Ravensdene's Bride by Julia Byrne

Author:Julia Byrne [Byrne, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Unknown
Published: 2018-11-05T18:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Sarah stopped where a sheltered cloister adjoining the ancient scriptorium shielded her from view, a prey to so many tempestuous emotions she felt utterly battered by the turmoil going on inside her.

Foremost among them was a sense almost of betrayal. Even the pangs of guilt aroused by Ravensdene’s mention of her uncle’s anxiety paled in comparison. Betrayal that Uncle Jasper had discussed his worry over her single state with Ravensdene. But even more devastating, the fact that Ravensdene had overstepped the bounds by probing into that dark corner of her mind. All her happy expectations of friendship between them had shattered on the instant.

Which was ridiculous, she told herself forlornly. She had no right to feel that way. Ravensdene wasn’t responsible for the workings of her mind. Because she chose to see him as a friend, did not mean he felt the same way.

This eminently practical point of view did not make her feel any better. To hurt, guilt, and the terrified pounding of her heart, was now added a distinct feeling of foolishness.

This was the second time she had fled from Ravensdene in complete disorder. And merely because he and Uncle Jasper had been discussing her in relation to marriage. As if the ceremony was about to take place before she’d had any inkling of it.

Sarah pressed her cold hands to her burning face and slumped back against a convenient pillar. How could she have been so stupid? Ravensdene was right. They were not living in the dark ages. If he or any other man made her an offer, all she had to do was decline.

Had she become so pampered, she wondered, fighting back tears of savage self-chastisement. So spoilt by everyone’s care and protection that she flew into hysterics at the first mention of the forbidden subject?

She let her hands fall and stared unseeingly at the opposite wall while she forced herself to contemplate that unpleasant possibility. Unless she wished to think of herself as possessing the sort of high-strung, over-delicate sensibilities she despised, she had to pull herself together and brace herself to face Ravensdene again.

For a moment she quailed at the prospect. Then she remembered where she was. She straightened and brushed her cheeks quickly to erase any sign of tears. First she would find the others. Courage was all very well, but sometimes one needed reinforcements.

In a somewhat calmer fashion than the way she had dashed into the cloisters, she glanced around, trying to pinpoint her location in the ruins. She had been here before, but many years ago, and her memories of the place were vague.

Behind her, the colonnade opened onto a small quadrangle that allowed the afternoon light to stream into the stalls where the long-departed monks had labored over their illuminated manuscripts. The westering sun cast her shadow before her in an elongated slant across the ancient flagstones. It was growing late.

She turned her head to the right, the way she had come, listening over the faint breeze for the sound of voices that would lead her to the rest of the party.

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.