[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
huddled form, shivering and emitting low fitful whimpers. Hesitatingly he came forward
to rearrange the bedclothes that had slipped to the uncarpeted floor and tucked the
blankets loosely round Serena s small frame. Her trembling did not cease. The room was
like an icebox, but beads of sweat glistened on her forehead. Gripped in bad dreams, she
began to toss from side to side, once more dislodging her covers.
Adam crossed to the washhand basin in the far corner and ran a facecloth under the cold
tap. Treading lightly, he eased himself down on the bed, careful not to wake the sleeping
girl, and gently wiped her face and neck. He hoped to soothe her out of the nightmare, but
the movements became more frantic, her breathing more laboured, until the girl erupted
into wakefulness.
Dream merged into reality with the dark shadowed face that loomed threateningly over
her, and she let out a full-blooded scream. Pure instinct drove him to clamp a hard hand
over her mouth to stifle the sharp cry, but it was just as quickly removed when small,
incisive teeth bit viciously into the fleshy part of his palm, just below the fingers. Fists
rained blows on his bare chest where the borrowed robe had parted, and several seconds
passed before he reacted on her startling show of latent strength. He managed to capture
one wrist, but she continued to hit out with her free hand. An expression of fear had given
way to a fierce, burning anger in the vivid green eyes. When a well-aimed blow hit him
squarely in the eye he ceased merely trying to restrain her and took positive action,
gripping her shoulders and leaning forward to trap her upper body beneath his weight.
Suddenly she went quite still. Faces bare inches apart, their stares locked. Adam felt a
flicker of incongruous triumph as a look of submission entered her eyes. He slackened off
his hold and swore silently at his simplicity as a knee landed hard on his hipbone. Making
a desperate grab for her before she could start again, he accidentally caught her cotton
nightdress, and as she continued struggling wildly, the much-washed material rent in two.
Her white breasts, small but perfectly formed, rose and fell as she lay, hair splayed on
the pillow, trying to get her breath back to resume the fight. Adam was unable to stop
himself staring at their movement, and disgust within himself fought a sweet fascination.
Her skin was like alabaster, a living sculpture in the half-light, and he wanted to touch its
smoothness. A low moan of desire unconsciously escaped his lips, and he made a move
to cover her. It was her violent attempt to push him away that made him lose his balance,
brought his flesh against hers and effectively knocked the wind out of her. But it was
Adam who was a fraction too slow to lift his body away, and despite her youth and
innocence, she recognised the betrayal of his wanting as their eyes met once more.
Seconds ticked by a suspension of hostility as each tried to come to terms with the shift
in emotion. And then a cry of sheer terror was vibrating the air, acting like a cold shower
on Adam s heightened senses. God, he thought, the girl believed he was going to rape
her! It was like a scene from a bad play, and now too late to rewrite his part. In
desperation he moved her head back to face him, forcing her to read his expression.
Look, Serena, I m not going to hurt you.
The girl was oblivious to the tenderness in his voice, to the silent pleading of his dark
eyes, as her cries, mingled with choking sobs, became louder, more frenzied, till he was
scared for her and felt ineffectual in the face of the demons that were driving her on.
In God s name, what have you done? Nancy Carmichael stood in the doorway, rigid
with shock, as she snapped on the light and took in the whole scene, damning to her son
in every detail.
Backing off the bed, Adam turned to look at his mother, but almost immediately his eyes
were pulled back to Serena. He had become part of the nightmare that had landed him in
this situation.
The girl s heartrending sobs, somewhat muffled by the pillow in which she had buried
her head, forced Nancy Carmichael into action. Brushing past Adam, she gathered the
girl in her arms, gently rocking and soothing much as she would a crying toddler. After
an initial attempt to shove the older woman away, Serena collapsed into the warm
protective embrace, her crying eventually subsiding to a whimper.
I didn t mean to hurt her in any way. The hands that raked through Adam s hair were
shaking. He was having a hard time believing it had all happened.
Feeling the girl s tremor of fear at the harsh, male tone Nancy rapped out, Get out,
Adam. Now!
For a lifetime he would remember the look on the pale tear-stained face that rested on his
mother s shoulder the look of intense fear. There was nothing he could do about it he
had put it there.
Hush now, my lamb, I ll look after you.
Nancy Carmichael was as good as her word; she stayed until the girl exhausted herself
into sleep and held her all the while. And Serena, who had no real idea of the identity of
her comforter, nevertheless accepted her, for she smelt of flowers and brought back the
memory of a beautiful mother to whose soft skin had always clung the smell of violet or
rose.
The mirror told Adam he looked forty; he felt even older. His eyes were shot with blood, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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huddled form, shivering and emitting low fitful whimpers. Hesitatingly he came forward
to rearrange the bedclothes that had slipped to the uncarpeted floor and tucked the
blankets loosely round Serena s small frame. Her trembling did not cease. The room was
like an icebox, but beads of sweat glistened on her forehead. Gripped in bad dreams, she
began to toss from side to side, once more dislodging her covers.
Adam crossed to the washhand basin in the far corner and ran a facecloth under the cold
tap. Treading lightly, he eased himself down on the bed, careful not to wake the sleeping
girl, and gently wiped her face and neck. He hoped to soothe her out of the nightmare, but
the movements became more frantic, her breathing more laboured, until the girl erupted
into wakefulness.
Dream merged into reality with the dark shadowed face that loomed threateningly over
her, and she let out a full-blooded scream. Pure instinct drove him to clamp a hard hand
over her mouth to stifle the sharp cry, but it was just as quickly removed when small,
incisive teeth bit viciously into the fleshy part of his palm, just below the fingers. Fists
rained blows on his bare chest where the borrowed robe had parted, and several seconds
passed before he reacted on her startling show of latent strength. He managed to capture
one wrist, but she continued to hit out with her free hand. An expression of fear had given
way to a fierce, burning anger in the vivid green eyes. When a well-aimed blow hit him
squarely in the eye he ceased merely trying to restrain her and took positive action,
gripping her shoulders and leaning forward to trap her upper body beneath his weight.
Suddenly she went quite still. Faces bare inches apart, their stares locked. Adam felt a
flicker of incongruous triumph as a look of submission entered her eyes. He slackened off
his hold and swore silently at his simplicity as a knee landed hard on his hipbone. Making
a desperate grab for her before she could start again, he accidentally caught her cotton
nightdress, and as she continued struggling wildly, the much-washed material rent in two.
Her white breasts, small but perfectly formed, rose and fell as she lay, hair splayed on
the pillow, trying to get her breath back to resume the fight. Adam was unable to stop
himself staring at their movement, and disgust within himself fought a sweet fascination.
Her skin was like alabaster, a living sculpture in the half-light, and he wanted to touch its
smoothness. A low moan of desire unconsciously escaped his lips, and he made a move
to cover her. It was her violent attempt to push him away that made him lose his balance,
brought his flesh against hers and effectively knocked the wind out of her. But it was
Adam who was a fraction too slow to lift his body away, and despite her youth and
innocence, she recognised the betrayal of his wanting as their eyes met once more.
Seconds ticked by a suspension of hostility as each tried to come to terms with the shift
in emotion. And then a cry of sheer terror was vibrating the air, acting like a cold shower
on Adam s heightened senses. God, he thought, the girl believed he was going to rape
her! It was like a scene from a bad play, and now too late to rewrite his part. In
desperation he moved her head back to face him, forcing her to read his expression.
Look, Serena, I m not going to hurt you.
The girl was oblivious to the tenderness in his voice, to the silent pleading of his dark
eyes, as her cries, mingled with choking sobs, became louder, more frenzied, till he was
scared for her and felt ineffectual in the face of the demons that were driving her on.
In God s name, what have you done? Nancy Carmichael stood in the doorway, rigid
with shock, as she snapped on the light and took in the whole scene, damning to her son
in every detail.
Backing off the bed, Adam turned to look at his mother, but almost immediately his eyes
were pulled back to Serena. He had become part of the nightmare that had landed him in
this situation.
The girl s heartrending sobs, somewhat muffled by the pillow in which she had buried
her head, forced Nancy Carmichael into action. Brushing past Adam, she gathered the
girl in her arms, gently rocking and soothing much as she would a crying toddler. After
an initial attempt to shove the older woman away, Serena collapsed into the warm
protective embrace, her crying eventually subsiding to a whimper.
I didn t mean to hurt her in any way. The hands that raked through Adam s hair were
shaking. He was having a hard time believing it had all happened.
Feeling the girl s tremor of fear at the harsh, male tone Nancy rapped out, Get out,
Adam. Now!
For a lifetime he would remember the look on the pale tear-stained face that rested on his
mother s shoulder the look of intense fear. There was nothing he could do about it he
had put it there.
Hush now, my lamb, I ll look after you.
Nancy Carmichael was as good as her word; she stayed until the girl exhausted herself
into sleep and held her all the while. And Serena, who had no real idea of the identity of
her comforter, nevertheless accepted her, for she smelt of flowers and brought back the
memory of a beautiful mother to whose soft skin had always clung the smell of violet or
rose.
The mirror told Adam he looked forty; he felt even older. His eyes were shot with blood, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]