Night of Pleasure Read Online Free PDF Page B

didn’t respond. It was as if his mind had drifted from his body. His breaths loudly wheezed and rasped.
    Andrew laid his head on their father’s arm.
    They listened to those gasping breaths not knowing what to do. Their mother quickly came into the room, leaned over the bed and brushed away the damp hair clinging to their father’s forehead.
    Mr. Grey and his daughter lingered off to the side.
    The priest soon entered, read words from the Bible in a monotone voice that promised salvation, and receiving no response other than wheezing breaths of Lord Banfield, he departed.
    Their mother let out a sob, touching the hand hidden beneath the linen. “George?” she whispered. “George, do you hear me?”
    He didn’t respond. His breaths kept wheezing.
    Derek edged away, his vision blurring as tears slipped down his face. Those breaths continued, yes, but the father he knew was gone. A part of him refused to forgive his mother knowing it. How could she have left their father to suffer like this alone?
    Andrew swiped his reddened eyes with the sleeve of his coat and darted out of the room.
    Their mother frantically looked around. Clapping a trembling hand against her mouth, his mother hurried out of the room and down the corridor. “ Dr. Shire !”
    It was a known fact that a Banfield never cried in front of anyone. They laughed, they danced, they played and maybe even shouted at a few people who deserved it, but everything else was reserved for when one was entirely alone. They usually suffered in silence and alone.
    A male hand gripped his shoulder. Mr. Grey quietly walked over to his father’s body that still quaked for breaths and gently laid a hand atop of that resting head. He drew in close and murmured something in that ear, as if sharing one last conversation with his friend. Slowly taking back his hand, he straightened and walking past Derek said, “I adored him.” He blinked back tears and sniffed hard. “I’ll be in London a few weeks to help you and your family through this. Whatever you need, it’s yours.”
    Derek ruthlessly struggled to keep himself from crying before a man he didn’t know.
    Mr. Grey patted his shoulder one last time and strode past toward his daughter. “I will leave you to give your condolences to Mr. Holbrook, Tine. Meet me out in the corridor when you are done. We should let his family share their final moments alone with him.” He left the room.
    Miss Grey walked up to Derek. “I’m so sorry.”
    Derek didn’t meet her gaze. He waited for her to leave the room. So he could cry.
    She edged closer. Reaching up, she awkwardly embraced him with one arm, the scent of marzipan and soap filling his breath. She buried her head against him, her bonnet bumping into his chest. “I don’t usually embrace people.” She adjusted her arm against him. “But you need it.”
    The unexpected gesture and genuine warmth she offered despite the way he treated her made him bring his arms around her. He released a much-needed breath that kept him standing and savagely tightened his hold knowing his father would soon be gone. Unable to keep it in and feeling as if he could be himself in her arms, Derek sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. He dug his fingers harder into those soft shoulders, biting back the need to scream and felt as if he were betraying his father by letting out his grief. Even as a child of six, when he found himself wailing about skinning his knee, his father always nudged his chin up and said, ‘ If a tear could save the world, I would tell you to use it. But given it can’t, I am telling you to save yourself and smile .’
    Miss Grey stiffened against him, her hands rigidly gripping at his school coat.
    Realizing he was holding her too tightly, he loosened his grasp. “I’m sorry,” he choked out against her bonnet. “I’m sorry about the way I treated you earlier. I didn’t mean to—”
    “I’m fine.” She rocked him for a long moment, setting her cheek once again against