The Heiress Bride. Susan Paul

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ night in the middle of the road, then? Or shall we go down?”

      Hugh turned to look at her, and the fire in his eyes nearly burned her to a cinder. His hands were clenched so tightly around the reins of his steed that his knuckles showed white.

      “We will go, my lady, but I want you to know that the only reason I even came within a day’s ride of this place is because of you.”

      He spurred his horse forward and galloped toward the monastery, leaving a stunned Rosaleen to follow. Above them, Amazon, having been loosed to feed herself an hour earlier, circled and gave her fierce cry.

      Hugh rode like a demon through the monastery’s gates, causing the monks working in the surrounding fields to look at him wonderingly. Rosaleen followed more sedately, smiling and nodding politely at the bewildered men, hoping that they wouldn’t turn them away because of Hugh Caldwell’s rude behavior. When she made the gates herself she saw that he had gone straight through the courtyard and into the stables. She rode in after him and was grabbed and yanked out of her saddle before her eyes could adjust to the building’s darkness.

      Hugh set her firmly on her feet.

      “Go and wait for me in the gardens. I’ll take care of the horses and meet you there.”

      Well! thought Rosaleen. He treated her as though she were naught but baggage!

      “I’ll not be ordered about like a servant, Hugh Caldwell! And I’ll not be tossed about like a sack of grain!”

      Ignoring her, he took hold of the little mare and led her toward a stall. “Go wait in the gardens for me,” he repeated. “They’re just across the courtyard and through the half gate. You’ll find them easily enough.”

      Rosaleen stood her ground, glaring at him. Hugh turned, saw her there and raised his eyebrows.

      “Have you gone deaf, Rosaleen? I told you to go and wait for me in the gardens.”

      “I heard you!”

      “Then get out of my sight, woman, and do as I say. Go on, now.” He turned his attention back to the horses.

      Rosaleen huffed loudly, then stormed out of the stables with as much dignity as she possessed. Ignoring the stares of the monks in the courtyard, she strode across it to the half gate, flung it open and slammed it behind her after she walked into the gardens.

      “If he thinks that I came to the gardens because he bade me do so,” she announced aloud, “then he’s an even greater idiot than I first supposed!”

      Making her way down one of several paths to a bench, she angrily plopped down upon it.

      “I don’t care if he is the handsomest man I’ve ever seen,” she muttered. “He’s rude and ill-mannered, and he probably thinks he’s one of God’s blessings to women!”

      A cool breeze brushed her face, but Rosaleen’s fury wasn’t tempered by it.

      “He’ll be sorry when he discovers who I am.” An angry, feline smile lit her face. “And I only hope I’m there to see it! By my troth, I’ll make him grovel if it’s the last thing I do. When he realizes who it is he’s insulted, he’ll be on his knees, begging my forgiveness!”

      So caught up was she in her vengeful fantasies that she didn’t hear the garden gate open again, or the sound of the careful footsteps that approached her.

      “Wretched beast! Brother of a pig farmer! Thinking he can treat me, the daughter of an earl, without the least bit of common decency, as though I were naught but the lowliest whore! But he’ll come to rue his behavior, I vow. He’ll…”

      “Careful, daughter, lest you say words you’ll one day regret.”

      Hugh! Rosaleen thought, paralyzing with mortification. He had finished with the horses more quickly than she had imagined he would. Embarrassed beyond words to have been discovered talking to herself, Rosaleen flushed and slowly raised her eyes to look at him.

      What she saw stole the breath from her.

      “Hugh Caldwell!” she shrieked, shooting up off the bench.

      He shook his head with confusion. “My lady?”

      “How could you! Oh, how could you!” Rosaleen’s hands flew up to press against her hot cheeks. “Merciful God in heaven! Are you insane?”

      For one horrible moment Rosaleen thought she would be sick, so great was her shock. She was only grateful that she didn’t faint.

      He took a step toward her, holding out one hand.

      “My good lady, whatever is the matter?” His voice was filled with concern. “Are you ill?”

      She backed away from him in horror, as though he were diseased.

      “Don’t touch me, you…you infidel! You godless pervert! Stay away from me!”

      He stopped and held his hands palm up. “Of course I’ll not touch you, my dear,” he said very soothingly. “You mustn’t be afraid. I only wish to help you. All of us here—” he motioned back toward the courtyard “—only want to help you, good daughter.”

      She truly thought she would swoon. “Sick. Dear God, you are sick! Oh, Hugh, how can this be? What can I do to help you?”

      His expression changed slightly, and he raised his eyebrows in the manner that was now so familiar to her.

      “What did you call me?”

      “And your hair!” she wailed. “Your beautiful hair! How could you cut it so dreadfully? Oh, Hugh!”

      He frowned deeply. “I think perhaps you’ve made a mistake.”

      A sudden realization struck Rosaleen, and she stared at him anew, dumbfounded. “But it isn’t possible! I left you in the stables only a few moments ago. You couldn’t have cut your hair and changed your clothing so quickly. It’s not possible!” Another idea occurred to her, and she felt sick all over again. “Oh my God, Hugh Caldwell! I’m the one who’s gone mad! This is what’s happened to me after spending time in company such as yours. I’ve lost my mind!”

      His gentleness vanished and Rosaleen found herself grabbed up by his strong hands.

      “You’ve called me that twice now!” he said angrily, shaking her. “Hugh Caldwell! What do you know of Hugh Caldwell? Tell me!”

      Stunned, Rosaleen peered into his face, searching in vain for some difference. There was none, save his hair and clothes. He was Hugh Caldwell, or Hugh Caldwell’s exact reflection.

      “If you’re not him,” she squeaked beneath his stern gaze, “then I left him only a few moments ago in the stables.”

      He dropped her so fast she actually fell on her posterior, but Rosaleen scrambled up and raced after him as he strode out of the gardens and toward the stables. He flung the stable doors open so violently that they banged off the walls, startling every living creature in the building, including Hugh Caldwell, who quickly looked up from where he crouched, brushing Rosaleen’s little СКАЧАТЬ