Storm On The Horizon, a paranormal Regency romance novella (Vallen) Read Online Free Page B

with her assessment.
    Tatiana took the arm he offered, and they began to walk slowly down the lane. There were few riders out at this time—but they were more people who’d elected to ride through the park on their way somewhere, rather than members of the ton out to see and be seen. So the walk was pleasant and uninterrupted.
    Kit debated taking a side path through one of the smaller gardens, but decided it would be best to stay to the main pathway. With Miss Ashurst so busy and having Tatiana all to himself, Kit delved right in to his plan to learn more about her situation.
    “It is your grandmother who is sponsoring you and your sister? Do your parents not care for London?” he asked, beginning his campaign in a gentle way.
    “Only Trina is being brought out. I honestly don’t know how my mother feels about town, but my father certainly does not enjoy it.” She turned toward him with a smile and a slight twinkle in her eye. “He always feels compelled to go to Parliament and then becomes upset at the goings-on there.”
    Kit laughed. “My father is exactly the opposite. He loves being in town. Loves attending Parliament. He even insists that I go, even though I don’t have a seat.”
    “But you will have a seat, so perhaps it’s a good thing to get you used to it, to learn how to manage. I don’t know that my father ever had anyone take him under his wing like that.”
    Kit acknowledged the wisdom of her words. “I never actually thought of it that way. Personally, I side with your father in that I don’t enjoy it at all. But if I were to tell that to either my father or grandfather, I would be drummed right out of the family for such heresy.”
    “Oh, dear!” she laughed. “Are they very devoted, then?”
    “Very!” But this line of conversation wasn’t getting him any closer to what he wanted to know. He paused to regroup his thoughts and then asked. “And how do you feel about London? Are you enjoying your stay so far?”
    Tatiana turned her head away with a thoughtful look on her face. He wondered if she was aware how expressive her face was. If only he could read thoughts or emotions, he would be able to decipher all that was clearly going through her mind.
    Her expression seemed pained at times, but determined. And he realized, with a start that she looked different. Somehow she looked… beautiful.
    Her lips and cheeks seemed to be fuller, her eyes an unfathomable black, and she seemed suffused with an inner radiance... He felt his senses tingle as a flame of desire flickered within him.
    And then she turned back towards him, and he realized it must have been his imagination playing tricks on him. For she looked just as she had before—pretty, but not the stunning beauty he thought he had somehow espied.
    “Enjoying my stay? Yes, I am, now that I’ve met you.”
    Her words, although softly spoken, hit him hard. The flame resurrected itself, but now spread heat throughout his body and mind. The only thing keeping him from figuratively jumping for joy was the sadness laced through her words. Could it be true that she had an offer of marriage waiting for her? Could that be what was making her unhappy? But then, why couldn’t she just turn down the offer if she was no longer interested in the gentleman?
    Unless she didn’t have a choice in the matter.
    The thought sent ice following the heat already running through him. That must be it. That must be the answer to all of his questions. For some reason, she was being sacrificed in marriage while her sister was free to choose whomever she wished.
    Were those unshed tears glittering in her eyes? She shook her head. “I apologize, I should not have spoken so freely.”
    She was misinterpreting his silence. Kit’s heart lurched within his chest. “No. No, I appreciate plain speaking. More than most men, I imagine. It is just that I am feeling the same way. I… I am thoroughly enjoying your company as well. Much more so than, perhaps, I