Compromised (Secrets and Vows Book1) by Callen Gayle

Author:Callen, Gayle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Romance
Publisher: Gayle Callen
Published: 2017-02-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Elizabeth took a calming breath and forced her fears into submission, reminding herself that even if she’d married Lord Wyndham, she would have been at his mercy. And what had she known about him? She tried to imagine Lord Wyndham fighting off thieves, bartering for goods, and providing a meal for her, and could not. Still, she’d sent him that letter, had told him there was hope for them. She didn’t want to think about that. “I was only going to say was that if I had married anyone else, I would still be in London, with servants.”

John shook his head and picked up the dead rabbit. “And you never would have known what new and wonderful things you would be learning.”

“Skinning a rabbit?” She shuddered as she saw its blood drip to the ground.

He gave a half-smile, and again his gaze drifted down her body, lingering on her breasts. “I can think of things you will enjoy learning even more. I’ve showed you some already.”

She bit her lip remembering the private and embarrassing things he’d done to her. And how much she’d reveled in it.

“Are you blushing?” he asked softly.

“No.” Even his smile made her feel strange inside.

“Come, then, while there’s still light. You can watch me prepare roasted rabbit.”

Elizabeth forced herself to watch while John skinned the rabbit, but closed her eyes and winced when he cut off the head and gutted the inside. Only when the carcass was mounted on a stick, roasting over the fire did she relax. Soon, the smell coming from it made her stomach begin a chorus of gurgling.

“You may sit down next to me,” he said, pointing to a log he’d rolled from the woods, “but you’ll have to get rid of that farthingale.”

She ignored his request and settled gracefully onto the log, her skirts and farthingale spread around her. She pretended that her gown wasn’t dirty and emanating the smell of horse.

John shook his head. “So sitting is one of the skills you’ve been taught, eh?”

She ignored his teasing. “Do you think…my friend Katherine is looking up at the same stars, as frightened as I am?” When he didn’t immediately speak, she added, “No, that’s wrong. I’m frightened of the future, and my own ignorance. She could be frightened of something so much worse.”

“Don’t assume what you don’t know. You could be upsetting yourself over your friend for nothing.”

“You don’t have a very high opinion of women, if you think my dear friend would abandon me on my wedding day, without a word, because of ‘nothing.’”

“I didn’t mean to make your fears worse.”

She made no response, her emotions jumbled. Part of her was so afraid of being alone on a journey with only one man—her husband, yet a stranger. She didn’t know Katherine’s predicament, which made her feel guilty for being with John, a strong man who was doing his best to take care of her.

“Might I tell you a story to amuse you while we wait for our meal?” he asked.

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