Unthinkable by Nancy Werlin

Author:Nancy Werlin [Werlin, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Dial
Published: 2012-12-31T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 24

“You’ve disturbed my nap this day.” The beautiful man smiled, showing gleaming teeth, and nodded toward the small grassy knoll that rose beside the road. “Twice.”

Fenella could not look away. Her thoughts buzzed in her head like a trapped fly. Despite his fashionable garb, this man was no ordinary lord. She had never met one of the fair folk before, but she had heard stories and songs all her life. His nod at the hillside alone told her what he was.

She managed to drop a wary curtsy as the faerie lord’s eyes took in Fenella from the top of her silky red head to her dusty bare toes. It was a slow gaze, and it grew appreciative as it moved.

“Yours is a large laugh,” he remarked, “to come from such a small creature.”

To hide their trembling, Fenella fisted her hands in the fabric of her faded homespun skirt. “I am sorry, sir. My humblest apologies, sir, and it will not happen again.”

“You’ll never laugh again?” The lord raised his smooth, elegant brows. His eyes brimmed with charm that Fenella could see but did not feel. She pictured Robert’s plain, shrewd face with its snub nose and shy warm eyes, and his quickmoving, wiry body and work-roughened hands. Robert was hers and she was his. They had picked each other.

“No, sir. Not if you dislike it, sir.”

“I don’t dislike it,” said the lord pensively, his gaze on Fenella’s mouth. “At least, I think not. I’ve never heard anything like it before. Laugh again, girl. I wish to better judge the music of it.”

Fenella pulled her elbows in tightly against her sides. “I am sorry, but my laughter is not mine to command. It comes as it chooses.”

“Surely you can summon a small laugh.”

Fenella shook her head.

“No? Even if I were to plead? I might do that. Your laugh seemed to me as if it could conjure a celebration.” The lord took a step closer to Fenella. His expression was intent. “Would it surprise you to learn that I have had little to celebrate in life so far? I see you would not believe me. Believe this, then: It would please me to hear your laughter, and all sorts of good things might happen, if you were to please me. I have enough power for that. Power enough to reward one pretty human girl.”

Fenella found his barrage of words confusing. She clung to her refusal. “I cannot.”

The lord looked thoughtful. “Laughter comes from amusement, but also from enjoyment. Perhaps if you were to enjoy yourself? What if I took you to a grand soiree? Would you laugh for me then?”

Fenella frowned, not understanding.

“A party,” explained the lord lightly. “I could invite you to a court ball. It would be like nothing you’ve ever known, or even dreamed. A village maid like you, who knows nothing, has seen nothing. You would love it, I am sure. You would be impressed and happy.” The faerie lord touched Dando’s saddlebag, and lingered there. “Even a highborn lady could not command such a dress as I would give to you.

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