Angel in Black Read Online Free

since her brief affair with her grandfather, gave birth to a second bastard child, a girl. Lawrence hated his mother for the mark of shame he and his half-sister, Anna, were doomed to bear. He tried to protect his delicate little sister from the sneers and hatred, lavishing all his affections on her, the only person he ever loved. At fifteen Anna had gotten pregnant, the secret of the father’s identity dying with her when she gave birth to a son. Her death almost destroyed Lawrence. In his grief, he transferred the overpowering love for his sister to the baby, and took him to rear as his own.
    Lawrence held up a hand to shade his eyes from the blinding sun. God, it was warm. He wondered why he had decided to leave the coolness of Camray to inspect his fields. His heavy coat of black velvet and its handsome matching waistcoat proved to be extremely hot, and Lawrence regretted the choice he had so carefully made when dressing. He removed a delicate handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his brow. He glanced about and took notice of the scattered workers.
    “Why are these people lazing about?” Lawrence snapped in irritation at his foreman, a look of sheer disgust crossing his features at their shabby appearance.
    “They are having their midday break to eat and rest, my lord,” replied the man riding next to the carriage.
    “They seem to be finished eating. Get them back to work … now . They are wasting precious daylight.” He dabbed at the perspiration on his upper lip and grabbed his whip. With a fierce crack over the horses’ rumps, he steered them back toward Camray. Impatient to reach the cool interior of the house, he drove them still faster, anxious for something to quench his growing thirst.
    The foreman watched as the Langsford carriage disappeared over the hill, then ordered the people back to work. Slowly, everyone got to their feet, grumbling their time was cut short. Rina and John exchanged angry looks and then went back to the field. They worked until darkness shrouded them, and exhausted, trudged back to their homes, seeking the meager comfort they provided.
    Silent, Rina walked with John down the dry, dusty road. They wound through the narrow, cobbled street and he left her to her thoughts, knowing the cause of her dark mood. When they reached Rina’s cottage she turned and walked instead into the shack next to the small, whitewashed hut. A smile came to her face and she hastened to the single stall within. A whinny greeted her as a warm, soft nose nuzzled her neck. Rina stroked his muzzle and whispered lovingly into his ear, causing the horse to paw the floor in delight at seeing his mistress. He was a magnificent animal, as black as coal. Grabbing a handful of straw, Rina rubbed him down. John picked up some hay and oats to feed Blackstar.
    “I hate that bastard,” she declared, finally breaking the companionable silence.
    John paused in his work to look at the fury claiming her eyes, the pain touching her face.
    “I don’t know how much longer I can sit by and do nothing. I want to kill him for what he did to my parents, but what he does to these good people is a crime as well. Though a bit slower in his method, he is killing them just as surely.”
    Rina stopped as the uncontrollable anger crept over her. Blackstar sensed her tension and hesitated in his munching, ears alert to her voice. He turned and nibbled tenderly on her ear, and Rina hugged him to her. Satisfied, he returned to his meal.
    “He sits in his mansion … my mansion … surrounded by wealth, not giving a damn he is starving and working these people to death. Every year he takes more and more, leaving them less to live on. Johnny, some of them will not make it through another winter. The children … there are so many to care for. They won’t survive without proper food, warmer clothing, and more fuel for heat. Too many died of sickness last winter … unnecessarily.”
    Rina’s eyes clouded as she remembered each death. She