[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
tensed, anticipating another splash of water to the face, or perhaps
just the shrieks and laughter, too loud and too close. She shifted
upright in the water, opening her eyes.
It was hard to see anything with the glare of the light reflecting
off the waves. But she thought she saw pale hair, not dark. Luke,
not Conall or Nume. What is it? It came out too harsh, but she
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A QUEEN S DOWRY
was irritable at his disruption, and at the painful brightness of the
sun. She wished she were still floating and alone, still relaxed if
not at peace.
Luke said nothing for a moment. She knew him well enough
that, even blinded, she could well enough imagine the way his
brow rose, and the look he sent her, somehow both fond and
irritated at the same time. He sighed. What on earth s wrong with
you, Addy?
She jerked back. If he d asked her if something was the matter,
if there was anything she wanted to talk about if he d said
anything at all but that she might have been tempted to confess
everything. But his question made her spine stiffen and her brows
lower. Nothing, thank you. I was enjoying myself.
Luke s brows shot up. Addy
She spun and tried to swim away. He caught her by the wrist
and dragged her back. Damn it, Luke! She shoved at his
shoulder, but in the water she couldn t manage much more than
making them both slosh around. Just let it go.
He looked at her for a long minute. His hand sprang open, and
he released her. Fine, he said quietly. I m sure I can guess what
this is about well enough, anyway. But I don t see the point of it.
You know she only has eyes for you, Addy. You know it. And
Conall He broke off and shook his head. Conall s no more
eager to repeat the experience than she is. You ve nothing to be so
worried about.
Don t you start with me, she growled, low and glaring. Do
you think no one noticed that mark you left on his throat?
Luke s cheeks turned red. He stared at Addy and said nothing.
You might as well have written your name on him. So don t
tell me you re not worried, too. At least I m honest about it. She
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A QUEEN S DOWRY
started to swim away again. And I don t feel the need to mark her
just to prove that she s mine.
She grasped the rope ladder that hung down from the deck and
began to climb up it. Water cascaded down from her like a
waterfall. Damn it, Addy. He reached after her, but she stepped
up quickly, out of his reach. Don t be like this.
I don t know what you re talking about. I m tired of
swimming, that s all.
He let her go, but she could feel his gaze following her all the
way up to the deck. She didn t look down at him, didn t give any
indication at all that she was aware of his continued scrutiny.
The deck was empty. The other three were still down in the
water, and Mrs. Ginnings must have been chased down to her
cabin by the relentless heat of the sun. Addy wrung the hem of her
shift out as best she could, then went belowdeck as well, to the
room she and Nume shared.
She shut the door behind her, then leaned back against it and
scrubbed her hands over her face, lingered with the heels of her
hands pressed against her eyes. She wanted to stay like that,
enveloped by the dark, but she was dripping a puddle onto the
floor. She pushed away from the door with a sigh and stripped the
shift off over her head.
She twisted her hair into a rope, wringing a fresh cascade of
water from it, then crossed to the armoire and drew out a fresh
shift, pulled a robe on over it and sat at the vanity to brush the
tangles from her hair, all while steadfastly keeping her mind clear
of all thoughts of the things Luke had said.
She sat and brushed, long after she d worked out all the
tangles, until her hair was almost dry, brushing and brushing
because it was steady, rhythmic, soothing, and it didn t require her
262
A QUEEN S DOWRY
to think at all.
A sound behind her, from the direction of the door, made her
rise and turn, fixing a smile to her face, expecting that it was Nume
returned to change and dry from swimming.
She could have been strong for Nume, smiling and pretending
all was well so she wouldn t worry. But it wasn t Nume. Luke
stood in her doorway, dripping wet and watching her warily. She
blinked rapidly at him, her fingers clenching too tight around the
handle of the brush, as her facade crumbled apart. She dropped
down onto the bed and buried her face in her hands so he wouldn t
see her crying.
I just came down to& apologize& Addy?
Gods, Luke. She dropped her hands and glared up at him
through her tears. Don t be such a martyr. You should be kicking
my ass, not apologizing.
He came toward her slowly, and swung the door shut behind
him so they had privacy. You re going to have to stop crying
first. He sat next to her on the bed. You know I never could bear
to see you in tears.
She sniffed and wiped at her cheeks with the heels of her
hands, but new tears fell and wet them again. I don t I don t
know Gods, Luke, what s wrong with me?
Luke made a low sound and rubbed her back. Nothing.
She gave a harsh laugh and shook her head. It s stupid. It s so
stupid, and I ve been trying not to, but I can t help it. I hate it.
He was quiet a moment, his hand a gentle comfort as he ran it
over her spine. Nume, you mean. From the corner of her gaze,
she saw him glance at her, but she didn t turn to meet his eye. She
leaned her head in her hands and tunneled her fingers through her
hair. And Conall.
263
A QUEEN S DOWRY
She had to bite down hard on her lip to keep from falling apart.
It had been easier when she hadn t said anything, when she hadn t
even acknowledged it. Except that it had been killing her. But now
she felt like she d been ripped open, and how was she supposed to
put herself back together?
When she didn t say anything, Luke continued, his voice soft
and gentle. You ve nothing to worry about, Addy. She only cares
for you. We ve all seen it. If you asked her
If I asked her, Addy said harshly, she d tell me what I
wanted to hear.
Luke s hand paused on her back for a moment. What if the
truth and what you want to hear are one and the same?
Addy sighed heavily and dug her fingers deeper into her hair.
It doesn t matter. I told you, I know it s stupid. She hasn t even
done anything but talk with him, and I hate it. He makes her
laugh and of course he would, he makes all of us laugh but
when she does it I just& She sighed again. Want to claw his
eyes out.
Well. There was a smile in Luke s voice. It startled her
enough that she lifted her head and looked at him. I would very
much appreciate it if you didn t do that. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl freetocraft.keep.pl
tensed, anticipating another splash of water to the face, or perhaps
just the shrieks and laughter, too loud and too close. She shifted
upright in the water, opening her eyes.
It was hard to see anything with the glare of the light reflecting
off the waves. But she thought she saw pale hair, not dark. Luke,
not Conall or Nume. What is it? It came out too harsh, but she
260
A QUEEN S DOWRY
was irritable at his disruption, and at the painful brightness of the
sun. She wished she were still floating and alone, still relaxed if
not at peace.
Luke said nothing for a moment. She knew him well enough
that, even blinded, she could well enough imagine the way his
brow rose, and the look he sent her, somehow both fond and
irritated at the same time. He sighed. What on earth s wrong with
you, Addy?
She jerked back. If he d asked her if something was the matter,
if there was anything she wanted to talk about if he d said
anything at all but that she might have been tempted to confess
everything. But his question made her spine stiffen and her brows
lower. Nothing, thank you. I was enjoying myself.
Luke s brows shot up. Addy
She spun and tried to swim away. He caught her by the wrist
and dragged her back. Damn it, Luke! She shoved at his
shoulder, but in the water she couldn t manage much more than
making them both slosh around. Just let it go.
He looked at her for a long minute. His hand sprang open, and
he released her. Fine, he said quietly. I m sure I can guess what
this is about well enough, anyway. But I don t see the point of it.
You know she only has eyes for you, Addy. You know it. And
Conall He broke off and shook his head. Conall s no more
eager to repeat the experience than she is. You ve nothing to be so
worried about.
Don t you start with me, she growled, low and glaring. Do
you think no one noticed that mark you left on his throat?
Luke s cheeks turned red. He stared at Addy and said nothing.
You might as well have written your name on him. So don t
tell me you re not worried, too. At least I m honest about it. She
261
A QUEEN S DOWRY
started to swim away again. And I don t feel the need to mark her
just to prove that she s mine.
She grasped the rope ladder that hung down from the deck and
began to climb up it. Water cascaded down from her like a
waterfall. Damn it, Addy. He reached after her, but she stepped
up quickly, out of his reach. Don t be like this.
I don t know what you re talking about. I m tired of
swimming, that s all.
He let her go, but she could feel his gaze following her all the
way up to the deck. She didn t look down at him, didn t give any
indication at all that she was aware of his continued scrutiny.
The deck was empty. The other three were still down in the
water, and Mrs. Ginnings must have been chased down to her
cabin by the relentless heat of the sun. Addy wrung the hem of her
shift out as best she could, then went belowdeck as well, to the
room she and Nume shared.
She shut the door behind her, then leaned back against it and
scrubbed her hands over her face, lingered with the heels of her
hands pressed against her eyes. She wanted to stay like that,
enveloped by the dark, but she was dripping a puddle onto the
floor. She pushed away from the door with a sigh and stripped the
shift off over her head.
She twisted her hair into a rope, wringing a fresh cascade of
water from it, then crossed to the armoire and drew out a fresh
shift, pulled a robe on over it and sat at the vanity to brush the
tangles from her hair, all while steadfastly keeping her mind clear
of all thoughts of the things Luke had said.
She sat and brushed, long after she d worked out all the
tangles, until her hair was almost dry, brushing and brushing
because it was steady, rhythmic, soothing, and it didn t require her
262
A QUEEN S DOWRY
to think at all.
A sound behind her, from the direction of the door, made her
rise and turn, fixing a smile to her face, expecting that it was Nume
returned to change and dry from swimming.
She could have been strong for Nume, smiling and pretending
all was well so she wouldn t worry. But it wasn t Nume. Luke
stood in her doorway, dripping wet and watching her warily. She
blinked rapidly at him, her fingers clenching too tight around the
handle of the brush, as her facade crumbled apart. She dropped
down onto the bed and buried her face in her hands so he wouldn t
see her crying.
I just came down to& apologize& Addy?
Gods, Luke. She dropped her hands and glared up at him
through her tears. Don t be such a martyr. You should be kicking
my ass, not apologizing.
He came toward her slowly, and swung the door shut behind
him so they had privacy. You re going to have to stop crying
first. He sat next to her on the bed. You know I never could bear
to see you in tears.
She sniffed and wiped at her cheeks with the heels of her
hands, but new tears fell and wet them again. I don t I don t
know Gods, Luke, what s wrong with me?
Luke made a low sound and rubbed her back. Nothing.
She gave a harsh laugh and shook her head. It s stupid. It s so
stupid, and I ve been trying not to, but I can t help it. I hate it.
He was quiet a moment, his hand a gentle comfort as he ran it
over her spine. Nume, you mean. From the corner of her gaze,
she saw him glance at her, but she didn t turn to meet his eye. She
leaned her head in her hands and tunneled her fingers through her
hair. And Conall.
263
A QUEEN S DOWRY
She had to bite down hard on her lip to keep from falling apart.
It had been easier when she hadn t said anything, when she hadn t
even acknowledged it. Except that it had been killing her. But now
she felt like she d been ripped open, and how was she supposed to
put herself back together?
When she didn t say anything, Luke continued, his voice soft
and gentle. You ve nothing to worry about, Addy. She only cares
for you. We ve all seen it. If you asked her
If I asked her, Addy said harshly, she d tell me what I
wanted to hear.
Luke s hand paused on her back for a moment. What if the
truth and what you want to hear are one and the same?
Addy sighed heavily and dug her fingers deeper into her hair.
It doesn t matter. I told you, I know it s stupid. She hasn t even
done anything but talk with him, and I hate it. He makes her
laugh and of course he would, he makes all of us laugh but
when she does it I just& She sighed again. Want to claw his
eyes out.
Well. There was a smile in Luke s voice. It startled her
enough that she lifted her head and looked at him. I would very
much appreciate it if you didn t do that. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]