where he stood just inside the door.
“Mason, my boy!” the man exclaimed, overjoyed. Mason smiled and strode to his father’s bedside. Cassidy made to move to leave room for the son to attend his father, but LaMont Carlisle’s strong hand covered her own where it lay at his side, staying her. Cassidy was entirely astounded as Mason leaned over, embracing his father firmly and receiving a strong embrace and a slap on the back in return. Never had she seen even her own brother embrace her father. It surprised her somehow that a man as sternly disciplined and angry-tempered as Mason Carlisle would show such affection openly. Releasing his son then, LaMont added, “Now, do tell me…what nonsense have you wrought on this girl?”
Mason grinned at his father, his eyes unfamiliarly warm. “No more than she has labored to bestow on me,” he answered.
Cassidy herself had not heard her own involuntary gasp at his understating his behavior toward her—understated in her own estimation at least.
“Well,” LaMont boomed , “ s he seems to think you’re not in earnest, my boy,” the great man chuckled. Mason simply shrugged his shoulders indifferently. “Never fear, my dove,” LaMont said to Cassidy , “ f or it’s well that I know my own son. He’s ever as I was at his age. I know his mischief.”
“Shame on you, Mason,” Devonna scolded teasingly from nearby.
LaMont chuckled once more, lifted Cassidy’s hand to his lips , and kissed it tenderly. “Never you fear, Miss Cassidy Shea, for the moment he has felt the sweetness of your kiss, he’ll be forever bewitched by you alone.”
Again Cassidy was mortified at the teasing manner of the Carlisles. To openly mention such actions was beyond her understanding. And further, to make light of them! It was, she thought fleetingly, as if the entire family were made of the same stuff as Ellis.
“Oh, for pity’s sake, LaMont! Let the girl alone,” Devonna exclaimed, coming to sit next to Cassidy on the bed. “She’ll fairly flee from us as fast as her feet will carry her if you do not let her be.”
LaMont chuckled warmly. “So be it then. Now,” he began, sitting back comfortably against his pillows once more, “say something to me, Miss Shea, that I may hear the melody of your voice. For I believe you’ve said not beyond five words to me since you entered my chamber.”
Cassidy felt the hot blush of embarrassment rise to her cheeks as she felt every pair of eyes in the room intent upon her. For a moment she feared she might suddenly burst into tears and run from them all, unable to endure one more moment of this new situation in which she found herself. But when the great man that lay in the bed upon which she sat again drew her hand to his lips, patting her hand warmly after kissing it, she was encouraged.
“What do you wish me to say, sir?” she managed to utter.
“What do I wish you to say, is it?” he mused. Then, glancing to his son, he answered, “Tell me of your thoughts when first you saw our young Mason.”
Cassidy paused, glancing up quickly to find the intensity of Mason’s disapproving gaze fully on her. “I-I… c ould you make clearer known what you mean me to say?”
LaMont Carlisle chuckled once more. “I mean you to say what initially your mind spoke to you when first you set eyes upon my son. Truthfully. Say it now to me.”
Cassidy continued to pause, unwilling to speak her mind, for she did remember her very first thought of Mason Carlisle but was unsure how to convey it to the father without revealing too much to the son.
“You’ve terrified her into silence, Father. She fears retribution at my hand for hearing her mind,” Mason mumbled.
“Very well then, Mason,” Lord Carlisle continued, “for the fact that you’ve petrified her into silence, let us hear your first thought at laying eyes on this young dove. Come now, boy. Speak your mind.”
Immediately Cassidy felt tears threatening to brim in her eyes. How
“Mason, my boy!” the man exclaimed, overjoyed. Mason smiled and strode to his father’s bedside. Cassidy made to move to leave room for the son to attend his father, but LaMont Carlisle’s strong hand covered her own where it lay at his side, staying her. Cassidy was entirely astounded as Mason leaned over, embracing his father firmly and receiving a strong embrace and a slap on the back in return. Never had she seen even her own brother embrace her father. It surprised her somehow that a man as sternly disciplined and angry-tempered as Mason Carlisle would show such affection openly. Releasing his son then, LaMont added, “Now, do tell me…what nonsense have you wrought on this girl?”
Mason grinned at his father, his eyes unfamiliarly warm. “No more than she has labored to bestow on me,” he answered.
Cassidy herself had not heard her own involuntary gasp at his understating his behavior toward her—understated in her own estimation at least.
“Well,” LaMont boomed , “ s he seems to think you’re not in earnest, my boy,” the great man chuckled. Mason simply shrugged his shoulders indifferently. “Never fear, my dove,” LaMont said to Cassidy , “ f or it’s well that I know my own son. He’s ever as I was at his age. I know his mischief.”
“Shame on you, Mason,” Devonna scolded teasingly from nearby.
LaMont chuckled once more, lifted Cassidy’s hand to his lips , and kissed it tenderly. “Never you fear, Miss Cassidy Shea, for the moment he has felt the sweetness of your kiss, he’ll be forever bewitched by you alone.”
Again Cassidy was mortified at the teasing manner of the Carlisles. To openly mention such actions was beyond her understanding. And further, to make light of them! It was, she thought fleetingly, as if the entire family were made of the same stuff as Ellis.
“Oh, for pity’s sake, LaMont! Let the girl alone,” Devonna exclaimed, coming to sit next to Cassidy on the bed. “She’ll fairly flee from us as fast as her feet will carry her if you do not let her be.”
LaMont chuckled warmly. “So be it then. Now,” he began, sitting back comfortably against his pillows once more, “say something to me, Miss Shea, that I may hear the melody of your voice. For I believe you’ve said not beyond five words to me since you entered my chamber.”
Cassidy felt the hot blush of embarrassment rise to her cheeks as she felt every pair of eyes in the room intent upon her. For a moment she feared she might suddenly burst into tears and run from them all, unable to endure one more moment of this new situation in which she found herself. But when the great man that lay in the bed upon which she sat again drew her hand to his lips, patting her hand warmly after kissing it, she was encouraged.
“What do you wish me to say, sir?” she managed to utter.
“What do I wish you to say, is it?” he mused. Then, glancing to his son, he answered, “Tell me of your thoughts when first you saw our young Mason.”
Cassidy paused, glancing up quickly to find the intensity of Mason’s disapproving gaze fully on her. “I-I… c ould you make clearer known what you mean me to say?”
LaMont Carlisle chuckled once more. “I mean you to say what initially your mind spoke to you when first you set eyes upon my son. Truthfully. Say it now to me.”
Cassidy continued to pause, unwilling to speak her mind, for she did remember her very first thought of Mason Carlisle but was unsure how to convey it to the father without revealing too much to the son.
“You’ve terrified her into silence, Father. She fears retribution at my hand for hearing her mind,” Mason mumbled.
“Very well then, Mason,” Lord Carlisle continued, “for the fact that you’ve petrified her into silence, let us hear your first thought at laying eyes on this young dove. Come now, boy. Speak your mind.”
Immediately Cassidy felt tears threatening to brim in her eyes. How
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