The Folly at Falconbridge Hall by Maggi Andersen

Author:Maggi Andersen [Andersen, Maggi]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Knox Robinson Publishing
Published: 2013-05-08T07:00:00+00:00

*****

Several nights later, in Julian’s bedroom, Vanessa watched as he moved aside an oil painting of sailing ships hanging on the wall. Hinged, it opened to reveal a safe behind it. He twiddled a dial, pulled a lever, and removed something from it, then closed it again. “I’ve written the combination down for you. I’ll put it in my sock drawer; it won’t be disturbed while I’m gone. You’ll find jewels and money in here should you need it. Everything else is with my solicitor. His details are here too.”

He was protecting her should he not return. She didn’t want to hear it. He came to where she sat at the dressing table, opening a box as he moved. “I have something for you.” He set it on the dressing table and withdrew a glittering object.

“Oh, but it’s exquisite!” Vanessa put her hand to her throat when he clasped a delicate diamond necklace around her neck. In the box, lay a pair of matching diamond earrings.

She swiveled to look up at him. “Thank you, my love.” Shocked that she’d said it, she tried to read the expression in his eyes but his lashes shuttered them, as he straightened the necklace, his fingers light on her skin. The endearment laid her emotions bare before him, to rebuff her or to acknowledge how she clearly felt about him. Time was so short. She breathed in deeply.

“I shall gain much pleasure from giving you pretty things.” He picked up her hand and pressed a kiss onto the palm.

It wasn’t a rebuff, nor was it a clear confirmation of his feelings. She turned back to the mirror to put on the earrings, fighting disappointment. She watched him in the glass as he turned away. “Why didn’t you ask Miss Patterson to marry you?”

He swung back to face her with raised brows. It was impertinent and entirely unreasonable, and her heart nearly stopped while she waited for his answer. She almost wished to take the words back, but with their brief time together racing towards the end, she had to ask it.

She searched his gaze and found humor lurking there. “Might you be a little jealous of Miss Patterson?”

She pulled on her gloves. “A little.”

“I’m flattered, but you have no reason to be.”

“You haven’t answered my question.”

“Why I didn’t ask her?” He picked up his gloves and top hat from the bureau. “It just didn’t occur to me.”

Rising, she walked over to rest her hands on his chest. “It didn’t occur to you?”

He held his hands over hers with a smile. “I suppose I didn’t wish to. I wasn’t considering marriage at that point.”

“But you asked me.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

His eyes grew shadowed. “You know why.”

“Because you trust me with your daughter’s welfare?”

“Yes. I trust in your common sense.”

“And Miss Patterson … lacks common sense?”

He broke away from her and picked up his evening cape. “Does she? I don’t know.”

“For a scientist, you are being remarkably obtuse.”

He gave a strained laugh. “And you’re being remarkably inquisitive.”

She looked down at her hands and swiveled the ring on her finger.

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.