Whispered Music (London Fairy Tales 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

front of two infuriatingly attractive men.
    Half-expecting them to shy away from her in outrage, she was stunned to find Dominique immediately at her side.
    “Can you walk? Here, just lean on me.” He felt her forehead and mumbled something to Hunter, but she was barely listening. Her stomach did more flops.
    Dominique led her out of the captain’s quarters onto the deck of the large ship. They were already far away from shore, or at least it seemed that way. Everything was pitch black.
    “The horizon. You need to look at the horizon,” Dominique urged.
    “There’s nothing to look at. It’s all black,” she mumbled into his chest.
    “Try,” he demanded.
    Nodding her head, she looked out at the horizon and still saw black but felt immensely better being on the deck rather than cooped up with the two men.
    “You’ll get your sea legs soon enough.” Dominique sighed.
    “Mayhap it was your presence that caused me to become ill.”
    “Wouldn’t be the first time.”
    Isabelle's shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry. That was terribly rude of me. I don’t mean to constantly be on the attack, it’s just that…”
    “It’s better this way,” Dominique growled. “This way I know exactly where you stand. Far, far away from myself, on the opposite end of what I could never hope to deserve or earn. Truly, if you were kind to me I may just have to like you, and as it so happens, we aren’t in any danger of that happening—not now, not ever.”
    The man's mood swings were making her just as ill as the rocking boat. Shaking her head, she could only look at his stone cold face, the same face that minutes ago held compassion and tenderness. He either needed to visit Bedlam, or he truly was the type of man that would stop at nothing to push those away from him. Including her.
    “I say, are you all right?” Hunter came up behind them. “Miss Ward says you should return to your room for a spell.”
    “No!” she blurted. “I mean, that is, may I stay out on the deck for a while? I’m not used to being in such close quarters.”
    Hunter studied her for a minute. “As long as you promise not to throw yourself overboard. I’m a dreadful swimmer and this one over here—” he pointed at Dominique— “would surely drown with all that facial hair.”
    Dominique’s answer was to glare, but he didn’t deny the truth.
    Hunter was obviously trying to cheer her up, but the man was just as much a devil as Dominique was. Only more cunning in the way he minced words. Almost as if he was waiting for the right time for her weakness to consume her, before he devoured her. But then again, that could just be the sickness and imagination playing tricks on her.
    “I’ll try to restrain myself from such a calming idea,” Isabelle retorted, then walked away from both men.
    ****
    “Well, I believe that went swimmingly.” Hunter clapped his hands together then pulled a cheroot out of his jacket and lit it. The winter air was crisp which was exactly what Dominique needed if his blood was to cool from being in such close proximity to Isabelle.
    Her soft body smelled of lavender, and he found himself more than once breathing in the scent of her hair as he held her close to his body. For a moment he had forgotten who he was; his concern for her muddied his thoughts. That was until she stiffened beneath his touch.
    How could he forget? He was the beast, and would always be such.
    “Yes, well, I don’t believe I’ll be able to obtain her matrimonial yes on a night such as this.”
    Hunter shook his head. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”
    “What the devil are you talking about? She’s ill! Even if she were healthy she still wouldn't be in agreeable mood.”
    His friend blew out a puff of smoke. “She doesn’t have to be agreeable, she just has to agree, correct?”
    “She’ll agree. I own her.” Dominique reminded him.
    “Yes, but it seems to me she needs a little coaxing or reminding of that simple fact. She’s strutting all