Wed by Necessity by Karen Kirst

Author:Karen Kirst
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-09-08T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Caroline was positive she wasn’t making a mistake. Still basking in the wonder of Duncan’s embrace, she unlocked the door to her private sanctuary and allowed him to enter. They’d left the pond and come straight here. He’d washed his feet as best he could before donning his socks and boots and rolling down his pants. Although disheveled, he was unbearably handsome, his features now as familiar to her as her own. His hair was tousled and dark copper in spots where it was still damp. Looking at his mouth made her feel funny inside, like she’d discovered a secret no one else was privy to. What they’d shared together, no other experience in her whole life could compare.

Standing in the middle of the room, she moved in a circle in accordance with his movements, anxiously gauging his reaction.

The room was a predictable box shape, about half the size of their cabin, the thick log walls barely visible behind neat rows of hanging masks. The masks were comprised of every shade of the rainbow and created a kaleidoscope of color, cheering the space. On the wall opposite the door, sunlight sought to breach the thick crimson curtain covering the window.

Duncan looked awestruck. She couldn’t decide whether that was good or bad.

He wandered slowly around the room, reaching out to touch an elephant’s trunk, peering closer at a lion’s mane crafted of golden threads, frowning at the one stark white, unadorned face mask tucked in one corner. When he reached her workbench, he bent to survey the neat arrangement of supplies and tools. With reverence, he picked up the undecorated butterfly mask she’d started this week and held it in both hands.

Finally, his astonished gaze sought hers. “You made all of these?”

Hands clasped tightly behind her back, she nodded.

“They’re magnificent.” His gaze roamed the room again. “You’re very talented, Caroline.”

Pleasure unfurled inside, and she felt like she could breathe again. “Wendell knows about my work because I needed a window and asked him to cut it out for me.” It was high enough on the wall to prevent anyone from peeking in while she was working, and she kept the curtains closed when she wasn’t. “You’re the only other person I’ve brought here.”

He replaced the mask in progress and sank his hands in his pockets. “There are quite a number of them. How long have you been doing this? Did someone teach you?”

“I’m self-taught. I’d had some art instruction from my tutors, of course. Mostly sketching, painting on canvas and clay sculpting. The summer I turned eighteen, my mother decided to host a masquerade party—we don’t have the space for a grand ball—and invite friends from Charleston. Masquerade balls are a yearly event there, and an unofficial competition exists between the attendees to outdo each other. Skilled mask makers are paid handsomely for their work.”

“And this party sparked your interest?”

She smiled, remembering the fun she’d had coming up with ideas for her own mask. She’d corresponded with Alberto Senetti, a well-known artist in Charleston, who’d brought her vision to life.

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.