A Gentleman Never Surrenders (The Garden Girls) by Jemma Frost

Author:Jemma Frost [Frost, Jemma]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: steamy historical romance, curvy heroine, alpha hero, victorian romance, marriage of convenience
Publisher: The Arrowed Heart
Published: 2023-06-14T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Elias had been gone a few days, yet the atmosphere at home remained chilly. Silas still took his breakfast and dinner with her, but their conversations never strayed too far from the weather, her family, or the progress with the mill’s mess hall. Even then his answers stayed within short, polite sentences.

His distance was wearing on Caraway, and she could tell he wasn’t faring any better. Dark purplish circles surrounded his eyes while a rigidity tensed his muscles.

She wanted to declare a truce but found it a difficult topic to broach. It shamed her to remember what she’d said to him, while pride made her wonder why she had to be the first to apologize when they’d both committed errors.

The only positive outcome of their separation was her ability to finally deal with her frustration over their forced marriage. Silas had set into motion the events of that fateful night, but it’s not like he planned for the Gibbons’ to discover them. Besides, she shouldn’t have run off like a child in a temper tantrum after seeing Brandon with Miss Bradshaw.

The past couldn’t be changed. So, it was of no use holding it against Silas. She needed to forgive him and move on, which she’d done. But how to tell him of the latest development in her feelings?

Deciding enough was enough, Caraway read the clock—midnight. She wasn’t about to spend another night alone in their bed. Hopping out from under the covers, she grabbed her dressing robe and tightened the belt around her waist firmly. She was going to find her husband and bring him back to their bed if she had to drag him through the hallways kicking and screaming.

Systematically, Caraway searched each room on the floor until she determined he wasn’t upstairs before tiptoeing down below where light slipped under the study door. Her lungs released a breath of relief at finding him home. A small, fearful part of her had wondered if he’d gone out.

The door eased open to reveal Silas slouched over his desk. Piles of paper surrounded him while the only light came from a dying fire. No wonder exhaustion weighed on him if this was how he spent his nights.

Crossing the Aubusson carpet to stand beside him, Caraway placed a hand on his shoulder causing him to jerk awake. “It’s alright. It’s me. You need to come to bed.”

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “No, I still need to finish looking over these measurements for the new system going in at the mill. You go on. I won’t bother you.” One of his hands gently pushed her away.

Frowning, she tried again. “Nothing needs to be done at this minute. It can wait until morning. You’ve clearly been working yourself into a stupor and need rest. Come on, I’m not taking no for an answer.” The stern authoritative tone she used on her sisters when they wanted to disregard her wisdom brooked no argument. Wrapping her hands around his arm, she tugged. He resisted for a moment then relented.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.