Married at Midnight by Arabella Sheraton

Author:Arabella Sheraton
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2015-05-10T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Roxanne fell into a troubled sleep. Not even a few drops of laudanum in water could help ease her jangled nerves. She drifted in and out of slumber, tossing restlessly and kicking off the bedclothes. As the laudanum took effect, her imagination recreated the monstrous nightmare she’d already experienced at Edgar’s hands. She felt the weight of his body pushing her into the bed. His hands tore at the delicate lace of her nightgown. Breathless, she fought back, pounding her fists against his face and chest. His horrible braying laughter echoed in her ears as he grabbed her hands in one big paw and held them above her head. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, choking her. She gasped, and then screamed, fighting back with a fury born of desperation. As Edgar’s face hovered above her, Roxanne heard a voice calling her name. She opened her eyes.

“Roxanne, my dearest, what is it?”

The crushing sensation faded. Edgar had disappeared. In his place sat Julian, hands reaching out to comfort her, a look of concern on his face. Sobbing, Roxanne flung herself into his arms, longing to feel his warmth and strength enveloping her. Julian held her tightly while she cried until she had shed all her tears. Finally, he shifted her back against the pillows and fetched a damp cloth from the dresser.

“Whatever is the matter?” he asked as he wiped her flushed face.

Roxanne smoothed down her nightdress now halfway up her thighs from tossing and turning. If Julian observed her long, slim legs he didn’t indicate it by even a flicker of acknowledgement. She noticed he wore only a loosely tied robe, and as he turned towards her a glimpse of his strong muscular body startled her. He was naked under the robe. She could see fine blond curls on his chest and several scars, still livid and purple below his collarbone. A legacy from the war, she thought. Roxanne’s heart began to beat with an unusual excitement and her breath caught in her throat. He patted her hand in a comforting way.

“Bad dream?”

She nodded, not daring to speak.

“Was it about the night…er…your accident at the inn?”

She nodded again.

“Poor darling,” he said, reaching out to smooth a stray curl from her cheek. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m here.”

She caught his hand as it rested fleetingly against her face.

“Don’t go! Please don’t go!”

The look on his face took her by surprise. It was a look of longing, of desire, a brief look that was quickly replaced by his usual pleasant smile. He lay down next to her and drew the bedclothes over both of them. His manner was not that of a lover, but of a friend, and he acted as if slipping into bed with her was the most natural thing in the world.

“Of course, my dear. I’ll stay until you fall asleep.”

Roxanne felt a mixture of relief and annoyance. She did not know what she wanted and, as he settled himself against the pillows, her

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