Christmas at Draycott Abbey by Christina Skye Read Free Book Online Page B

bad weather and illness. She would wait for him here, in the protection of her family, since he had no family of his own. He had already asked his old friend Adrian Draycott to keep a protective eye on her while he was away.
    He had not told her any of this yet, knowing it would break her heart. She would rail and demand to go with him, no matter the danger or inconvenience.
    The journey was out of the question. He would not see her dead from one of the strange miasms that felled so many travelers in the tropics.
    He heard her turn and give a sudden laugh of pleasure. A dark figure loomed up from the candlelight. White lace fluttered at black velvet sleeves.
    The fourth viscount was always elegant, but tonight he outdid himself. A different beautiful woman graced his arm. He never seemed to keep the same woman for more than one night.
    A pity. Had Adrian found luck in love, his life would be so much richer.
    “Glorious, as ever, my dear. Are you quite certain you mean to have this scapegrace friend of mine? If not, I’ll sweep you away to the altar this night. I have a Special License at hand, should you agree.”
    “You are the veriest rogue, my lord. But no, my heart is given.” She turned, her eyes shining.
    Ian felt the force of her love strike him and knew he was the luckiest of men.

     
    Now, in the quiet room, the memory of her love reached out to him across the centuries….
    They had been lovers once, centuries before.
    The force of the knowledge made Ian’s body tighten and his blood stir. Who was she? And what was this damnable fantasy that seemed to capture them both?
    Her hands trembled against his. Almost without conscious thought, Ian brought them to his face, struck by how much they had lost.
    None of it made sense. Yet he did not move. As she slept, he kept a lonely vigil with images that felt like memories.

Clair sat up, disoriented, listening to hail hammer at the windows. A gray cat studied her from the bottom of the bed, its long tail twitching. The great animal seemed possessive, as if he was well accustomed to claiming this bed.
    Had she seen a cat here before?
    She couldn’t remember.
    She stood up slowly and winced as the floor spun beneath her. With a gasp she caught the back of the wingchair, closing her eyes until the waves of dizziness passed.
    Still too weak.
    She rubbed her head, wincing at the sudden stab of pain. She had to try the inspector again.
    As she walked to the desk, the door opened.
    “You shouldn’t be up.” A tall man with charcoal eyes and broad shoulders crossed the room. Clair recognized him from her flight at the moat.
    She shrank back.
    “No need to be frightened. You shouldn’t be on your feet. You need to rest,” he said roughly. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll get it for you.”
    “Who—are you?”
    “Ian Sinclair. Metropolitan Police Service. “How do you feel, Ms…..”
    Clair watched him prowl the room and pull the curtains closed, his focus almost palpable. She didn’t answer his question. “I’m tired. I was going back to sleep. You don’t need to stay, Mr. Sinclair.”
    “Ian. I’ll help you back to bed.”
    Her hands tightened. “I’ll be fine. You can go.”
    With a shrug he sat down in the wingchair beside the door. “Not tonight.”
    “You can’t be serious . You’re staying here in my room?” Clair ran a hand over her forehead, frowning as the pain continued to build.
    “Two men have come looking for you tonight. I’d like to know why they are so interested.”
    Her hands trembled. “I knew they would. I—I have to get to London. I need to call—“
    “You need to rest,” Ian said flatly.
    Clair didn’t move. “Where are they now?”
    “They drove off.”
    “They won’t go away. They can’t afford to.” Her voice shook. “Not now.
    “Why? What makes them so interested in you?”
    She closed her eyes, trying to sort out whether he was telling the truth. If he was with the police, surely she could trust