Rogue of the Isles by Cynthia Breeding

Author:Cynthia Breeding
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2013-09-24T04:00:00+00:00

Libraries were always a sanctuary for Shane, and the one in the Barclay townhouse was no different. The mahogany-paneled walls smelled faintly of lemon polish, the gold and deep red of the wood highlighted by the glow of a banked fire in the hearth. Leather-bound books filled one bookcase, the pleasant scent drifting toward him. Two comfortable-looking wingback chairs were placed near the fire for light to read by and warmth as well. Just the kind of place a man could relax with a dram of good Scots whisky. Only today, that dram would have to wait until he saw Ian.

Shane wanted nothing more than to pace the small space, but the lass with the big, brown eyes and spectacles was still standing in the middle of the room staring at him. For a moment, he wondered if his cloth codpiece was properly buttoned.

“Thank ye for showing me here,” he said. “I will just choose a book and read until Ian returns.”

She didn’t move, but her eyebrows lifted slightly. “Do you like to read?”

Her voice was surprisingly low and melodious. From her severely pulled-back hair and the drab dress she wore with its high neck and long sleeves, he would have thought her voice to be sharp as an old biddy’s. “Aye,” Shane said when she showed no signs of leaving. “I had tutors in Latin and French since my family had hopes I would join the church.”

Her eyebrows rose slightly higher. “The church?”

“Aye,” he said again. “My mother had hopes I would not want to take up arms.” Shane wondered why the lass didn’t laugh or at least smile. Given his size, most people found it amusing to find he had an education. But the lass only moved past him toward the shelves of books. She ran a slender hand across the titles and then pulled one down.

“You might enjoy this then,” she said and handed it to him.

He glanced at it. The Canterbury Tales. Thirty pilgrims making the journey from Southwark to Canterbury, each with a story to tell. Whatever would a London Society lass know of such? “Are ye familiar with Chaucer?”

She blushed. “I like to read.”

“I—” he started to say when he heard heavy boots coming down the hall. Ian and Jamie had returned. He laid the book down as the door burst open.

“We just saw Mari in the hall—” Jamie said, but Ian interrupted.

“How soon can we leave?”

“The tide goes out at dusk. We should be on it.”

“We will be,” Ian answered in a voice that brooked no argument.

With the ensuing turmoil, it was not until later that Shane wondered when Abigail had slipped quietly away.

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.