Captives' Charade Read Online Free Page A

of his torso, involuntarily kneading the rich fabric of his white waistcoat.
    Ashiskissdeepened,Sarahfeltamindless urge to cleave to the strong, lean body imprisoning her. In no more than an instant, Stewart Chamberlain had brought her to a level of desire she had never known existed. Her eyes closed, and her entire body trembling with a mysterious anticipation, she was unaware that he had forsaken her lips and was carefully observing her reaction.
    Stewart’s deep voice shocked her in that she felt the vibrations in his chest before she actually heard his words. “I believe I shall very much enjoy my stay here, Lady Sarah,” he crooned, his voice thick with desire. “We appear to have a great deal more in common than I would have expected only moments ago.”
    With a horrified gasp and a backward lunge, Sarah fell away from the overpowering stranger. “You ... you ... ” she stammered, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment. But her fevered brain was no help. With a strangled cry, she spun and flew toward the safety of the mansion, his gentle laughter ringing in her ears.
CHAPTER 3
    Mortified by her capitulation, Sarah did not stop running until she had reached the safety of her candlelit bedroom on the second floor. She had taken the servants’ stairs to avoid notice, but from the laughter emanating from the ballroom, she knew that the party was far from over. She could tell that many of the remaining guests were well into their cups and the booming voice of her father proved he was regaling the hearty group with stories of his days at Court.
    But there was no way she could rejoin the carefree throng. She could not bear to face Stewart Chamberlain again. Whatever had caused her to react so violently to the man, she wondered, pacing the pale rose and blue Aubusson rug beneath her feet. She was no stranger to a man’s attention, or even a stolen kiss in the garden. But never had she been so mesmerized by a man’s presence. Always she had remained cool and remote toward any would-be suitor, finding their interest in her disgustingly obvious and predictable.
    But Stewart Chamberlain had found her weakness – in more ways than one. It was not until they had completed their interesting discussion that she realized what signals she must have been conveying to the rakish foreigner.
    And now his kiss revealed that he planned to treat her like ... a woman, Sarah found herself thinking with a sudden clarity. Though Stewart had stolen a forbidden kiss in the garden, she was nonetheless giddy with the thought that he had, at first, seemed more interested in her mind, her wit, than her appearance. And she had responded to that with an enthusiasm that could only have encouraged him.
    Quicklyremovingherdressanddonninga pristine nightgown, Sarah bathed her warm face in tepid water from the bowl Tegan had left for her. She then removed the pins from her hair and began brushing the long silken tresses with a vigorousness that made her wince.
    But even the slight pain could not take her mind from the man whose company she had so enjoyed. As she considered mentally which riding habit she might wear on the morrow, it was with amazement that despite his indiscretion, she was still eager to see him again. With a perplexed sigh, she threw back the rose coverlet from her wide four-poster bed and snuggled against the lacetrimmed pillows. Thinking how strange it was to be both frightened and excited about their next encounter, she willed herself to let sleep overtake her. But it was visions of the darkly handsome stranger that permeated her last conscious thoughts.
    It seemed as though she had just fallen asleep when impatient hands were roughly shaking her. “Sarah, Sarah, wake up. Oh, please wake up! What are you doing in bed?” Through her sleepy fog, Sarah realized Juliana was tugging at her and she moaned as she tried to push her away.
“Julie, stop. Go away,” she mumbled, trying in vain to pull the covers over her face.
    “Lady