Amaryllis

Amaryllis by Jayne Castle Page A

Book: Amaryllis by Jayne Castle Read Free Book Online
Authors: Jayne Castle
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didn’t use an agency when you got married the first time?”
    â€œHell, no.” His mouth curved faintly. “I was an islander. I knew how to take care of myself. I’d been running a successful company since I was twenty-four. I could find jelly-ice in the heart of the jungle. I was rich and getting richer. I figured I could choose my own wife without any help from the experts.”
    â€œWhat happened?”
    Lucas looked away for a brief moment. When his eyes methers again they were unreadable. “The same thing the experts say usually happens when people choose their own spouses. I screwed up big time.”
    â€œThat is so sad. Were you very much in love?”
    â€œSure.” Lucas gave her a laconic look. “People who run off to get married always think they’re in love, don’t they? Why else would they run off?”
    â€œI don’t know.” Amaryllis looked down at her hands. “My parents ran off together shortly after I was born. But they didn’t get married. They couldn’t. My father already had a wife.”
    Understanding lit Lucas’s eyes. “I see.”
    â€œThey were both killed in a storm on the way to the Western Islands. I was with my aunt at the time. Everyone thinks my parents intended to start over under a new name and send for me when they found work.”
    â€œI’m sorry.” Lucas hesitated. “So you were left… alone?”
    She smiled wanly. “You may as well use the right word. I was illegitimate. One of the things that attracted me to Gifford was that he didn’t seem to care about the fact that I was a bastard. Some people do, you know.”
    â€œYeah. I know.”
    â€œBut to answer your question, no, I wasn’t alone. My mother’s people took me in.”
    â€œYour aunt and uncle?”
    â€œYes. And the rest of the Larks, too. They were all kind and loving. I couldn’t have asked for a better family.”
    â€œWhat about your father’s people?”
    Amaryllis poured herself another cup of coff-tea. “They prefer to pretend that I don’t exist.”
    â€œFigures.”
    A short silence descended. It lasted just long enough for Amaryllis to again regret having invited Lucas in for coff-tea. What on St. Helens had gotten into her, she wondered. She had just told a virtual stranger some of her most deeply held secrets. Not all of them, but more than enough. She had turned into a blathering idiot. And all because she’d felt sorry for a client.
    It was time she went back to behaving in a more professional manner.
    She glanced pointedly at the clock. “It’s getting late.”
    â€œSo it is.” Lucas got to his feet with a surprising show of reluctance. “I’ll be on my way. Thanks for the coff-tea.”
    â€œYou’re welcome.”
    He smiled wryly. “And the sympathy.”
    Amaryllis softened. “I know it must have been a difficult evening for you.”
    â€œI’ve had worse.” He scooped his jacket off the stool and started for the door.
    Amaryllis trailed after him. “Lucas, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”
    He turned around with unexpected swiftness. “Yeah?”
    â€œThat other talent you detected tonight,” she began slowly.
    Something that could have been disappointment flashed in his eyes. The next instant it was gone. “What about him?”
    â€œWhen I sensed him through you, I realized that he was very powerful. But I couldn’t identify the type of talent he was focusing. I’ve never come in contact with any psychic energy of that nature. It was very subtle but very strong.”
    â€œHe was good,” Lucas agreed without much interest.
    â€œWell, you’re the great detector,” she challenged. “Could you tell what sort of psychic power the person was focusing?”
    Lucas looked amused. “You didn’t realize who the talent

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