Spellbound Read Free Page B

into a knot on her head. All the while, she pondered his
offer.
    Was she actually
considering it? She couldn’t possibly! He couldn’t possibly! It was
true that some members of the aristocracy had actually led their
mistresses from the theater to the altar but never a duke and never
without having any knowledge of the actress, whether carnal or
intellectual.
    She flushed suddenly, her
poise all but deserting her. She was considering it. The thought of
never having to worry over Linnet’s future was strong and only for
her sister would she dare even think of marrying the Duke of
Windhaven.
    Splashing water on her face
one more time, Raven left her room, completely forgetting that she
actually had a maid now. She met her on the stairs. In Meg’s hands
was a tray bearing chocolate and toast.
    “Oh, milady!” exclaimed Meg
in distress. “I’m that late, am I?”
    “No, Meg,” replied Raven
reassuringly. “I am a distressingly early riser.” She smiled
pleasantly. “I have no need of you this morning so if you would
like to do something of your own choosing, please feel
free.”
    Meg bobbed a curtsy. “Thank
you kindly, milady.” Her smile broke forth suddenly. “I think I
will go outside. They do say belowstairs that the lake is finally
froze over.”
    Raven waved her on her way
and continued down the hall. As she passed what she discovered was
a small bookroom of sorts, the door opened and Windhaven stepped
out. She gave a start, her hand flying to her breast.
    His pale brows quirked a
bit. “Overdoing it a bit, aren’t you?” he asked dryly.
    Raven frowned. “Overdoing
what, exactly, your grace? You frightened me, if truth be
known.”
    “What do you know of
truth?” he asked sharply.
    She lowered her voice
dramatically. “I could ask you the same thing, Lord
Windhaven.”
    “Could you? Are you
impugning my honor by calling me a liar?”
    Raven heard the note of
actual anger in his deep voice. “Is that not what you are doing by
having me here, my lord? I do not impugn your honor. I made a
simple observation.”
    Windhaven stared down at
her. “Why do you behave around me as though you are not afraid of
me?” he asked suddenly.
    “Because I’m not,” she said
candidly, too surprised to utter less than the truth. “You are
gruff because you find it a pleasure to intimidate people but you
are not truly dangerous.”
    His green eyes darkened
considerably and Raven wondered momentarily if perhaps she’d made a
miscalculation in her assessment. At that particular moment, he
appeared very dangerous indeed.
    He smiled suddenly,
blindingly. Raven was stunned by that smile. He really ought to do
it more often, she thought in wonder. He had a dimple in his left
cheek. It was amazing how a smile could so transform a person. He
went from being a surly, gruff man to being the hero of every young
girl’s dreams.
    “Lady Rachael?”
    Raven snapped back to
reality. The duke was looking at her in concern and she realized it
had been he who had called her Rachael. She wondered if she would
ever get used to that name.
    If you accept his offer,
you will have to, taunted a little voice in her head. You’d be
living a lie for the rest of your life.
    Raven shook it off and
smiled. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t attending.”
    “That was obvious,” he said
dryly. “I asked if you’d step into my office with me. I want to
talk to you away from prying ears.”
    As she preceded him into
the rather cluttered room, she remarked, “We do tend to speak
unwisely, do we not?”
    He grunted in reply,
returning to his seat behind a beautifully carved mahogany desk.
Raven studied the meticulous carvings intently, impressed with the
quality and detail presented. The whole desk was a veritable work
of art.
    “Do you like it?” the duke
asked suddenly.
    “Yes, very much,” she
replied at once. “It is quite the most beautiful thing I have ever
seen.”
    “Yes, I agree,” Windhaven
said softly. But he was not looking at the