When Love is Enough by Laura Landon

Author:Laura Landon [Landon, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-12-07T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

"Welcome to the Hotel de Chandliere," their driver announced.

They’d made good time, only stopping once to water the horses. It was still early afternoon and the sun was high in the sky.

Jean-Paul swung open their carriage door and stepped back to let them alight.

A broad smile lit his face and Liddy suddenly felt safe. No wonder Gabriel put so much trust in him.

"I regret it is not quite as luxurious as the Hotel de Marseilles, but it does have its advantages."

Gabriel slid to the edge of the seat then maneuvered his way out of the carriage. He was in pain. It was written on his face and made even more evident by the vacant look in his eyes. When he landed on the ground a little harder than normal, his grimace confirmed her suspicion.

For a moment he stood motionless, as if he needed an extra second or two to steady himself. Then, he turned to help her from the carriage.

"We’re here. You did fine, Liddy."

Her heart shifted at his words and she reached for his proffered hand, knowing his touch would send waves of heat spreading through her. Knowing she’d feel safe as long as she held on to him.

His strong, callused palm pressed against hers like a firebrand, but she tried to tell herself that her heightened awareness stemmed from the danger they’d already survived and the risks that were ahead of them. Except she knew the heat pulsing through her was caused from something different, something she had to ignore.

She stepped out into a narrow Paris alley and looked up. The sun shone brightly, casting a clean tint to the row of three-storied brick buildings, one butted against the other. The only opening near where they’d stopped was a weather-worn door with a wooden barrel for slop sitting to one side and a stack of crates on the other. The place where they would stay was perfect. There was nothing about it that would draw attention.

"Quickly, Mademoiselle," their driver said when the door opened and a very attractive young girl appeared. "Follow Jennie inside. It is best that no one sees you."

The heat from Gabriel’s hand pressed against her back as he ushered her into the building.

They followed the girl down a dimly lit hallway and up one flight of stairs and then another. Stale smoke and ale assaulted her nose, and jovial laughter echoed below them.

Lydia knew they must be above an inn because the boisterous voices they’d heard when they first entered gradually faded the farther they climbed.

When they reached the top floor, Jennie led them down a long, narrow hallway, lighted only by the sun streaming through two half-draped windows at either end.

"Here, my lady," she said, opening a door on the right. "I’ve prepared this room for you. Your lady’s maid will have the room next to you. And you, monsieur. You will sleep here." She pointed to a door across the hall.

Gabriel nodded.

"Thank you," Lydia said, stepping in front of the girl and into the room.

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.