The Magic of Gingerbread by Sandra Sookoo

Author:Sandra Sookoo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christmas romance, Victorian romance, England, Morse code, Beauty and the Beast retelling, gingerbread, winter, spies, holiday romance, London, plot against the queen
Publisher: New Independence Books
Published: 2018-12-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

December 22nd

What the deuce is taking her so long? Cameron waited in the shabby parlor of Eleanor’s boarding house. They hadn’t made plans to see each other this evening, and he’d been too late to catch her at the post office building. Had she deliberately avoided him? He deserved her ire if so, but he would continue despite it. So, he’d come, and she hadn’t sent an emissary to tell him to go.

Perhaps there is hope after all.

Last night had ended in disaster. What had been an evening straight out of a fairy story had been marred when a specter from his past had swooped in to steal that joy, and it had been the wariness in Eleanor’s eyes, a faint shadow of fear in the deep depths, that had cut him to the quick.

He’d broken her trust, of that much he was certain, and rightfully so. Why the devil did I greet Lila like that? Shock must be the reason; he’d assumed she was dead, had to be after abandoning a child. And when she’d returned, stepped out of the shadows like she had, his social training had superseded all else. No matter. The woman belonged in his past, damn it, because Eleanor was in his life now, and if he lost her...

Well, that would not happen. I’ll work that much harder to convince her I’m true.

Cameron paced the cozy confines of the room. The bric-a-brac and lace doilies didn’t hold his attention as he once more took solace in thinking. Why did he care so much about a woman he’d only met a handful of days ago? He crushed the brim of his bowler hat in one hand while he shoved the gloved fingers of his other through his hair. Why? He wanted to see her happy, dash it all. And she’d enchanted him for no other reason than being herself. In less than a week, she’d somehow managed to steal away pieces of his heart, and he wished to offer her the rest if she’d have him.

Yes, he’d fancied himself in love with Lila years ago, had dallied with a couple of women in the intervening years, but none of them had given him the depth of encouragement or support or joy that being with Eleanor did. And the kiss they’d shared... Bloody hell that had rocked him to the core.

It had to mean something, and damn if he wouldn’t try harder to fight for that feeling for the both of them.

The sound of fabric rustling had him looking toward the doorway. His heart crashed into his stomach when it wasn’t Ellie who stood there, but another woman her same age.

“Mr. Hallewell, I presume?” she asked as she entered the parlor. Short, blonde with generous curves, she was the opposite of Eleanor, and definitely not the female he’d come to see. Disappointment swept through him. Had he ruined his chances with Ellie with one misstep?

“Yes.” He further crushed the felt brim of his hat as he stood before the woman.

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