"Sharon Green - [ebel 01 - Rebel" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Sharon)

see you again, to learn what a beautiful woman youтАЩve grown up to be. IтАЩll - see you in the morning.тАЭ
And then he was gone, striding to the bedchamber door and then out before closing the door behind
himself. Adair could barely stand up and walking was even worse, but walking was the only way to get
to the bed. When she finally reached the bed she collapsed onto it, and only then did she let the tears
come. That beast had said he cared about her; of course he did, just the way everyone else in her life
cared. Exactly the same wayтАж
***
For some reason Mayne had trouble sleeping, so he took an early breakfast in his apartment, let the
servants pack his few belongings, and then he was ready to leave. He got down to the mansionтАЩs side
entrance in time to see the coach pull up, and then he watched as three trunks worth of AdairтАЩs
possessions were loaded. While that was being done, MayneтАЩs escort, led by Danil Frayne, showed up,
MayneтАЩs own horse saddled and ready for him.
тАЬWell, weтАЩre ready to go,тАЭ Danil said in his deep voice, the red-haired man even bigger than Mayne.
тАЬHow long do you think weтАЩll have to wait until the lady shows up?тАЭ
тАЬNot long, I hope,тАЭ Mayne replied, a flash of guilt surprising him. He hadnтАЩt intended to spank Adair
quite that hard last night, not when she would have to spend more than half the day today in a coach, but
the spanking had - kind of - gotten away from him. The fact that she remained silent made him believe he
wasnтАЩt getting through to her, and that in turn had made him try harder and harder and
тАЬI was surprised to see you standing alone, my prince,тАЭ Danil went on, happily noticing nothing of
MayneтАЩs inner turmoil. тАЬI caught a glimpse of the duke when we were leaving the servantsтАЩ quarters we
were given. He was all dressed and striding along giving orders of some kind to two secretaries, so I
expected to see him here with you. Did he show up and then have to leave again?тАЭ
тАЬNo, I havenтАЩt seen a sign of him,тАЭ Mayne said, now feeling the frown he wore. тАЬHe must be involved in
something important thatтАЩs delayed him, but IтАЩm sure heтАЩll show up in a minute or two. After all, heтАЩll
want to say goodbye to his daughter.тАЭ
Danil made a sound of agreement, and then they had nothing to do but stand and wait. It was still rather
early, but just a few minutes later a servant came up with a carry-bag that he put inside the coach rather
than
with the rest of the luggage. Mayne thought he knew what was in the bag, so he stopped the servant once
the man had completed his chore.
тАЬDoes that bag hold Lady AdairтАЩs books?тАЭ Mayne asked, and when the servant nodded Mayne added
his own nod. тАЬThat has to mean sheтАЩs up and about, and hopefully almost ready to leave. She isnтАЩt
lingering over her breakfast, I hope?тАЭ
тАЬThe lady тАж refused breakfast,тАЭ the servant admitted hesitantly, as if owning up to some sort of crime.
тАЬShe wouldnтАЩt even take fresh tea, just drank a cup of the cold tea from yesterday. None of the others
cared, but I - SheтАЩs all dressed, Your Highness, and ought to be down in a minute or two.тАЭ
And then the servant hurried back into the house, a disturbance of some kind still in his eyes. For the
briefest moment Mayne thought the man might be in love with Adair, but then the truth pushed its way
through. The man disliked the way the other servants thought of and treated Adair, and rather than love
her he simply felt sorry for her.
тАЬAnd here she comes now,тАЭ Danil said softly, the words recapturing MayneтАЩs wandering thoughts. тАЬThat
is one beautiful woman, my prince, which makes you and your royal brothers very lucky men.тАЭ
Danil had no idea that Adair was already MayneтАЩs wife, of course, not when the unmentioned deals
werenтАЩt supposed to be made public. And looking at Adair as she approached with an escort of house
guards, Mayne was delighted all over again that this unmentioned deal had been made.
Adair wore a traveling outfit of red and white, a long red skirt, a very white blouse, and a red jacket to
match the skirt. Her shoes were also red, and her beautiful black hair was caught up in the net attached
to her small red and white hat. That there was no expression on her lovely face made her seem regal and
distant, and suddenly Mayne couldnтАЩt wait for their actual wedding night when heтАЩd be able to take her in
his arms. He smiled as she approached, eager to tell her how incredible she looked - and she walked