Ghosts of Winters Past Read Online Free PDF Page A

that mean I can teach you somewhere else?”
    “Maybe.”
    Excitement pounded through his veins. She was flirting with him.
    He put an arm around her , d rawing her close. “Maybe? That sounds almost like a yes.”
    She dropped her mask and brushed his shoulder. “Dangerous? Yes. Though I fear I’m the mad one.”
    He spun them around. “You? Never.”
    “With you? Always.”
    They came to a stop and he looked into her eyes. “There’s my Emma.”
    Her face flushed. So beautiful when paired with her hair. “Please, y our g race.”
    He placed a finger over her lips. “Sh h . Henry.”
    She looked over his shoulder to the ballroom behind him. “We should go back inside before we’re missed.”
    “Call me Henry.”
    She lifted her chin, but answered in a whisper, “Henry.”
    He wanted so badly to kiss her. To see if her lips tasted as sweet as he remembered. But she’d trusted him so far and he would not damage that trust. With a heavy heart, he released her and held out his arm. “Let me escort you back inside.”
    She shrugged out of his jacket , and they silently went about the business of returning to real life.
    ****
    Emma lay awake in the darkness of the night, replaying the evening’s events. She could not fathom the woman she had become outside with Henry. It reminded her too much of who she had been and what she’d done five years ago. It scared her that Henry held that much power over her.
    She flipped onto her belly. She’d not worked up the nerve to approach her parents about Henry’s letters. Assuming, of course, that there had been letters. She felt almost certain that he had told the truth. She’d not been able to detect any deceit when he ’d told her about them.
    The next day he would be coming by to pick her up at ten to take her on an outing. He was stopping by the orphanage first to pick up a few of the older boys and Bess. He certainly knew how to get on her good side. But though she was excited to be going out with the children, she knew she’d much rather be going out alone with him.
    Maybe she would talk with her mother in the morning. She didn’t think she would come right out and ask about the letters, but she could probably work up the courage to ask indirectly.
    Enough. Time enough for worrying about her parents and missing letters later. As she shifted into sleep, she allowed her thoughts to wander from worries to how it felt to be in Henry’s arms again.
    ****
    The morning dawned cold and bright with a fresh layer of snow dusting everything and blanketing the outdoors in a beautiful, serene scene. Emma couldn’t suppress her laughter as she imagined half a dozen boys running around and the footprints they’d leave in their wake.
    With memories of the previous night running through her mind, she went about picking out her outfit. Red, she decided. Henry had always liked her in red. Another laugh bubbled up. Her lady’s maid gave her a perplexed look, but didn’t say anything. Perhaps because it had been such a long time since Emma started the day with laughter. Or had laughed during any part of the day.
    Once dressed, she made her way to the dining room. Her merriment ceased when she saw her mother eating. The letters. Straightening her shoulders, she walked to the table.
    “Good morning, M other.”
    “Emmaline, dear, you look radiant.”
    She acknowledged the compliment with a nod. “The Duke of Salle is coming by at ten to pick me up.”
    A servant placed a plate down in front of her. The joy of seeing Henry again was overshadowed by the fact someone in her own family had deceived her. Suddenly, her appetite was gone.
    “His g race always was a nice boy. He’s become a handsome young man.” Her mother seemed blissfully unaware that anything was amiss.
    Emma picked at her eggs. She should eat something. It would be embarrassing if her stomach rumbled while she was out with Henry.
    Across the table, her mother was gazing out the window and stirring her tea.
    “Do