The Captain and Miss Winter by Sally Britton

Author:Sally Britton [Britton, Sally]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pink Citrus Books, LLC

Chapter

Twelve

Scarlett woke in the middle of the night, knowing it was too early to be up. For a long moment, she wasn’t certain what had awakened her. She held still in her bed, listening to Blanche’s even breathing and her grandmother’s soft snore. Beyond the cottage walls she could hear the tree branches clacking in the wind.

She rose, her stocking feet landing on the cold ground without a sound. Scarlett went to the doorway and stopped, seeing light coming through the cracks.

Why is Caspar awake? It cannot be nearly time to rise. Though she had no timepiece to confirm the truth of the thought, she hardly needed one anymore. Her body could sense the coming dawn, and the sun’s arrival remained hours away yet.

She lifted her shawl from the hook at the bedroom door and went out, wrapping it tightly around her.

Caspar sat at the table, his pack open and several things lying about. His rifle and pistol gleamed in the lamplight, as though they’d been newly cleaned and polished, but he was bent over a small book. The lamplight made his large form appear almost giant-like, stretching his shadows across their little cottage.

Scarlett didn’t recognize the book. They only owned five books, as that had been all they’d dared smuggle from their home. The family Bible, of course, a collection of French poetry, Hamlet, Robinson Crusoe, and a book of recipes which was nearly worthless given how many of the ingredients and kitchen supplies they lacked.

Coming forward with a purposeful shuffle, to alert him to her presence, Scarlett walked around the table to sit opposite him.

Looking up, Caspar offered her a weary smile. “Scarlett. Did I wake you?”

“I’m not certain,” she admitted, admiring his deep blue eyes. “Why are you awake, Caspar?” She studied the items on the table. His weapons had been cleaned. There was a roll of clothing, a shaving kit, and other sorts of things one would need for a journey. He shifted in his chair, keeping his gaze lowered to the table.

“I have been uneasy, thinking about the man in the woods. And about your grandmother’s health.” He drummed his fingers on the table, his forehead wrinkled.

“There is little to be done about either of those things.” Scarlet sighed and turned her mind to studying the objects on the table. Particularly the book. It had been so long since she’d read something new. “What were you reading?”

Caspar’s right hand moved to cover the small volume, resting there a moment before he picked it up and handed it to her. “My notebook.”

“Oh.” Scarlett withdrew the hand she’d been reaching out to take it. “I have no wish to intrude upon your private thoughts.”

He extended it closer to her. “You wouldn’t be. By looking, you may be able to help me solve my problem. Then we can go on to talking about yours.”

Hesitantly, she raised her hand and accepted the little black book. The leather was soft and smooth, well-worn. She opened it before her and tilted the pages so the light would fall on them.

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.