In Rapture (Destined) Read Online Free PDF Page B

whispered for only him to hear. “I thank you for giving me a new path to
travel, Sir Marcus. Rest assured, your assistance will never be forgotten.” She
kissed him on the cheek and was amused to find a slight blush climbing up his
face as he looked away.
    Hargrove
was looking away politely, but cleared his throat to get her attention. “If you
could follow me, my lady. I will take you right up to your room. The master did
tell us that you would be joining us eventually, but we had no idea you would
be here so soon.”
    “I
do so hope I have not put you out, dear Hargrove. I will make sure to let Lord
Timberlin know how hospitable you were. I can already tell he has a loyal
servant in you.” Malinda followed behind him quietly, turning once to see Sir
Marcus leave quietly.
    She
was so tired when she followed Hargrove up the stairs she did not take in much
of the scenery around her. When he led her to a room at the end of the hallway
she waited quietly outside. She almost jumped when he called her inside. “My
lady?”
    Lady.
That was going to take time to get used to. She had never been seen as anything
but a poor farm girl who lived with her grandparents. Perhaps some had seen her
as the quiet seamstress who mended clothing, or even the girl who was always
strangely surrounded by animals wherever she went, but never anything with a
fancy title. She took a deep breath and walked through the room. Her breath
caught in her chest as she looked around.
    Even
with just a fire burning in the fireplace and the light glow from the candle
that Hargrove carried, it was plain to see the decadence of the room around
her. Wall to wall cream colored satin wallpaper contrasted with deep turquoise
curtains that hung at odd intervals in the room. The same curtains hung in the
large windows across from where she stood. The ceiling had the most intricately
carved woodworking that separated the ceiling from the walls, the dark woodwork
making the elegant walls stand out even further. At the back of the room, a huge
four-poster bed dominated the space. She had never imagined a bed could be so
gigantic. Turquoise curtains blocked most of the bed from her view, but the
translucent fabric hinted at the mound of pillows and downy comforter tucked
secretly inside. Yes, this was quite a bed. Malinda turned around to face
Hargrove. “Are you sure that I’m supposed to be here?”
    “Of
course, Lady Timberlin. Lord Timberlin would have it no other way. Will you be
needing a woman’s maid to assist you?”
    “Oh
no, not at all, Hargrove. I can manage from here. If you want to have the
things brought up in the morning, that would be great.”
    “Yes,
my lady.” He bowed at her and turned toward the door. “And my lady?”
    “Yes,
Hargrove?”
    “Welcome
to Wickford Manor.”
    “Thank
you, Hargrove.” Malinda watched the door sway closed behind him and did a quick
twirl inside the room. She could not believe her fortune. She continued her
perusal of the room. A dark blue sofa, matching armchair, and short table were
arranged at one end of the room to provide a sitting area. The fireplace was in
the middle of the room, and a large white bearskin rug sat in front of it, with
two armchairs on either side. Small wooden tables were sitting next to them.
Malinda stifled a yawn and decided she could look around more in the morning.
She could see that a wall opened to the right, probably opening up into another
small room, and while she was curious about this room, the exhaustion of her
journey had finally caught up to her. She pulled her lavender dress up over her
head and let it fall gently to the floor. She kept her chemise on; while it was
so worn and thin it did little to keep the air from touching her skin, it at
least covered her enough that her body was hidden from view. She walked over to
the bed and opened up the curtain. She wondered what side of the bed she should
choose, but as Lord Timberlin was not here, she decided that it really