Read Online The Vampire Laird (A Ravynne Sisters Paranormal Mystery/Romance) by Merabeth James - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Merabeth James
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the seating arrangements. I specifically ordered that we all be seated on this end of the table.”
The words had barely left his mouth, when Oriana and Allyn appeared through the double pocket doors and took their places on the opposite side. With the candelabras and centerpiece of white mums and pink roses between them, there was little they could see of their brother, but what they did see was alarming. He was pale, thin, and his eyes were…well, haunted was the word that came to both their minds.
Orianna watched them through half closed eyes from her place next to Allyn. She was very beautiful; both sisters hated to admit, and had moved with a fluid almost boneless grace that gave her an ethereal quality. Her smile was both cold and knowing, as her long, white fingers, absently, toyed with Allyn’s shirt sleeve.
“Orianna,” Seth called. “Why are you seated so far away? These ladies are Allyn’s sisters…Meg and Charlie…I told you about them yesterday.”
Her smile deepened. “I ordered it. We are comfortable where we are. Allyn is quite tired today and does not want the strain of making conversation, isn’t that right darling?”
Allyn looked directly at his sisters and smiled. It was a caricature of his usual boyish grin. “Orinanna is right. I wonder why you are even here,” he said in the remote voice of a stranger. “No one invited you.”
“I’m afraid, Allyn, you are being rather rude,” Seth told him. “Your sisters have come a long way to see you!”
“Allyn is not feeling well enough for a family visit…especially if they are here to admonish him for some reason. I’m sure you understand,” Orianna purred as her smile turned sly. She shrugged and brushed back her long dark hair with one hand. “I do not control him. If he had asked them to come, it might be different. Come, Darling. I think we will have our meal some place, where we aren’t treated like lackwit schoolchildren. It was a…pleasure?…meeting you both.” With that she took Allyn’s hand and they both rose from the table.
Charlie bolted from her chair and hurried to intercept them. “Allyn,” she cried, as Orianna pulled him towards the door. “Allyn, why are you doing this? What’s happened to you?”
She grabbed his arm, but he, roughly shook himself free, then looked at her. His eyes were dead…that was the only way she could describe them. A flicker of recognition flared, briefly, then died as quickly as it had come. He mumbled something she couldn’t begin to understand, as he allowed Orianna to lead him away. A smug smile accompanied the triumphant look she flung over her shoulder, as she slammed the door in Charlie’s face.
Shaking her head…her hands balled into tight fists…Charlie returned to her seat and exchanged looks with Meg who was also ready to explode. Seth watched them with interest and said, “I was hoping he was better, but, as you can see, today is not one of his good days. But there will be other chances. I really do want you to get Allyn out of here. Orianna likes to play games and doesn’t always care that others may not share her sense of playfulness…or may get hurt. Her liaisons don’t usually last long and have always ended badly. I rather like your brother. That’s why I disapprove so strongly. He is too susceptible. Now try not to let that little scene spoil your appetites. One of our courses is fresh trout I caught in the burn only this morning.”
But neither sister had any appetite at all. They both sat there in shocked silence until Seth grimaced in irritation. “You’re upset. I was afraid of this very outcome. I have a suggestion for you. Why don’t you both move up from the manse. That way you will see Allyn more often and may prove an antidote to Orianna.”
“You say that as if she is a deadly poison, which I wouldn’t find hard to believe at all from what we just witnessed,” Meg murmured, badly shaken by what she’d seen.
“She is willful, wild,
The words had barely left his mouth, when Oriana and Allyn appeared through the double pocket doors and took their places on the opposite side. With the candelabras and centerpiece of white mums and pink roses between them, there was little they could see of their brother, but what they did see was alarming. He was pale, thin, and his eyes were…well, haunted was the word that came to both their minds.
Orianna watched them through half closed eyes from her place next to Allyn. She was very beautiful; both sisters hated to admit, and had moved with a fluid almost boneless grace that gave her an ethereal quality. Her smile was both cold and knowing, as her long, white fingers, absently, toyed with Allyn’s shirt sleeve.
“Orianna,” Seth called. “Why are you seated so far away? These ladies are Allyn’s sisters…Meg and Charlie…I told you about them yesterday.”
Her smile deepened. “I ordered it. We are comfortable where we are. Allyn is quite tired today and does not want the strain of making conversation, isn’t that right darling?”
Allyn looked directly at his sisters and smiled. It was a caricature of his usual boyish grin. “Orinanna is right. I wonder why you are even here,” he said in the remote voice of a stranger. “No one invited you.”
“I’m afraid, Allyn, you are being rather rude,” Seth told him. “Your sisters have come a long way to see you!”
“Allyn is not feeling well enough for a family visit…especially if they are here to admonish him for some reason. I’m sure you understand,” Orianna purred as her smile turned sly. She shrugged and brushed back her long dark hair with one hand. “I do not control him. If he had asked them to come, it might be different. Come, Darling. I think we will have our meal some place, where we aren’t treated like lackwit schoolchildren. It was a…pleasure?…meeting you both.” With that she took Allyn’s hand and they both rose from the table.
Charlie bolted from her chair and hurried to intercept them. “Allyn,” she cried, as Orianna pulled him towards the door. “Allyn, why are you doing this? What’s happened to you?”
She grabbed his arm, but he, roughly shook himself free, then looked at her. His eyes were dead…that was the only way she could describe them. A flicker of recognition flared, briefly, then died as quickly as it had come. He mumbled something she couldn’t begin to understand, as he allowed Orianna to lead him away. A smug smile accompanied the triumphant look she flung over her shoulder, as she slammed the door in Charlie’s face.
Shaking her head…her hands balled into tight fists…Charlie returned to her seat and exchanged looks with Meg who was also ready to explode. Seth watched them with interest and said, “I was hoping he was better, but, as you can see, today is not one of his good days. But there will be other chances. I really do want you to get Allyn out of here. Orianna likes to play games and doesn’t always care that others may not share her sense of playfulness…or may get hurt. Her liaisons don’t usually last long and have always ended badly. I rather like your brother. That’s why I disapprove so strongly. He is too susceptible. Now try not to let that little scene spoil your appetites. One of our courses is fresh trout I caught in the burn only this morning.”
But neither sister had any appetite at all. They both sat there in shocked silence until Seth grimaced in irritation. “You’re upset. I was afraid of this very outcome. I have a suggestion for you. Why don’t you both move up from the manse. That way you will see Allyn more often and may prove an antidote to Orianna.”
“You say that as if she is a deadly poison, which I wouldn’t find hard to believe at all from what we just witnessed,” Meg murmured, badly shaken by what she’d seen.
“She is willful, wild,
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