about her past . And that only because of her being a naive child who easily took a whimsy to fairytales .
“Is that so?” She hummed out the words and Myra knew she didn’t believe her .
“So,” Seth said when he returned. “Shall we have that picnic , Margaret? ”
“Oh, very well, Seth,” she stammered out. “But I must tell you true .” She sighed in resignation. “You must promise not to tell f ather, though.”
“Not tell father, what?” Seth narrowed his eyes and looked down at her .
“Oh, it is naught of great import, Seth, just something slight ,” Margaret assured. “No need to give such looks of despair!”
“And what would this secret be?”
“Mister Frederickson shall be joining us,” she said reluctantly.
“ Nay .” Seth started walking away, and Margaret gave Myra a pleading look.
“ W hat shall it hurt , Seth ?” Myra defended , although it was against her better judgment to interfere .
“You don’t know that man, Myra . He is a scoundrel , and if rumor is true, he is worse.”
“Then ‘twould be best if you were there and chaperone d , would it not? If you refuse her th is, she may go off and meet him alone the next time.” H e couldn’t argue that , and after he pierced her with a dark stare, he forced a smile.
“ Agreed , but if that man looks at Margaret, or you, in any way that is inappropriate,” he growled, and left his threat hanging. She reached out and touched his arm, but realiz ed the impropriety of the gesture and let go.
“Oh, thank you so much, Seth,” Margaret screeched as she embraced him.
“This shall also afford us the time together ,” he added to Myra, after Margaret walked away and stepped up into the wagon. “You do want that, don’t you?”
Myra turned her head and didn’t answer . Her feeling s for Seth Preston couldn’t surface . She’d not allow it. He took a step toward her . H is face was close and intimate as he stared down at her. She thought he may do the unthinkable and kiss her.
She stepped back.
An ornery grin appeared and a twinkle lit within his blue eyes. Myra cleare d her throat and hoped it might shed her uneasiness. She yearned for his lips next to hers, and her heart raced at the thought, but she could n’t ever let that happen . They equally ha d too much to lose . Aside from that, they both ha d separate paths for t heir future s . Her s was England and his was in the colonies with Cassandra.
“Tis settled,” Seth called up at Margaret. “Let’s get back so you can make that bask et .”
* * *
Try as she might, she couldn’t keep her stare from him . S prawled out on the blanket , he looked equally masculine insomuch as boyish. With outstretched arms, the br oad expanse of his forearms supported his neck. Thick, blond lashes cover ed his eyes and his breathing came slow and paced. Myra looked around and wondered if Zachary and Margaret saw her watching him . She heard them in the distance ; Margaret ’s incessant prattling a bout nothing of import still met her ears . She had been blathering on for the past hour, not giving poor Mister Frederickson a moment of peace. S he almost felt sorr y for him. She m oved closer to ward Seth after she believed they were too distracted to view her . Looking at him, s he thought he was a very fine, ha ndsome man. If her life hadn’t taken the drastic course it did, and her status was still intact, she believe she and Seth could find true happiness with one another. Yet, as a servant, he’d never truly accept her.
She closed in and leaned over him. S he covered her mouth and prevent ed the pent-up sigh release. Blond pieces of his hair sparkled, highligh ted by the sun’s rays of light. The temptation of slip ping her finger around the tendrils and brush ing it off his forehead was great .
He
“Is that so?” She hummed out the words and Myra knew she didn’t believe her .
“So,” Seth said when he returned. “Shall we have that picnic , Margaret? ”
“Oh, very well, Seth,” she stammered out. “But I must tell you true .” She sighed in resignation. “You must promise not to tell f ather, though.”
“Not tell father, what?” Seth narrowed his eyes and looked down at her .
“Oh, it is naught of great import, Seth, just something slight ,” Margaret assured. “No need to give such looks of despair!”
“And what would this secret be?”
“Mister Frederickson shall be joining us,” she said reluctantly.
“ Nay .” Seth started walking away, and Margaret gave Myra a pleading look.
“ W hat shall it hurt , Seth ?” Myra defended , although it was against her better judgment to interfere .
“You don’t know that man, Myra . He is a scoundrel , and if rumor is true, he is worse.”
“Then ‘twould be best if you were there and chaperone d , would it not? If you refuse her th is, she may go off and meet him alone the next time.” H e couldn’t argue that , and after he pierced her with a dark stare, he forced a smile.
“ Agreed , but if that man looks at Margaret, or you, in any way that is inappropriate,” he growled, and left his threat hanging. She reached out and touched his arm, but realiz ed the impropriety of the gesture and let go.
“Oh, thank you so much, Seth,” Margaret screeched as she embraced him.
“This shall also afford us the time together ,” he added to Myra, after Margaret walked away and stepped up into the wagon. “You do want that, don’t you?”
Myra turned her head and didn’t answer . Her feeling s for Seth Preston couldn’t surface . She’d not allow it. He took a step toward her . H is face was close and intimate as he stared down at her. She thought he may do the unthinkable and kiss her.
She stepped back.
An ornery grin appeared and a twinkle lit within his blue eyes. Myra cleare d her throat and hoped it might shed her uneasiness. She yearned for his lips next to hers, and her heart raced at the thought, but she could n’t ever let that happen . They equally ha d too much to lose . Aside from that, they both ha d separate paths for t heir future s . Her s was England and his was in the colonies with Cassandra.
“Tis settled,” Seth called up at Margaret. “Let’s get back so you can make that bask et .”
* * *
Try as she might, she couldn’t keep her stare from him . S prawled out on the blanket , he looked equally masculine insomuch as boyish. With outstretched arms, the br oad expanse of his forearms supported his neck. Thick, blond lashes cover ed his eyes and his breathing came slow and paced. Myra looked around and wondered if Zachary and Margaret saw her watching him . She heard them in the distance ; Margaret ’s incessant prattling a bout nothing of import still met her ears . She had been blathering on for the past hour, not giving poor Mister Frederickson a moment of peace. S he almost felt sorr y for him. She m oved closer to ward Seth after she believed they were too distracted to view her . Looking at him, s he thought he was a very fine, ha ndsome man. If her life hadn’t taken the drastic course it did, and her status was still intact, she believe she and Seth could find true happiness with one another. Yet, as a servant, he’d never truly accept her.
She closed in and leaned over him. S he covered her mouth and prevent ed the pent-up sigh release. Blond pieces of his hair sparkled, highligh ted by the sun’s rays of light. The temptation of slip ping her finger around the tendrils and brush ing it off his forehead was great .
He
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