Wilhelmina A Novella Read Online Free PDF

the drawer and I stared in wonder. How had he managed to get his ashen hands on that?
    ‘I can give it to you,’ he smiled cunningly, but there was still mischief in his eyes.
    ‘What are you doing up here, sir?’ I asked. His smile faded a bit, and he twiddled the key in his fingers.
    ‘To be honest, I was waiting for you,’ he said.
    ‘For me?’
    ‘The governess has told us all about your little war a few months ago, and how you’re such a stubborn child. We had a laugh, and I was going to leave it at that, but I knew you would come here looking for the letters tonight,’ he said. I was amazed and, admittedly, somewhat fascinated by the fact that he had known that I would come looking for the letters, specifically tonight. ‘You see, most people don’t know that I have a… special gift . It’s my own little secret.’
    ‘What is it?’ I asked, mesmerized by his deep eyes as he spoke.
    ‘I sense deceit and betrayal, and I could feel it coming strongly from your ward this evening. It didn’t take me long to figure out that you’d be coming here, and look; here you are, proof in the point.’
    ‘Are you going to tell?’ I asked wearily. He knelt down and smiled, reassuringly, though his dark red eyes still made my stomach quiver with fear.
    ‘No, I just want to ask a favor of you,’ he said. ‘You see, just like the governess, I, too, know Charles. I saw him not long ago, in London, working in the field of medicine with a colleague of his.’
    ‘You have?’ I asked. ‘Is he alright?’
    He smiled again, flashing his perfect smile. Half of me was allured to his dazzling smile and gaze, but half of me felt a near-irresistible to run, like I could sense that he was a predator - a snake - posed to strike. But the very mention of Charles' name held me firmly in place.
    'He's just fine - he even told me about you, his little Wilhelmina.'
    ‘What did he say?’ I asked.
    ‘He told me of how wonderful you are, and how soft you feel,’ the stranger said. ‘I used to have children of my own, and my daughter used to sit on my lap at the end of a long day and I would read to her. But I haven’t felt the warmth and joy of a child in many years.’
    ‘Why not?’ I asked. The sorrow in his eyes lured me a little closer as I grew a bit curious about his past.
    ‘I lost her to an illness many years ago, but I miss her terribly,' he said. ‘I will make you a deal; you sit on my lap for a moment, and I will give you this key.’
    He widened his eyes innocently, but I was still hesitant. I yearned for Charles’ letters, and would do anything to get to them, but the instinctual guttural feeling gnawing away at my insides was telling me to run as fast as I could. I could even feel the adrenaline rushing through my body to the soles of my feet.
    ‘Please... For my daughter’s memory, as well as Charles’?’
    ‘Okay,’ I nodded.
    How could I say no to Charles’ name?
    He smiled brilliantly and sat on the couch, patting his knee. I slowly tiptoed across the cold floor and slowly sat down with my back to him. He wrapped an arm around my waist and I tried to relax my tense body against his hard cold stomach.
    ‘There, that’s not so bad, is it?’
    His cold whispers flooded my senses with anxiety. I shook my head, nervously gripping his other knee as I waited to get the key; my key to get Charles back into my world.
    I tensed as he brushed my long curls back and ran a cool finger down the length of my neck. Then, he gently gripped my neck with his palm, and guided my head back until I was staring up at the ceiling.
    ‘So young,’ he whispered hungrily. ‘So ripe.’
    ‘Sir, I would like the key now,’ I said, struggling out of his hold.
    However, he did not let me go. His grip tightened, and his voice grew huskier as he continued to run his fingers over my neck.
    ‘Virgin blood, waiting to be tasted; I will never understand how Charles was able to resist for three long years.’ He breathed as he