The Actress and the Rake by Carola Dunn

Author:Carola Dunn [Dunn, Carola]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 2940000101094
Amazon: B00408AN32
Barnesnoble: B00408AN32
Goodreads: 7812304
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 1995-03-31T11:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Dearly as she loved Vinnie, Nerissa fancied the notion of a flying horse of ebony inlaid with gold and gems. Eager as she was to read the adventures of the prince who flew off on it, she simply could not keep her eyes open any longer. She snuffed her candle, tossed her shawl on the bedside chair, snuggled down, and in no time drifted into a dream.

The prince, a dashing young man with dark hair, blue eyes, and a slightly crooked nose, mounted the ebony horse. As they disappeared into the depths of an azure sky, the wicked sorcerer revealed that he had not shown the rider how to bring his magic steed back to earth. At once the king, his wife and daughters, and all the people of the city began to lament and shriek in despair. The din was enough to wake the dead.

More than enough to wake Nerissa. She sat bolt upright. The noise was coming from the corridor just outside her chamber.

Slipping out of bed, she reached for her shawl and threw it around her shoulders as she dashed to the door. She opened it a crack and peeked out, her hand on the latch ready to slam it shut if need be. By the light of the night-lamp nothing was visible but the opposite wall.

The dreadful outcry died away to a whimper and stopped. Nerissa opened the door a little wider just as Miles stepped out of his chamber into the passage. He glanced around with a puzzled frown. Though he was hardly dressed for action in his long, striped nightshirt and nightcap, she felt the safer for his presence. She tiptoed out to join him.

"What was that?” she whispered.

"It sounded like a dozen cats fighting a pitched battle on this very spot,” he said in a low voice, “but it must have been outside. On this side of the house, no one else would hear it."

"I suppose so, though it did sound very much as if it was indoors. I don't hear anything now. Something must have frightened them away. Let's listen for a minute."

A feeble, plaintive mutter faded into silence. Then a sudden loud creak made Nerissa jump and clutch Miles's arm.

"Someone is coming!"

He shook his head, his grin reassuring. “I think not. Don't you recognize that sound?"

She strained her ears and heard another creak, much fainter. “Not Aubrey's corsets!"

"Hush, he'll hear."

"But where is he?"

"Behind the arras."

"The arr...? Oh, the curtain. What on earth is he doing there?"

"What was Polonius doing behind the arras?"

"Spying on Hamlet and.... Aubrey is spying on us?” she asked, shocked.

"They take it in turns. They don't want to miss catching us at our ... hm, naughty business."

Nerissa's face burned. She was glad the light was so dim. “Naughty business!” she said in a wrathful whisper. “There is not going to be any naughty business. My feet are cold. I'm going back to bed. My bed. Alone."

"But of course.” Miles bowed as she turned away. “Sweet dreams."

She swung back.

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.