Keeper of the Swans by Nancy Butler

Author:Nancy Butler [Butler, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: regency romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 1998-02-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Diana threw her arms around one of the roof supports, leaning her face against the beam. Her mind was still trying to catch up with the wild sensations that were coursing through her body. Nothing in her sheltered, guarded existence had ever stirred her like those kisses had. Stirred her, frightened her, and made her feel more alive than she thought possible. She touched one hand tentatively to her swollen mouth and wondered how Rom had lasted nearly a week without kissing her. How had she ever doubted that he loved her? Foolish, foolish girl!

It was as though she had been prodding a pile of ashes, thinking she would never see a spark. But it was clear now that the fire had merely been banked, and when it leapt into blazing life, it burned with enough heat to sear her very soul. His ardent words echoed again in her head—An honorable man would not have let himself need you as I do. With that declaration Romulus had freed her mind of all doubt and every shred of hesitation. She would never let him go. Nothing would come between them.

His pride will come between you, an errant voice pointed out. Diana wanted to argue, but she knew it to be true. Romulus knew his blasted place. He had admitted his need, had said the words she longed to hear, but she wondered if he had the courage to act on them. It seemed unthinkable that he still planned to send her away after kissing her so fiercely.

She let go of the porch beam and sank onto the top step with a deep sigh, her hands crossed upon her chest. Her heart was beating less wildly, though her thoughts continued to race. She now knew what Romulus felt for her, but he still didn’t know of her feelings for him. She longed to fling herself after him and declare her love, but prudence advised her that he was too riled just now to listen.

As she sat there wrestling with the problem, she had a most telling insight. She recalled how the cygnets would scramble from the pond and come scuttling after her the instant she headed back to the lodge. Diana pondered, as she rose from the step and went into the house, if there was any similarity between proud men and baby swans. She prayed that was the case. In fact, she was banking on it.

She went into the storeroom and collected her few meager belongings. Crouching before the crates, she let her fingers trace over the downy heads of the cygnets. “Be well, my little friends,” she said softly. “Grow big and strong, and keep away from the snapping turtles and the poacher’s snares.”

She cast one last look over the room. She had grown more attached to that cluttered space than she ever had to the fine, elegant bedroom at Mortimer House.

It took her only a moment to pen a note to Romulus. “Thank you for sharing your island with me.

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.