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Authors: Leslie Lafoy
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frozen to the spot in
the hall. "It's indeed a pleasure
to meet you."
''And I you, Miss Radford."
Sawyer gave her a respectful
bow and then a genuine smile.
"May I say that your store is
a delightful feast for the
senses."
She beamed back at him. ''Why,
thank you, Sawyer.
That's most kind of you. I work
constantly to keep it vibrant
and interesting. Would you care
to join us for luncheon?
Preeya always cooks more than
enough."
"My sincerest thanks, Miss
Radford, but unfortunately I
cannot today. I paused briefly - at
Emmaline's on my way
here and promised that I would
share the noon meal with
her."
"Perhaps some other time
then." At his slight bow and
nod, she added, "I'll look
forward to it." Her smile wasn't
nearly as radiant when she turned
it on him and said, ''When
you are free, please join us, Mr.
Terrell."
She'd barely walked out of sight
when Sawyer said softly,
"She seems to be quite down
to earth and amiable, sir."
Yes, she could be delightfully
pleasant when she wanted.
Which, so far, seemed to be when
in the presence of anyone
except him. "I'll walk you
down and let you out," Aiden offered,
scowling.
They were standing on opposite
sides of the front door
when Sawyer cleared his throat
and spoke again. ''I stand by
my earlier observations and
recommendations, sir."
Something in his expression must
have adequately conveyed
his confusion.
''Do make a point, sir," the
butler said, a touch of exasperation
edging his tone, "of
exploring the wonder of deeper
waters while you have the chance.
You'll never forget or regret
the immersion. If you need
anything I've neglected to
bring, send a runner and I'll see
that the matter is rectified
immediately."
"Thank you for toting it all
over here, Sawyer:' Aiden
replied, knowing that Sawyer
meant well with his advice.
"I'll be dropping by the
house from time to time, I'm sure."
He gestured toward the display
table at his side, and with a
weak smile added, "One can
only take so much of all this for
so long."
''Very good, sir. If you'd let me
know when you'll be visiting,
I'll have Cook prepare you a beef
dish." He bowed and
then turned crisply on his heel
and strode off in the direction
of his sister's store.
Aiden closed the door and locked
it, his mind racing.
Sawyer knew "about the Indian proscription of beef. Somehow
that realization placed all of
what he'd said in a different
light. Aiden considered the rich
array of color and
texture and pattern that
surrounded him. It was a feast for the
eyes. And more. It somehow made
the soul feel good, too.
Full and maybe even ..• He
studied the feeling in his chest
and decided that
"liberated" came closest to being the right
word. There was a quality to it
all that seemed to say, "You
may indeed."
The thought came as a slow dawn,
creeping over him,
gradually brightening the
darkness that had been troubling
him before Sawyer's arrival. When
he'd promised there
would be no other, he'd meant
that he'd never love another
woman. There was a significant
difference between making
love to a woman and actually
loving her. Only very rarely
did the two go hand in hand. God
knew he hadn't had one
flicker of true feeling for Rose
beyond a wicked appreciation
for the fact that she was willing
to do anything, anywhere,
anytime he wanted.
Of course it was a given that
Alex Radford wouldn't be
the wanton Rose had proven to be,
but if she was willing to
be seduced, then far be it for
him to turn his back on the opportunity. It wouldn't mean anything beyond a
brief physical
relationship. Bedding her wouldn't
compromise his pledge
at all. He could plumb the depths
of still waters without so
much as a single twinge of guilt.
And it was all the simplest of
logic. Why he hadn't seen it
before now ... He sighed and half
smiled as he shook his
head. He hadn't seen it because
he'd · spent the last year
the hall. "It's indeed a pleasure
to meet you."
''And I you, Miss Radford."
Sawyer gave her a respectful
bow and then a genuine smile.
"May I say that your store is
a delightful feast for the
senses."
She beamed back at him. ''Why,
thank you, Sawyer.
That's most kind of you. I work
constantly to keep it vibrant
and interesting. Would you care
to join us for luncheon?
Preeya always cooks more than
enough."
"My sincerest thanks, Miss
Radford, but unfortunately I
cannot today. I paused briefly - at
Emmaline's on my way
here and promised that I would
share the noon meal with
her."
"Perhaps some other time
then." At his slight bow and
nod, she added, "I'll look
forward to it." Her smile wasn't
nearly as radiant when she turned
it on him and said, ''When
you are free, please join us, Mr.
Terrell."
She'd barely walked out of sight
when Sawyer said softly,
"She seems to be quite down
to earth and amiable, sir."
Yes, she could be delightfully
pleasant when she wanted.
Which, so far, seemed to be when
in the presence of anyone
except him. "I'll walk you
down and let you out," Aiden offered,
scowling.
They were standing on opposite
sides of the front door
when Sawyer cleared his throat
and spoke again. ''I stand by
my earlier observations and
recommendations, sir."
Something in his expression must
have adequately conveyed
his confusion.
''Do make a point, sir," the
butler said, a touch of exasperation
edging his tone, "of
exploring the wonder of deeper
waters while you have the chance.
You'll never forget or regret
the immersion. If you need
anything I've neglected to
bring, send a runner and I'll see
that the matter is rectified
immediately."
"Thank you for toting it all
over here, Sawyer:' Aiden
replied, knowing that Sawyer
meant well with his advice.
"I'll be dropping by the
house from time to time, I'm sure."
He gestured toward the display
table at his side, and with a
weak smile added, "One can
only take so much of all this for
so long."
''Very good, sir. If you'd let me
know when you'll be visiting,
I'll have Cook prepare you a beef
dish." He bowed and
then turned crisply on his heel
and strode off in the direction
of his sister's store.
Aiden closed the door and locked
it, his mind racing.
Sawyer knew "about the Indian proscription of beef. Somehow
that realization placed all of
what he'd said in a different
light. Aiden considered the rich
array of color and
texture and pattern that
surrounded him. It was a feast for the
eyes. And more. It somehow made
the soul feel good, too.
Full and maybe even ..• He
studied the feeling in his chest
and decided that
"liberated" came closest to being the right
word. There was a quality to it
all that seemed to say, "You
may indeed."
The thought came as a slow dawn,
creeping over him,
gradually brightening the
darkness that had been troubling
him before Sawyer's arrival. When
he'd promised there
would be no other, he'd meant
that he'd never love another
woman. There was a significant
difference between making
love to a woman and actually
loving her. Only very rarely
did the two go hand in hand. God
knew he hadn't had one
flicker of true feeling for Rose
beyond a wicked appreciation
for the fact that she was willing
to do anything, anywhere,
anytime he wanted.
Of course it was a given that
Alex Radford wouldn't be
the wanton Rose had proven to be,
but if she was willing to
be seduced, then far be it for
him to turn his back on the opportunity. It wouldn't mean anything beyond a
brief physical
relationship. Bedding her wouldn't
compromise his pledge
at all. He could plumb the depths
of still waters without so
much as a single twinge of guilt.
And it was all the simplest of
logic. Why he hadn't seen it
before now ... He sighed and half
smiled as he shook his
head. He hadn't seen it because
he'd · spent the last year
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