Ice Maiden Read Online Free Page A

her voice,
knowing he heard it too. How much more did he hear? She tried to
remember what she might have said aloud.
    Straightening before his piercing gaze, Amy
attempted more confidence than she felt. “Leave my chamber, Lord
Randall.” His casual stance in her room irked her beyond belief. On
top of everything else, dealing with his inflated ego was more than
she could tolerate.
    “And if I don’t? Will you summon your aging
Captain? He is a good man, but you have both taken quite a risk in
hoping he could protect you much longer.”
    “You really are insufferable! How can you
stand living with yourself? I’m surprised your ego hasn’t killed
itself off!”
    “Such sharp words, but then I guess I do
deserve your ire for destroying your self-imposed fortress.
    “Why you--you--Get out!” Her temper kept
rising, even knowing what it cost her in the past didn’t tame its
fire against his arrogant hide. “In fact, get out of my life!”
    “Tch, tch, such spirit, I do hope you save
some for our wedding night. I so love your passionate side.”
    Amy’s cheeks burned under his seductive gaze.
Unconsciously, she sought something that she could pick up and
throw at him. But remembering what just his touch could do to her
she stopped herself from reaching for the metal goblet by the
bed.
    “You know, Amelia, or should I call you Amy,
it does fit you better, yes Amy, I like the sound of it.”
    So he heard. Her arms wrapped around her
waist to keep herself from swaying.
    “As I was saying--Amy. I am beginning to
doubt the claim of a distant betrothed in your life. In fact, I
think he was a figment of you and your Captain’s vivid imagination
to keep all curious suitors away.”
    “That’s absurd.” Wasn’t it? Amy prayed
he didn’t see the question in her own mind. Heavens it could very
well be as he said and he knew more than she did of Lady
Amelia.
    “Nay Amy, in all honesty it really was quite
brilliant. An aging Captain of the guards, with hardly an army to
back him, left to defend a maid’s honor, what better lie to help
keep her safe. Tell me, what ruined your ploy?”
    Amy couldn’t stop from moving away from his
unrelenting gaze. “I don’t know what you are talking about, you
heard the Captain, he died.”
    “If he were a real man, to do such an
unforgivable thing, how long ago did he meet his demise?”
    Trapped! Nothing she gave as an answer would
do. “It hardly matters now.”
    To her relief, “You are right of course, it
doesn’t have any bearing on the present. But this Peter might, or
should I call him, The Beast?”
    The only credit Amy could give herself was
that she didn’t faint before his probe. She made herself meet his
hard gaze to stay him from advancing on her.
    “Is it silence then, Amy? To let me draw my
own conclusions might be worse than the truth?”
    He waited for her answer, but Amy pressed her
lips tighter, she had no way to appease his curiosity.
    “You must enjoy testing my patience--you see
Amy, you are leaving me no choice but to kill the man, should he
appear.”
    The protector and slayer of her beast ?
Feelings were becoming reality. Amy wondered what he would do, if
she gave him her approval to do just that should Peter arrive.
    It took all of Bern’s control not to go to
her and shake the truth from her succulent body. What he really
wanted to know was if the hatred he saw sparking those bejeweled
orbs shined for him or for the man she spoke of with so much
emotion. If her ruse to fend off all suitors had been because of a
lover she pined for, Bern knew, he could very well slay the man on
sight.
    Whatever he meant to her, the Lady wasn’t
going to be bullied into telling him. Bern smiled, there are many
ways to learn what I want--Amy!
    The shaking inside her was winning and Amy
felt at a loss as to how to get rid of him. “Is there anything
else, Lord Randall?”
    She could chill a man to his bones when she
took a mind to. “Just that I will fetch you for