To Eternity by Daisy Banks Read Free Book Online Page B

Self-analysis proved hard. It wasn’t the child, or in this case grandchild, who might appear in his life that bothered her most. It was the symbolism of what it might mean.
    Magnus said he hadn’t loved the woman. That, at least, was something.
    She wiped her eyes with a tissue, and her nose with another, as she recalled his surprised expression at her reaction. He didn’t expect her to be hurt or even upset because…he thought she wouldn’t feel that way.
    She shook her head trying to get into Magnus’s mind. He thought he’d offered her something no one else had ever had from him. She stood and walked for a short way as an idea formed. No one else had ever gotten so close to him. Maybe she’d gotten more intimate than even Julia. Of course, Magnus offered Julia marriage, but she’d refused and they had parted, in the physical form at least.
    They hadn’t discussed marriage, but with contraception, there was no need these days. At least they had that freedom in their physical relationship. And, God, it was so good with him.
    The complexities of life with Magnus needed a lot of mental agility. She swallowed past the ache in her throat, blinking her eyes to finish the tears.
    Rain dripped from the branches, oozed through her hood, sneaked in cold rills down the back of her jacket. She ambled on, kicking dead wood out of her path with no real sense of direction. Did it really matter if she met a woman who could be his relative?
    A huge sigh broke. It mattered all right. The news rocked her trust, shook up their insulated little world. That was part of the problem.
    She must try to get him out of the house more. For twenty-four and a half days each month, he passed as an extremely attractive man. A dozen women checked him out in not so subtle a fashion the day they’d visited Hatfield. A fresh prickle raised gooseflesh. Never having been the jealous sort, the heart-thumping reaction to his news had surprised her as much as she might have shocked Magnus. She’d not permit jealousy to beat her. She’d squash the emotion before it took a hold.
    For at least part of each month he could go out, meet people, socialize. They could even go to London. If she could persuade him to take a trip there, he could forget for a time the werewolf days. She would make sure they came back in time for the change.
    She sniffed because her tissues sat balled in her hand, a sodden, crumpled mess. The raucous call of crows sweeping over the trees brought her back to the afternoon and where she stood. Wiping her nose on the back of her hand, she turned to head to the house, trying to work out the convoluted path she’d taken to get to this spot in the woods. She couldn’t see the building through the trees. Slowly, she checked for any sign of the roof or chimneys. The gleam of one of the lights from the turrets shone through the pines. Magnus had repaired a large part of the house after the bomb damage in the war. A pity there wasn’t more illumination on that section to show her a path back. Muddy and sodden as she was, she’d aim for the front door so she didn’t trail dirt into the drawing room, or have to take the longer route around the house to the kitchen entrance. She walked toward the light, cradling her hurt like an infant to be soothed. Magnus was hers, and one day they would be together forever.
    * * * *
    Inside the glazed portico, she paused, flipped off her muddy shoes, and took off her wet jacket. She placed her hand on the house door and it opened at once. She took an involuntary step back, dealing with the staff here didn’t come easy at times, and today the housekeeper seemed almost psychic.
    â€œMiss Sian, what has happened?”
    â€œNothing dreadful. I got caught in the rain, Mrs. Tyson. I’m a bit wet that’s all.”
    â€œI thought you’d gone out with Mr. Johansson.”
    â€œHe’s gone out?” She couldn’t hide the