AllFreeNovel
Share Us
* * *
The incessant racket of laughter came from the card room ever since Blake had disappeared there with a throng of gentlemen. Annalise couldn’t help but cast a glance over her shoulder at the room. Blake had led the lords there under the pretense of telling them the story of where he’d been for the past year and a half. But unless he’d spent that time traveling with court jesters and harlequins, the laughter coming from the room seemed out of place.
After speaking with some of the matrons and making sure that the ball was proceeding accordingly, she walked toward the card room.
Another peal of laughter ripped through the curtain hangers separating the card room from the ballroom. Annalise entered and hovered at the threshold.
“And did the young maiden thank you for your efforts?” one of the men asked suggestively.
“I wouldn’t have saved her otherwise,” Blake said with a grin.
“Oh, poor maidens across the sea. How shall they fare without their mighty protector now?” an old lord shouted with a drunken slur.
“Now we all want to roam the seas instead of being stuck with our old wives in musty ballrooms,” another one chimed in.
Annalise put her hand to her abdomen, feeling ill. She turned to leave, but with the corner of her eye, she caught Blake noticing her.
“Excuse me, gentlemen, I believe my wife needs a rescue too.”
He tipped his hat and walked out of the room. Annalise hurried her steps, trying to get away from her husband, but he caught up with her and took her by her arm.
“Is anything amiss?”
“Amiss?” Annalise whirled on him. “Is any of it true?”
“What?” Blake’s eyes ran nervously around the room, his breathing shallow.
“Your outrageous stories about saving maidens and roaming the seas? Is that truly where you were all this time?”
“Let us discuss this in another place. Somewhere far from here.” Blake took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He took a deep breath before steering Annalise away from the ballroom.
“Where are we going?” Annalise asked worriedly.
“Somewhere private.”
They made a few steps down the dimly lit corridor before Blake turned and opened the door to his study. He held it open for Annalise, so she entered. She couldn’t be out of the ballroom for too long. The disappearance of the hostess would be commented upon. But she was much more interested in what Blake had to say.
Instead of speaking, Blake took her by the waist, whirled her around, and trapped her with his body against the door. The next moment, his lips were on her, kissing, devouring. Annalise sagged against his body for a moment before she returned to her senses and shoved him in the chest.
Blake took a step back and looked at her curiously.
“Blake, this is not why we are here.”
“Darling, I don’t want to talk. I’ve been talking for two hours trying to appease the lords and making certain there won’t be any scandal.”
“This was your way of ensuring no scandal would happen? Humiliating me?”
Blake raked a hand through his hair. “Humiliating? Darling, those lords do not care about any of that. They just needed an entertaining story. Besides, what would you have me say? The truth?” he asked irritably.
“I don’t even know what this truth is!” Annalise let out a huff of breath. “And no, I do not wish you told them the truth, but I wish you told it to me.”
“The truth is not for your ears.”
“Oh, for the love of God, if I hear you say that one more time!” Annalise was so enraged she was ready to stomp her foot.
Instead, she took a deep breath and walked past him, deeper into the study. She lit the candle on the desk and perched herself on the corner. “I want to know the truth. No matter what it is. No matter how ugly.”
“I can’t do that.”
