practice your seduction on some other unsuspecting female.” She stormed toward the front door and swung it open, refusing to meet his gaze. She knew she was overreacting, but somehow she found herself unable to stop. “Please leave , now.”
He was silent for a moment, watching her closely as if expecting her to change her mind. Esmeralda avoided his gaze, knowing that one glimpse into those seductive eyes and she would become lost. After a while , he sighed and nodded in acceptance. “Pleasant dreams, Esmeralda,” he said softly before disappearing into the night.
Esmeralda stood in the doorway a moment, watching his retreating form grow smaller and smaller until he was gone. She closed the door quickly and bolted it. She raced up the stairs to her room and quickly lit a small lamp. She carried it over to the washstand and undressed. She shivered; the fire in her room had burned out hours ago and the chill of the fall night air seemed to sink as deep as her bones.
She washed quickly and donned a long-sleeved, wool nightgown. She bound her hair in one long braid, blew out the lamp, and climbed into bed. She stared at the shadows cast on her ceiling by the moon, much too disturbed to find sleep.
Damien’s kiss had stirred her, more than she would have cared to admit. Ever since the day of her father’s murder, after the terrible things those men had done to her, she had felt indifference toward men in general. The very notion of intimacy with a male in any form had always struck terror in her very core. T his man, this supercilious, over-privileged prince who had women fawning over him, had wanted her. F or one moment , she’d allowed herself to revel in it, to be unafraid of the blossoming desire he had stirred within her. T hat could never happen again, she warned herself.
Remember, she told herself, always remember the pain and the blood, so much blood. Most of all remember the humiliation. For hadn’t that been the intent of those men who had killed her father? Wouldn’t that be all she was left with once the prince had had his way with her? S he was certain that he would, for she knew if she continued to find herself alone in his company, she would be unable to resist.
Chapter 5
Esmeralda saw her cousin, Tatiana, approaching from where she knelt in the small vegetable patch at the side of the house. Usually she waited for her Raina to tend the small garden but after her nearly sleepless night and turbulent thoughts she’d needed the diversion. Her mother left early each morning with Akira to go into the marketplace, where Raina sold her handmade jewelry, soaps, and perfumes . Akira read palms and sold various potions and charms. S o , she had donned an old skirt, blouse, bonnet, and worn gloves and set herself to work.
The late morning weather was quite pleasant and Esmeralda could see that Tatiana held a basket full of herbs freshly picked from her own yard. She would exchange them with Esmeralda for some of her fresh vegetables. Esmeralda stood and lifted her nearly full basket and met Tatiana near the back door of the house leading into the kitchen.
Her cousin was definitely the beauty of the family. Her blue-black hair fell straight down her back like a shimmering curtain and her heavily lashed, dusky brown eyes were almost always glittering with mischief. Her childlike enthusiasm and adventurous nature were as alluring as her looks and though she would play coy, Tatiana had most men wrapped around her finger almost instantly. Esmeralda removed her bonnet and ran her hands over her riotous waves, pushing the heavy mass over her shoulder and snatched off her gloves.
“Well now you’ve gone and done it,” Tatiana said, leaving her basket on the counter and taking a seat at the table. “The gossips were at it early this morning talking about your mysterious visitor at the Golden Dancer last night.”
Esmeralda sighed. She had known that she would not be the only one to recognize the
He was silent for a moment, watching her closely as if expecting her to change her mind. Esmeralda avoided his gaze, knowing that one glimpse into those seductive eyes and she would become lost. After a while , he sighed and nodded in acceptance. “Pleasant dreams, Esmeralda,” he said softly before disappearing into the night.
Esmeralda stood in the doorway a moment, watching his retreating form grow smaller and smaller until he was gone. She closed the door quickly and bolted it. She raced up the stairs to her room and quickly lit a small lamp. She carried it over to the washstand and undressed. She shivered; the fire in her room had burned out hours ago and the chill of the fall night air seemed to sink as deep as her bones.
She washed quickly and donned a long-sleeved, wool nightgown. She bound her hair in one long braid, blew out the lamp, and climbed into bed. She stared at the shadows cast on her ceiling by the moon, much too disturbed to find sleep.
Damien’s kiss had stirred her, more than she would have cared to admit. Ever since the day of her father’s murder, after the terrible things those men had done to her, she had felt indifference toward men in general. The very notion of intimacy with a male in any form had always struck terror in her very core. T his man, this supercilious, over-privileged prince who had women fawning over him, had wanted her. F or one moment , she’d allowed herself to revel in it, to be unafraid of the blossoming desire he had stirred within her. T hat could never happen again, she warned herself.
Remember, she told herself, always remember the pain and the blood, so much blood. Most of all remember the humiliation. For hadn’t that been the intent of those men who had killed her father? Wouldn’t that be all she was left with once the prince had had his way with her? S he was certain that he would, for she knew if she continued to find herself alone in his company, she would be unable to resist.
Chapter 5
Esmeralda saw her cousin, Tatiana, approaching from where she knelt in the small vegetable patch at the side of the house. Usually she waited for her Raina to tend the small garden but after her nearly sleepless night and turbulent thoughts she’d needed the diversion. Her mother left early each morning with Akira to go into the marketplace, where Raina sold her handmade jewelry, soaps, and perfumes . Akira read palms and sold various potions and charms. S o , she had donned an old skirt, blouse, bonnet, and worn gloves and set herself to work.
The late morning weather was quite pleasant and Esmeralda could see that Tatiana held a basket full of herbs freshly picked from her own yard. She would exchange them with Esmeralda for some of her fresh vegetables. Esmeralda stood and lifted her nearly full basket and met Tatiana near the back door of the house leading into the kitchen.
Her cousin was definitely the beauty of the family. Her blue-black hair fell straight down her back like a shimmering curtain and her heavily lashed, dusky brown eyes were almost always glittering with mischief. Her childlike enthusiasm and adventurous nature were as alluring as her looks and though she would play coy, Tatiana had most men wrapped around her finger almost instantly. Esmeralda removed her bonnet and ran her hands over her riotous waves, pushing the heavy mass over her shoulder and snatched off her gloves.
“Well now you’ve gone and done it,” Tatiana said, leaving her basket on the counter and taking a seat at the table. “The gossips were at it early this morning talking about your mysterious visitor at the Golden Dancer last night.”
Esmeralda sighed. She had known that she would not be the only one to recognize the
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