Beloved by Stella Cameron

Author:Stella Cameron [CAMERON, STELLA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC027050
ISBN: 9780759520400
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2001-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Saber looked into the secret herbal draft Bigun had prepared for him and smiled—a cynical smile. What kind of man had he become?

“Drink, my lord,” Bigun said, although the little man was supposedly busy with Saber’s clothes and should not have been able to see his master. “Drink deeply and sleep deeply.”

“Drug myself, you mean.”

“We do what we must.”

“And we must be drugged in order to become unconscious.”

Bigun faced him. His gold turban shimmered in the subdued light of Saber’s bedchamber. “You must rest.”

“I never rest.”

“At least your body gains strength. I arranged for the ruby earbobs to be delivered tomorrow.”

“Good.” Saber would like to place the rubies on Ella’s ears himself. He tossed back the draft and set down the goblet. “I must busy myself with the matter of securing the young lady a suitable husband.”

“A very simple matter, my lord.”

Saber glared at Bigun. “Simple? Finding a man worthy of one so …”

“Of one so charming, so beautiful, so perfect of mind and soul—and body?”

“Hmm. Yes, yes exactly.”

“As I said,” Bigun remarked, brushing imaginary annoyances from the coat he held. “A very simple matter. Such a man is readily to hand.”

“Who?” Naked—as he preferred to be in bed—Saber threw back the covers. He should not feel angry whenever he contemplated securing a man to take his place with Ella. “Who is readily to hand, Bigun? Speak up, man.”

“You.”

Saber stopped in the act of getting into bed. He rested his knuckles on the mattress and closed his eyes. “I thought we had covered that topic. It cannot be me. And we both know why.”

Bigun made much of hanging the coat in the large, carved ebony wardrobe.

“We both know why, don’t we, Bigun?” Saber said loudly. “We both know why you pretend it cannot be so.” Bigun’s tone was silken. “I do not agree with you. I think the young lady is exactly what you need. Someone who loves and wants you and—”

“Silence!”

“Do you love her?” Bigun continued as if there had been no explosive interruption.

Saber turned and fell, spread-eagle, onto the bed. “Leave me. Leave me in peace.”

“You love her.”

“I told you to leave. Get out. Now.”

“You, my lord, love Miss Ella Rossmara. You desire her mind and her body. You wish she were beside you—”

“Out,” Saber roared, rearing onto his elbows. “And never mention her name to me again.”

“As you wish.” Bigun bowed and backed toward the door. “But you do love her.”

“Out!”

“But of course, my lord. Love does strange things to men, but it can be most healing.”

“Get out!”

“A woman’s soft hands upon a man’s fevered body—”

“Get—” The door slammed before Saber finished shouting his order.

His head ached.

His head invariably ached when he’d fought sleep for more than a few days, as he had since his last confrontation with his demons.

Bigun was right. The need for rest was desperate now. Sleep must come at any price.

Warmth spread through Saber’s limbs. He doused the light and rolled toward the windows where, as he insisted, no draperies had been drawn over the casement.

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