Read Online When Love Is Enough by Laura Landon - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Laura Landon
Ads: Link
considered his solitary future and closed his eyes. "Get the hell out of here. That blasted poison you poured down my throat is clouding my mind. ...can’t think straight."
Austin walked across the room and closed the door behind him.
When the room was dark and quiet, Gabriel drifted to that place the laudanum took him where nothing was quite as it seemed – even the pain.
Starting tomorrow, though, he swore he wouldn’t need as much of the opiate as he needed today. And the day after, he’d need even less. He had to get well enough to leave here.
He knew he’d never be strong enough to stay under the same roof with her and not die a little every day because of what could never be.
CHAPTER 6
Lydia sat on the window seat in her bedroom and looked out onto the small flower garden to the rear of the house without noticing anything in particular. She hadn’t been to see him for nearly a month. Even when word came that the war was over, she hadn’t gone to his room to tell him.
She wanted to forget him, but that didn’t happen.
With a heavy sigh she leaned back against her cushioned armchair and dropped her hands to her lap. How many times would she have to relive his painful words, his brutal rejection, before she could exorcize him from her thoughts, her mind, her heart?
She squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to forget the emotions that continually surfaced. Even after all this time, he refused to fade from her memory. How could she allow him to consume her like he did? She had her future to consider.
She was promised to the Marquess of Culbertson. Even if the announcement hadn’t been made public or the date set, the agreement her father had signed just weeks before his death was as binding as any legal document. As the future Duchess of Chisolmwood, she couldn’t afford for there to be a hint of scandal associated with her name. She owed that to her family as well as her future husband.
Lydia looked down at the crumpled letter in her hand and felt an unquenchable burning inside her. The message arrived from Austin just this morning and he’d asked that they share it with Gabriel. But that didn’t mean she had to deliver it. Harrison could. Or one of the servants.
She looked at the letter again. What was she afraid of? He meant nothing to her. Nothing! She intended to prove it – to herself and to him.
She bolted to her feet and turned toward the door. "Hannah," she called over her shoulder and her maid came in from the dressing room. "Come with me."
She walked down the hall and rapped twice on his door, then opened it when he beckoned. He wasn’t in bed like she’d assumed he would be, but sitting in a chair by the window. He looked much improved from the last time she’d seen him. Almost back to his former self.
Her heart raced the instant his gaze met hers. Dark lashes and brows framed his ebony eyes and although his bronzed complexion lacked the luster it had before he left, his handsome features still possessed a powerful pull that tugged deep inside her.
She stomped down her errant emotions and ground them beneath her heel before she crossed the room to where he sat. "You’re out of bed."
He smiled. "I’m improving every day, thanks to your staff’s excellent care. I’ll be out on my own in no time at all."
She frowned. He was better, but she noticed he sat with his injured leg propped on an ottoman. He’d been rubbing his thigh when she walked in but lifted his hand to the arm of the chair as if he didn’t want her to notice. "You won’t leave until you’re well enough," she said. "Harrison won’t allow it."
His smile faded. It was almost as if he dared Harrison – or anyone, to stop him.
"How is your leg?"
"Improving."
"I’m glad." She sat down in a chair beside him. "I have a letter from Austin. I thought perhaps you’d like to hear it."
His head snapped to where she sat. "Yes."
She unfolded the letter and began.
November 22, 1855
My Dearest Family,
By the time
Austin walked across the room and closed the door behind him.
When the room was dark and quiet, Gabriel drifted to that place the laudanum took him where nothing was quite as it seemed – even the pain.
Starting tomorrow, though, he swore he wouldn’t need as much of the opiate as he needed today. And the day after, he’d need even less. He had to get well enough to leave here.
He knew he’d never be strong enough to stay under the same roof with her and not die a little every day because of what could never be.
CHAPTER 6
Lydia sat on the window seat in her bedroom and looked out onto the small flower garden to the rear of the house without noticing anything in particular. She hadn’t been to see him for nearly a month. Even when word came that the war was over, she hadn’t gone to his room to tell him.
She wanted to forget him, but that didn’t happen.
With a heavy sigh she leaned back against her cushioned armchair and dropped her hands to her lap. How many times would she have to relive his painful words, his brutal rejection, before she could exorcize him from her thoughts, her mind, her heart?
She squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to forget the emotions that continually surfaced. Even after all this time, he refused to fade from her memory. How could she allow him to consume her like he did? She had her future to consider.
She was promised to the Marquess of Culbertson. Even if the announcement hadn’t been made public or the date set, the agreement her father had signed just weeks before his death was as binding as any legal document. As the future Duchess of Chisolmwood, she couldn’t afford for there to be a hint of scandal associated with her name. She owed that to her family as well as her future husband.
Lydia looked down at the crumpled letter in her hand and felt an unquenchable burning inside her. The message arrived from Austin just this morning and he’d asked that they share it with Gabriel. But that didn’t mean she had to deliver it. Harrison could. Or one of the servants.
She looked at the letter again. What was she afraid of? He meant nothing to her. Nothing! She intended to prove it – to herself and to him.
She bolted to her feet and turned toward the door. "Hannah," she called over her shoulder and her maid came in from the dressing room. "Come with me."
She walked down the hall and rapped twice on his door, then opened it when he beckoned. He wasn’t in bed like she’d assumed he would be, but sitting in a chair by the window. He looked much improved from the last time she’d seen him. Almost back to his former self.
Her heart raced the instant his gaze met hers. Dark lashes and brows framed his ebony eyes and although his bronzed complexion lacked the luster it had before he left, his handsome features still possessed a powerful pull that tugged deep inside her.
She stomped down her errant emotions and ground them beneath her heel before she crossed the room to where he sat. "You’re out of bed."
He smiled. "I’m improving every day, thanks to your staff’s excellent care. I’ll be out on my own in no time at all."
She frowned. He was better, but she noticed he sat with his injured leg propped on an ottoman. He’d been rubbing his thigh when she walked in but lifted his hand to the arm of the chair as if he didn’t want her to notice. "You won’t leave until you’re well enough," she said. "Harrison won’t allow it."
His smile faded. It was almost as if he dared Harrison – or anyone, to stop him.
"How is your leg?"
"Improving."
"I’m glad." She sat down in a chair beside him. "I have a letter from Austin. I thought perhaps you’d like to hear it."
His head snapped to where she sat. "Yes."
She unfolded the letter and began.
November 22, 1855
My Dearest Family,
By the time
Similar Books
