Read Online Wilhelmina A Novella by Ronnell D. Porter - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ronnell D. Porter
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look focused and alert, but tonight my heart was not in my duties. Yvette still hadn’t made an appearance and the entire evening was growing duller as they brought up names and topics that I knew nothing of. However, I heard something from the governess’ cold lips that immediately sent me flying into a world of forgotten emotions, revived and clashing against one another from their numbed slumber.
‘Charles Abberdean, this is a surprise,’ I heard her say from the entrance hall.
My heart literally stopped for a moment, my mind thoroughly shocked to the frayed ends of my nerves.
‘I didn’t think you would accept the invitation after our seven year silence.’
‘Well, when I heard that you were still in the matchmaking business I had to see if the rumors were true.’
It was him, it was really him. His voice, like audible honey, flowed into my ears and resonated into my soul. Untended and forgotten fragments of my former self resurfaced like limbs from the murky depths of a still lake, emerging from the crawlspaces I had buried them in to die.
‘Interested in a fresh young mate, András ?’ the governess asked, bemused. ‘I’m presenting a young lady tonight. By this time next week she would be perfect for you, I think.’
‘Don't call me by that name. I didn’t come to be matched, Elizabeth. I came to see if you were truly still in the business of creating and selling brides to the highest bidder,’ my angel said disapprovingly.
‘By the tone of your voice, I would think that you came here to insult me in my own home,’ the governess retorted.
‘Of course not, governess. I merely came out of curiosity. I also brought a friend of mine from London. When I told him what you did, he wouldn’t believe my word alone and simply insisted he see for himself,’ Charles said.
‘The ceremony will commence shortly. If you will follow me to the dining room I will introduce you to a few close friends of mine.’
I watched the governess waltz quickly into the dining room, stepping aside as her new guests entered the dining room. I swallowed hard when I saw him, standing there. Tangible. I had gotten so used to my imaginary projection of his features that I had forgotten just how soft, how fair he was. His straight nose and narrow jaw were chiseled but yielding, as though directly sculpted from a Leonardo da Vinci painting.
The other was refined. He had golden blonde hair and white skin. His smile was alluring, but not as much as Charles’. Mr. Abberdean smiled as he met each acquaintance, and I tried to settle my heart rate as he drew closer. He was almost an arm’s length away from me, and still he hadn’t noticed my presence.
‘This is Francis, he came all the way from Canada just to see the presentation.’ The governess introduced the blonde sitting in the chair closest to me.
‘Good to meet you,’ Mr. Abberdean said. The blonde behind him did the same with a gentle smile. Mr. Abberdean looked up suddenly, and his eyes flashed, as did mine.
There were few things I remembered about Mr. Abberdean in my previous life, but among them was the prominent fact that his eyes were black. But now, as I looked into them, they were as red as the governess’ and her guest’s and I couldn’t look away. He looked just as shocked as I was, almost as though he were afraid of me, or like he had heard that a close friend had just died.
‘Human servants?’ he asked, smoothing out his face. ‘You actually keep these filthy creatures around?’
‘This one is more of a trophy,’ the governess said with a wave of her hand, never looking once in my direction. ‘She told me years ago that the two of you were well acquainted.'
‘If we were, she definitely wasn’t memorable,’ he said offhandedly. Coldly. ‘But so few of her kind are.’
They moved on, but his blonde friend nodded and smiled. He had lovely black eyes, but I was too shocked to appreciate them. I simply stared into the empty space where Mr.
‘Charles Abberdean, this is a surprise,’ I heard her say from the entrance hall.
My heart literally stopped for a moment, my mind thoroughly shocked to the frayed ends of my nerves.
‘I didn’t think you would accept the invitation after our seven year silence.’
‘Well, when I heard that you were still in the matchmaking business I had to see if the rumors were true.’
It was him, it was really him. His voice, like audible honey, flowed into my ears and resonated into my soul. Untended and forgotten fragments of my former self resurfaced like limbs from the murky depths of a still lake, emerging from the crawlspaces I had buried them in to die.
‘Interested in a fresh young mate, András ?’ the governess asked, bemused. ‘I’m presenting a young lady tonight. By this time next week she would be perfect for you, I think.’
‘Don't call me by that name. I didn’t come to be matched, Elizabeth. I came to see if you were truly still in the business of creating and selling brides to the highest bidder,’ my angel said disapprovingly.
‘By the tone of your voice, I would think that you came here to insult me in my own home,’ the governess retorted.
‘Of course not, governess. I merely came out of curiosity. I also brought a friend of mine from London. When I told him what you did, he wouldn’t believe my word alone and simply insisted he see for himself,’ Charles said.
‘The ceremony will commence shortly. If you will follow me to the dining room I will introduce you to a few close friends of mine.’
I watched the governess waltz quickly into the dining room, stepping aside as her new guests entered the dining room. I swallowed hard when I saw him, standing there. Tangible. I had gotten so used to my imaginary projection of his features that I had forgotten just how soft, how fair he was. His straight nose and narrow jaw were chiseled but yielding, as though directly sculpted from a Leonardo da Vinci painting.
The other was refined. He had golden blonde hair and white skin. His smile was alluring, but not as much as Charles’. Mr. Abberdean smiled as he met each acquaintance, and I tried to settle my heart rate as he drew closer. He was almost an arm’s length away from me, and still he hadn’t noticed my presence.
‘This is Francis, he came all the way from Canada just to see the presentation.’ The governess introduced the blonde sitting in the chair closest to me.
‘Good to meet you,’ Mr. Abberdean said. The blonde behind him did the same with a gentle smile. Mr. Abberdean looked up suddenly, and his eyes flashed, as did mine.
There were few things I remembered about Mr. Abberdean in my previous life, but among them was the prominent fact that his eyes were black. But now, as I looked into them, they were as red as the governess’ and her guest’s and I couldn’t look away. He looked just as shocked as I was, almost as though he were afraid of me, or like he had heard that a close friend had just died.
‘Human servants?’ he asked, smoothing out his face. ‘You actually keep these filthy creatures around?’
‘This one is more of a trophy,’ the governess said with a wave of her hand, never looking once in my direction. ‘She told me years ago that the two of you were well acquainted.'
‘If we were, she definitely wasn’t memorable,’ he said offhandedly. Coldly. ‘But so few of her kind are.’
They moved on, but his blonde friend nodded and smiled. He had lovely black eyes, but I was too shocked to appreciate them. I simply stared into the empty space where Mr.
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