Beloved Abductor Read Free

seize her, smiling sardonically. Her fingers suddenly reached an obstruction, and raced over a pot that hung on the wall. She lowered her eyes, swiftly praying that hope had not shown in her face. She had acted the part of a timid and submissive maiden for months now. Twice she had resisted her cousin’s advances. Almost he had lost his temper with her but for some reason he had held back. But Felicia knew just how unstable and violent was Philip’s nature and she had no desire to meet the same fate as Matilda, so had pretended to be that which she was not. Surely she could play the same game now?
    Even though she had expected her captor to move before now, Felicia jumped when he reached out and grabbed her about the waist. She drooped, having no intention of provoking a swifter, perhaps more violent reaction in an unequal struggle.
    ‘They say revenge is sweet,’ muttered Edmund, his lips nuzzling her ear. ‘What better way of taking it than by possessing that which your enemy holds most dear?’
    ‘You are mistaken,’ she gasped. For a moment she wondered if she was dreaming what was happening. Some remnant of the drug, perhaps, made her feel light-headed still. Then his mouth came down over hers—hard and slightly moist. A shiver passed through her. This was reality. Thanks to his actions she had escaped her cousin, but the price she was expected to pay for such freedom was too high. Anger and apprehension curled in her stomach. He might have just cause for wanting revenge, but she was no common whore to be treated so, but it was only her wits that would gain her freedom now.
    Her lips trembled before yielding to his, causing him to lift his head and gaze at her. Her eyes were shut, dark thick lashes washing the upper curve of her flushed cheeks. Despite what he had heard of her morals, he had expected her to struggle in his arms. Experimentally he kissed her again. She smelt deliciously of lavender, and her body was soft and warm. His hands moved upward in a slow caress and his fingers sought the fastenings of her gown.
    She jumped violently as he undid the first one, and he stopped. Not so quiescent, after all. An unbidden thought surfaced in his mind. What if the rumours were not true? Suddenly he imagined he could hear his mother’s screams of protest, and his breathing quickened, his fingers curling against Felicia’s breasts.
    She was aware of his distraction and was at a loss what to do. Was this the moment when he would move her away from the wall to the floor? She would have no defence then, so she acted in the only way she could think of to hold his attention; deliberately she pressed her body against his. She shivered as he let out a scornful laugh, hating him in that moment for thinking she was so acquiescent, but she responded to his kiss, not resisting as he tugged several more of the fastenings undone. As he began to nuzzle her throat, she opened her eyes, shaken. The unwelcome thought that here was the man who could have ... the unspoken sentence remained unfinished and was swiftly quashed. He wanted to use her for his own ends as surely as Philip did, and she would be better rid of both of them. She swiftly lifted the pot from the wall, and before Edmund could realise what she was about, brought it down on the side of his head.
    When he let out a groan and slowly crumpled to the floor, Felicia was completely taken aback, not expecting him to collapse so instantaneously. She hesitated, then realising that now was not the time for second thoughts, she dragged her skirts free from his outstretched arms and made for the door.
    It opened quickly to her fumbling touch, and she tossed a thankful prayer heavenwards as she came out into a sunlight that winked and flickered through the golden-green foliage of massive trees. She sent a glance round at the oaks and hornbeams that seemed to march on and on, with no end in sight. Which way? She must go swiftly before he regained his senses. Not towards the