Bewitched Read Online Free PDF

shifted uncomfortably. Don’t cry.
    Fortunately s he blinke d t he wetness away as quickly as it came, and brushed her fingers over the l ily’s white petals. “You have no idea what this means to me.”
    John gulped. Heaven help him , but as he gazed into her smiling face, the satisfying sense he’d done something truly right and good stirred within him. Hell, he was beginning to feel warm and fuzzy in places he’d sworn never to feel warm and fuzzy in again .
    She sat back suddenly, he r expression sobering slightly. “Forgive me if my question is overly frank,” she began .
    “I always appreciate frankness.”
    “Why did you come to call on me today? Unless I’m mistaken , we’ve never met before last night.”
    J ohn leaned forward, holding her eyes with a steadfast gaze. “Let’s just say I felt… c ompelled.”

 
    Six
     
    “Kate ! Marie!” Penelope exploded into their private sitting room after bidding her unexpected caller farewell . “This is a disaster. Lord John said he was compelled to call on me. Compelled.”
    “So?” the sisters asked in tandem , staring up at her with matching owlish eyes.
    “Don’t you see? The love potion worked.”
    Kate dropped her book and stood , clasping her hands in excitement . “ Oh, t hat’s wonderful.”
    “ No,” Penelope cried in exasperation. “ It is not wonderful at all . It’s awful. ” She flopped into a chair, resting her head in her palm.
    “Come now, Penny . It isn’ t that bad,” Marie placated. “ He is very handsome and a war hero I’m told.”
    Kate al l but squealed with excitement. “ An other officer?”
    “A major I think .”
    “ Ju st imagine , ” Kate gushed, “ he’ll be married in his uniform. Oh, Penelope, what a sight it will be.”
    Penelope rolled her eyes. “ Married? Haven’t you hea r d a word I’ve said?”
    Marie and Kate shared one of their annoying looks be fore turning back to Penelope. “We thought you wanted to get ma rried.”
    “Of course I want to get married, but not like this. And not to him . He is Colton’s brother for H eaven’s sake.” Penelope sighed , shoving away the disappointment tugging at her heartstrings . For just a moment in the parlor she’d connected with John . She’d looked down at the Easter l ily and then up into his eyes . A little spark had lit between them , leaping from his deep brown eyes and warming her from the inside out . For the space of a heartbeat she’d comp letely forgotten her heartbreak, believed he was an erstwhile suitor bring ing her a truly thoughtful gift. U ntil she’d remembered the G ypsy potion and asked after his motives . She drew a slow breath before continuing. “I want to marry a man who chooses to marry me, not one induced to do so from a magic spell.”
    “Then why did you use the potion at all?” Kate sat beside h er.
    “Because… because… ” Penelope shrugged, defeated . “ I never thought it would work. ” She glanced up at her cousins . “But now we must set this to rights . Where is Co rinne?”
    Marie pursed her lips for a long moment as though contemplating their options or mayhap even regretful of the turn of events . “She is helping Mrs. Hargrave polish silver . I’ll fetch her.”
    Within ten minutes their maid was fully aware of Penelope’s situation .
    “How can we reverse the potion?”
    Corrine slumped back in the chair, staring up at Penelope with wide, unblinking eyes . “I don’t know how to undo the potion, milady . No one has ever asked me that before , and to be perfectly honest…” H er gaze shifted from Penelope to Marie and Kate . “I never believed it would work.”
    Penelope crossed her arms, beating back the frustration welling up inside her . What a ridiculous situation . “But it did work, Corinne, and now we must find a way to undo it . T his afternoon you will accompany Lady Katherine to the lending library to search out a book which might have an antidote . Marie and I will search