Natalya Read Online Free Page A

criminal, especially if he was able to harm France in any way. But, you know that I have always tried to remain neutral. My loyalties are really American, after all, and I've no right to judge Grey St. James." He watched two maids pour steaming water into the porcelain tub and waited until they had left the room to continue. "Talya, you don't give a damn for Napoleon. I should think that you'd be congratulating St. James if he's managed to be a thorn in that tyrant's side. And, apart from that, the Beauvisage family owes a debt to his father. I wouldn't dream of turning Grey out."
    "But he threatened me to keep me quiet while those men were here. I was afraid for my life! I cannot believe that you could take his side over mine."
    He came over to her and patted her cheek. "It's nothing to do with that, and I think you know it. Must I make a choice? I have come to trust my instincts about people. Let's allow St. James to bathe and have a hot meal, hear him out, and then decide, all right?"
    Furious, Natalya bit her lip and started toward the door.
    "Talya, this is between the two of you, isn't it? There's no reason for you to be angry with me," her uncle reminded her.
    "I cannot bear to be near that man. He is insufferable." She paused in the doorway and added, "You may give him my place at dinner, Uncle Nicky, because I won't be there." With that, she swept from the room and narrowly missed slamming her hem in the door.
    * * *
    "I must say, you do look transformed, Mr. St. James," Lisette proclaimed. "Will you have more feuillete solognote?"'
    Grey glanced at his dwindling portion of puff pastry filled with pheasant and partridge. "Perhaps I should wait for a moment. It's been a long time since I have eaten so much delicious food."
    Sitting across from the Englishman, Natalya longed to mimic his polite tone or engage in some other shockingly rude behavior designed to drive him from the chateau. She had changed her mind about staying in her room during dinner when it occurred to her that St. James would be free to lie and connive as much as he pleased if she weren't present to monitor the conversation. Her first sight of him in the vaulted dining hall had made her glad she'd reconsidered.
    It was hard to believe that this could be the same man who had appeared so menacing and uncivilized just two hours earlier. Honore had done a splendid job as barber, and now Grey's clean, gleaming hair was cut into the current windswept style. His ragged beard had been shaved, uncovering a chiseled jaw and arresting mouth. In truth, although pale and in need of some added weight, Grey was magnificent to behold, from his keen eyes to the expert knot of his borrowed cravat. His strong good looks only intensified Natalya's antipathy.
    For his part, Grey was more than a little intrigued, and even amused, by Natalya Beauvisage. Holding her lush body in his arms earlier had reminded him painfully of appetites too long suppressed through no choice of his own. She was exquisitely lovely, self-assured, intelligent, and obviously well past the age when similarly blessed maidens took husbands. Was hers off in the war? Dead? Yet she was American... and still had the name Beauvisage. What the devil was she doing in France? Knowing that it would make her furious, Grey decided to inquire openly.
    "I hope you won't think me too bold, but I've been wondering, Miss Beauvisage... are you a spinster?"
    Her mouth dropped open and she gasped. "What... an extraordinary thing to say!"
    "You're married, then?"
    "No, but-"
    He nodded shortly, as if attempting to gloss over some terrible secret he had accidentally learned about her. "I see. Believe me, it was not my intent to call attention to your rather... sensitive circumstances." He had to bite the inside of his lip to keep from grinning at her outraged expression. "You appear to have adapted very well, and are doubtless grateful to have such understanding relatives offer you shelter."
    Lisette, torn between horror