AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTERTWENTY
Nora's heart pounded frantically, herentire body buzzed with new and pleasant sensations. She could still feel Jonan's presence evenafter he had left her chamber.
All is well that ends well, she thought with a smile on her face.
“Did somethin’ happen, milady?” Mae asked when she came down the stairs. It had taken her a long time to summon the courage to go downstairs.
“Why do you ask?” Nora immediately went on the defensive. She had no intention of telling anyone about her rendezvous — itwas her secret alone to keep.
“Yer face glows, milady,” the girl answered.
"I took a bath," Nora replied solemnly. While the maid's face indicated that she did not believe her lady's words, she could not argue.
Nora turned around when she heard Mae shriek and caught Leah before she could leap onto her.
“Ye frightened me, Lady Leah!” Mae said, pressing her hand hard onto her chest.
“I am sorry,” Leah said with an inncent smile.
Suddenly, the little girl’s brows furrowed as she looked at Nora’s face.
“What is it?” Nora asked.
“Yer face looks different,” she answered.
“It is a secret,” she whispered to the girl.
The wind brushed against Nora's skin as she walked through thegardens, her neck tinglingfrom where her husband had kissed her. She smiled at the memory.
While she had thought the kiss at the loch was the best thing she had ever felt, their time in her chambers surpassed even that.
Shewas standing in the middle of freshly made rows of soil when she heard a familiar whisper in the wind. The wind spoke to her about words she had avoided for a long time.
You lied to him.
“Amelia!” Leah shouted, pointing to a rabbit in Rayuk’s hand.
Nora had not anticipated fancying himwhen she devised the lie to save her twin sister.
Jonan was kindto her and liked her. He is different — special. He knew who he was, what he wanted and hewent forit. There was no timidity in his thoughts or brashness in his actions.
And his lips, so soft, so delicious, Nora mused.
The truth. While every bone in her body missed his lips and hands, she felt a pang of guilt in her heart.
He calls me Amelia. No matter how at ease she became with him, she would always be Amelia to him.It bothered her that she had found herself in such a predicament. Jonan was the best man she had ever met, not the beast she had tried to protect her sisterfrom.
Because of that, Nora knew what she could not do; she could not lose him.
The way he looked at her intoxicated her. I cannot lose him. But he does not deserve to live a lie.
She returned her gaze to her companyacross the garden; theyall thought she was Amelia and adored her in their own unique way. Nora placed her hand on her bosom to listen to her own heart sing his name.
“I do not possess the courage to tell him,” shemuttered under her breath.
I have lied too long to stop now, I will tell him when the time is right.
The rest of Nora's day was spent staring out her window, preparing supper for Jonan,waiting for hisreturn. It had been difficult for her to think of anything else. But he never came.
