever be the same.
He felt so damn foolish. All these years he’d focused on securing the futures of his siblings. While Alice suffered from crippling shyness, Alex was afflicted with the condition of chronically falling in love. Landen had set his sights so firmly on the challenge of assuring they’d marry well, he’d never imagined, for one moment, he’d be the one entering into a dubious union.
Alex, especially, would appreciate this irony. Just last year, Landen had to intervene by talking Alex out of proposing marriage to a tavern maid, who was clearly after his money. Alex was currently in Syracuse and in love yet again. He’d written Landen of their plans to marry after Alex’s graduation, but Landen doubted the relationship would survive that long. Alex was bringing his fiancée to Misty Lake to meet the family, but even if Landen disapproved of the woman, there’d be little he could say. He had lost all credibility when it came to advising his brother on marriage matters, and whatever this woman’s circumstances, Alex was certain to throw this fact in Landen’s face.
He swallowed this bitter pill along with the last gulp of his second glass of champagne. Watching Gia from where he stood by the fireplace, he still couldn’t believe she was his wife. The champagne had loosened the tense knot in his stomach, and now he stood, merely numbed by his marriage to a woman whom he
“The pastor has arrived,” Alice said as she peeked into the room. “Everyone is ready.”
Gia took a calming breath and followed Alice out the door. Landen stood in the hall at the bottom of the stairs. Her heart fluttered. Wearing a dark morning coat and gray cravat, he looked so handsome. And unhappy.
While she’d thought herself prepared to bear the burden of his misery in exchange for saving his life, looking at him now, shoulders slumped, head bowed in defeat, she wasn’t so sure. She preferred his anger to this. When he spotted her on the stairs and his eyes turned to blue ice, she welcomed his contempt and disdain like a pair of old friends.
He would never forgive her for ruining his life. The memory of Charlotte Filkins’s pained face flashed in her mind. She blinked it away and descended the stairs. With each careful step, she grew more conscious of the heavy hoops and petticoats beneath her full skirts. The beautiful lace and silk trappings were made heavier by her doubts and the sight of the stranger she’d wed.
She knew nothing about him. All she knew was his anger. The anger she’d caused by forcing him to this moment. And his kiss—the heat that burned in his eyes when stoked by desire. Anger and desire. Hardly the stuff upon which to build marriage.
The distance to her groom closed, and her heart pounded faster. To her pleasant surprise, Landen’s sharp frown eased as she neared. He straightened at attention, his features unmoving, except for his eyes. The flicker of heat in his gaze told her he liked what he saw. The deep swallow he took confirmed her suspicion.
Despite everything, he still wanted her. Her heart leapt. The thought sent her soaring. Not that she was so foolish as to hope he might ever love her. But if his desire for her could somehow thaw his glacial hatred, perhaps he might grow to tolerate her. Even care for her.
This hope blossomed as he stared at her, speechless. His lips parted as though he were about to speak. She stared up into his handsome face, waiting for some words of reassurance. Anything that might help her believe she wasn’t about to make the biggest mistake of her life.
Instead, he offered only his arm when he said, “Let’s get this over with.”
Chapter 8
An hour later Landen found himself married. To his surprise he felt no differently than he had before reciting his vows. The sky hadn’t come crashing down upon his head, and the world went on as if nothing had changed. And yet, nothing would ever be the same.
He felt so damn foolish. All these years he’d focused on securing the futures of his siblings. While Alice suffered from crippling shyness, Alex was afflicted with the condition of chronically falling in love. Landen had set his sights so firmly on the challenge of assuring they’d marry well, he’d never imagined, for one moment, he’d be the one entering into a dubious union.
Alex, especially, would appreciate this irony. Just last year, Landen had to intervene by talking Alex out of proposing marriage to a tavern maid, who was clearly after his money. Alex was currently in Syracuse and in love yet again. He’d written Landen of their plans to marry after Alex’s graduation, but Landen doubted the relationship would survive that long. Alex was bringing his fiancée to Misty Lake to meet the family, but even if Landen disapproved of the woman, there’d be little he could say. He had lost all credibility when it came to advising his brother on marriage matters, and whatever this woman’s circumstances, Alex was certain to throw this fact in Landen’s face.
He swallowed this bitter pill along with the last gulp of his second glass of champagne. Watching Gia from where he stood by the fireplace, he still couldn’t believe she was his wife. The champagne had loosened the tense knot in his stomach, and now he stood, merely numbed by his marriage to a woman whom he
Similar Books
