Tears of Gold

Tears of Gold Read Free Page A

Book: Tears of Gold Read Free
Author: Laurie McBain
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burning face in the coolness of his pillow as a tear trickled from the corner of his eye. “She was so beautiful, Nick. There was something so wild and free about her, something I envied. In her moods, she was like an untamed creature. But the danger was worth it. When she’d smile at you, her mouth…” Julian murmured softly, his voice trailing off as his eyes closed.
    Nicholas Chantale stood up and drew the blankets closer about his nephew’s shoulders. He stared down at the young man, hardly more than a boy, and felt a deep resentment, a barely controlled rage growing within him as he thought of the woman who had so heartlessly driven his nephew into attempting to take his own life. As he looked down at Julian’s boyish face, he was reminded of another fair-haired Adonis and a face he’d once known even better than he knew this one.
    As Nicholas stood silently, deep in thought, the door opened and the doctor entered, followed by Julian’s mother. The countess, Lady Sande, glanced hesitantly at her brother and moved quietly to the side of the bed. At Nicholas’s nod she gave a shuddering sigh of relief and gazed down lovingly at her son.
    “I do not understand at all,” the countess cried. “If only Charles were here. He would know what to do. But at least I have you, Nicholas, and for that I am most thankful. It was fated that you should be in London at this time, for without Charles I am completely helpless.”
    “Did you send a message to him?” Nicholas asked as he pulled a chair up close to the bed and gently pushed the countess into it.
    Turning her tear-swollen eyes away from her son’s flushed face, she gazed distractedly up at her brother.
    “Charles. Is the earl on his way?” Nicholas patiently reminded her.
    “Yes, of course. Charles is coming down from Edinburgh immediately,” the countess answered absently as she turned to the doctor. “You will not let anything happen to mon petit Julian, doctor? Il est mon fils, mon enfant unique. Nicholas,” she cried, lapsing into her native French as she pleaded for her son’s life.
    “That I ever left New Orleans and came to this land I now regret. Mon Dieu! I should have listened to Papa and never married an Englishman. My sins have caught up with me for defying the family. I shall lose my Julian and cause the good Charles such pain…My fault, all my fault,” she whispered brokenly.
    “Denise, please, you’re making yourself ill.” Nicholas realized he went unheard as she turned to him, a determined glint in her eyes.
    “ Mon frère , Nicholas, you must promise me that you find this person and exact retribution from her. I will not live in peace until you do. And if,” she choked over her next words, “if mon bébé dies, then you must kill this creature as well. Promise you will seek vengeance for this act of cruelty. Promise!” she cried as she struggled to her feet.
    “Madam! You must control yourself,” the doctor warned, “or I shall be forced to confine your ladyship to your room. I will not have any emotional outbursts in the sickroom.” He noted her rapid breathing and vivid color and sighed. Why couldn’t his patient be of an ordinary English family? These French were so volatile. He felt quite drained after every meeting with the countess. Whatever she was saying now was agitating her into a passion, and he didn’t care to have a collapsed countess on his hands as well as the wounded son.
    The doctor sent an imploring look to the tall French-American. “You really must try to calm the countess down. She will not listen to me. I’m only her doctor, after all. These hysterics are dangerous for both her and my patient,” the doctor told him sternly, despite his feelings of unease in issuing such an order to the rugged-looking man towering over him.
    “It is enough, Denise. You do no one any good by continuing in this manner. I know you are suffering, but—” Nicholas tried to soothe her.
    “ Non! You do not know what I

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