His Dark Desires by Jennifer St Giles

Author:Jennifer St Giles [Jennifer St Giles]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780743486262
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 797310
Publisher: Pocket
Published: 2011-12-28T13:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The crash of thunder awakened me and I sat up straight, a sharp pain cramping my neck. I'd fallen asleep in the large chair in Andre's room, clutching the soft, blue baby coverlet he'd always slept with. My gaze went immediately to his bed as yesterday's events washed over me, and only when I saw Andre still there sleeping could I breathe.

Last night, after leaving Stephen in the courtyard and speaking to Mignon, I returned to Andre's room and found him asleep. But when I saw the coverlet my mother had made him thrown into the empty hearth, I couldn't leave his room. The uncertainty that he would still be here when I woke had been too great.

Heavy rain and a lashing wind now whipped against the house, making the rafters groan in protest. I huddled deeper into the chair, resting my cheek on Andre's blanket, catching his scent mingled with soap. It would be all right. It had to be.

Lightning flashed a jagged swath across the room, and I looked up, startled. My throat convulsed at the ghostly figure swaying in the doorway.

"Juliet, Nonnie told me that Andre heard... I am so sorry."

"Bon Dieu, Ginette. You gave me such a fright. What on earth are you wearing?"

"My robe and a scarf. I am chilled and cannot seem to get warm. I am scared. For me. For Andre. For you. What is happening to our lives?"

I went to her, wrapping Andre's blanket and my arm around her shoulders. Shivers wracked her slight body, and my pulse leapt with alarm. Seeing her like a ghost in the night made me feel as if an omen of doom had slapped me in the face, telling me that this was fate and I could do naught to change it. I thought of those moments when a chilling cold had stolen into my body. Could it be possible that some sinister spirit stalked La Belle and had settled itself in Ginette? The thought was not just far-fetched, it was too horrible to contemplate during the hours of the night.

"Come sit with me for a little while and we can keep each other warm. This storm has brought a chill to the air," I said. We scrunched into the oversized chair together, much as we used to do when we were very little. The old chair had been the favored place for reading bedtime stories for generations. I'd spent many an evening in it myself with Andre.

"How long have you been awake?" I asked her.

"Only since the storm began. I left Nonnie sleeping on the divan. She was exhausted. I feel so bad for not doing my share of the work."

"Don't worry about such a thing. All of your thoughts need to be consumed with getting better."

Ginette didn't say anything and I hugged her tighter to me. "Did you hear me, Ginny?"

"Yes." Her whisper was a sob. "I can hardly work my embroidery anymore, and I wanted so much to finish the tapestry. It tells of my life, of so many things I can never say.

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