Trapped in Time: A Kindred Tales PLUS Novel: Brides of the Kindred by Evangeline Anderson

Author:Evangeline Anderson [Anderson, Evangeline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Evangeline Anderson Books
Published: 2019-08-16T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

Richard led Caroline down the hall to the room at the very end. When he opened it, she saw the welcome sight of a fire crackling in the hearth. There was also a four-poster brass bed covered in a blue and green patchwork quilt and a teapot with a long, curving spout hanging on the hob.

A tall, folding screen stood in one corner and in front of the fire was a strange looking contraption which appeared to be made of porcelain. It had a round, deep bottom filled with about a foot of water and one high end that came up almost like the back of a chair. Caroline couldn’t guess what it was but she was just happy to be someplace safe and clean and warm.

“Oh, this is lovely.” She cast an appreciative glance at the fire before going in to sit on the bed. For a minute she had trouble with the whalebone hoops under her dress, which nearly flipped up and showed her pantalets and stockings.

Somehow, she caught them in time and rearranged herself with a muffled curse.

“Damn it, I am so tired of these freaking things!”

“I beg your pardon?” Richard looked surprised. Probably—no, definitely—she shouldn’t have cursed. Polite young ladies undoubtedly never said “damn” or any of the other things she was thinking at the moment.

“Sorry!” she said quickly. “It’s just this stupid hoop skirt. I’ve been wearing it for hours and I’m so tired of it!”

“Why don’t you take it off, then?” Richard asked. “You must if I am to examine you properly, anyway.”

“Oh, you want me to…to take off my clothes?” Caroline felt her face flush and her heart was suddenly beating twice as fast as it had been only a moment before.

“So that I may examine you, yes.” He nodded gravely. “You have been attacked—I must see to you.”

“But…but nothing happened,” Caroline protested nervously. “I mean he, uh, tried to and he probably would have in another second if you hadn’t come along when you did—but you didn’t give him a chance. And how did you find me anyway?”

He sighed. “By the time I got here, Emmeline had already delivered her child. I examined both of them, made certain they were resting comfortably, and came out for a breath of fresh air. Whereupon, Nick came and told me that ‘a pretty young lady of the quality’ had come to see me and was waiting downstairs. The moment I descended the steps, I caught your scent in the air but you had already gone.”

“Wait—you could smell that I had been there?” Caroline shook her head. “I had no idea the Kindred sense of smell was that strong?”

“You’re lucky it is, my dear,” he growled, frowning. “I was able to follow you down the street and into that black alley you’d gone into and stop your assailant—I hope in time.” He shook his head. “Why did you follow me down here, Caroline? Don’t you know how dangerous it is? You might have been killed!”

“I followed you because I thought you were cheating on me,” she blurted.

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