Masked Love (A Christmas Regency Novella) by Nicole Zoltack Read Free Book Online

would recognize his face. All we have to go on is his red hair and brown eyes. She’s besotted with him—“
    “As you are me.”
    “As you are me , but I don’t see what good can come of this knowledge. Are not the two of you to be wed on New Year’s Day?”
    He shrugged. “I see no need for two people to be forced into marriage because their parents insist upon it when both parties have already found happiness elsewhere.” Adrian leaned forward. “You are my happiness.”
    Then he strolled out of the study and to the fireplace, the image of the delight in Isabelle’s exquisite brown eyes enough to burn the fire of hope within his chest.

 
     
     
     

     
    Despite his words, Adrian could not avoid Lady Theodosia any longer, and for now at least, he had to continue the charade of being her betrothed. But even she seemed to know it was an act, or merely showed subtle signs of it. She sat farther away from him than she had to. She would barely smile or laugh when he cracked a joke while her mother and father chuckled appreciably. When she did look his way, her blue eyes were cold.
    Only then did it sink in that she had given up on optimism, resigned to their fate, pledged to his side via a shackle not yet broken.
    He would uncover a means to destroy it, or else his eyes would be as frozen as hers.
    The heat of the fire blasted toward him, yet he shivered, half convinced his body would never be warm again unless Isabelle was at his side. The notion of never being with her again suffocated him, and he coughed.
    “Are you all right?” Lady Theodosia asked, her tone sardonic.
    “Does my lady care?” he muttered.
    “I most certainly do!” She sat up straight and stared her nose down at him, looking like a peacock he had once seen strutting across a grassy meadow, her neck the same as the colored bird’s.
    Her parents glanced over. Before they could pick up on the tension growing quite palpable between them, Adrian held out his hand. “It’s lovely out. Would you care to join me for another walk outdoors? I would love to see more of the property.”
    Lady Theodosia jutted out her chin. “I must have twisted my ankle earlier.” She bent down and rubbed her right shoe. “I’m afraid I must decline.”
    Frustrating girl! She knew he wanted to talk to her, and she was not going to allow him to do so privately.
    Well, then, he’d just have to do it in public.
    Adrian stood, stretched, then sat back down, a fair amount closer to her, although not close enough to be deemed improper. “The fire is a wonder to watch. The heat, the roar … the flames. Why, it’s almost like a dance.”
    Lady Theodosia’s face and neck tinged pink. “Not at all. It’s too unpredictable to be a dance.”
    “Spontaneity is not evil,” he countered, referring to her invitation to Isabelle.
    Her cheeks now deepened to a bright red; she knew exactly what he was referring to. Her eyes looked wet, which upset him. He had not intended to make her sorrowful, merely to get her to understand that he was on her side, whether she wanted him to be or not. Christmas equaled happiness, and he wasn’t going to make a lifelong pledge he wasn’t the least bit happy about, not if he could help it. Why she wouldn’t help, though, was beyond maddening.
    “But let’s not talk about anything evil right now,” he added.
    “Oh, good.” She did not relax her posture.
    She didn’t trust him. He inwardly laughed. Lady Theodosia was a smart one. At times.
    “What is your favorite color?” he asked.
    Lady Theodosia blinked. “I know you want to get to know me, my lord, but my favorite color? You can’t come up with a more interesting question than that?” She managed to pull off a teasing tone, and to his relief, her parents began to converse amongst themselves, essentially ignoring them.
    “I’m afraid not. Won’t you please enlighten me? Is it red?” He ran a hand through his brown hair. “Or brown?” He blinked once, then again,