Parthena's Promise by Valerie Holmes Read Free Book Online Page B

you,” he added.
    “I thought you too were offering me something that I could not accept,” she said quietly. “I had sunk low, but not so…”
    “What was that then?” he asked.
    “I thought you would want to give a bed for the night as payment for…” she could not find the words. Aware of the water cooling and her nakedness, she stood up and stepped out, wrapping the piece of towel around her body and dabbing herself dry by the fire.
    Jerome had looked at the looking glass and watched her, but quickly turned his head away again as he took no joy from her knowing he had seen her in the flesh, although he could think of many a way that he could find joy with her, for both of them, if she were willing. The thought warmed his heart.
    Thena asked him to throw her clean chemise from her bag, and a dress. She watched as he produced the chemise, but was horrified when he walked over to her and handed it to her personally.
    “The dress… you forgot it… I have a day dress I can change into.” She pointed to her bag. “You must have seen it.”
    “Wear that and slip under the covers of the bed and warm up properly.” He flipped back the bed cover.
    “Do you intend to rape me now – is that it?” Her eyes were wide with fear, but as he stepped right up to her, with only a thin fabric between him and her body, she was feeling more than fear. He placed one finger under her chin, tilted it up so that her lips were almost touching his as he leaned down to her. She could feel his warmth, smell his musk and sense his desire. He kissed her ever so tenderly, his lips lightly brushing hers.
    With the fire warming her back and him warming her heart, she was confused, but before she could turn away he suddenly stepped back and smiled at her. “Do not flatter yourself, Miss Munro.”
    She had to turn away, ashamed.
    “I have business to attend to. You will stay here and await my return. To venture downstairs would be a big mistake.”
    Thena glanced over her shoulder; she doubted she could feel more shamed than he had already succeeded in making her. It was all her own fault, Thena blamed only herself – well, she blamed her cousin first, but her actions of late had been of her own making. She watched as he picked up her bag and headed for the door.
    “You can’t take that!” Fear crept up her spine at the thought his repayment for her dishonesty might be to desert her there, leave her penniless and near enough naked in such a place. Did he seek her total ruination?
    He bent down and collected the dress she had taken off as well. “Yes, I can. I intend to for your own good.”
    “But what am I to wear?” Panic threatened to overwhelm her. Her legs trembled as tears welled up inside her.
    “The chemise, I told you. Now slip into bed and do not venture outside of the room. You would definitely not get far in here dressed like that. I will be back shortly.”
    “Will you?” the words slipped out of her mouth as a desperate plea and he paused. Her question hung in the air and momentarily he did not answer her. A tear escaped her and trickled down her cheek.
    “You will have to learn to trust me, as I did you.” He could not look her in the eye, and left.
    *
    Jerome did not intend to go far away at all. He could not risk Thena running again or her being discovered. She was a soul who needed saving, but she was also desperate and that desperation had already led her to commit an act of great folly. Fortunately it had been against him and not just any returning soldier. He asked the girl, Sally, if the laundry she mentioned could clean Miss Munro’s dress and undergarments. He then booked the room for a further night.
    “Food for the young, miss?” the serving woman asked, as she held forward a pewter plate on which something resembling stewed pork and turnip had been poured. It looked warm, not enticing, but it was sustenance after all.
    “Thank you.” He took it. For a moment Jerome stood there holding her bag in