The Hawk and the Jewel (Kensington Chronicles 1) Read Online Free
Author: Lori Wick
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Regency, England, Love Stories, Religious, Christian, INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE, captivity, Survival After Airplane Accidents; Shipwrecks; Etc, Arab Countries
but the ship lurched suddenly, and Shani felt panicked as fear welled within her. She ran to the window, squinted out, and tried desperately to clear her vision. What she saw made her wish she hadn't looked. They were moving!
Shani, still slightly dizzy, made a dash for the door. She wrenched the portal open, only to collide with the hard expanse of Captain Hawkesbury's chest. She tried to move past him, but as surprised as he was to find her awake, Brandon was not about to let her escape.
*Tve got to find AH," Shani spoke breathlessly. "The ship is moving, and I've got to see him."
Brandon's heart wrenched at the anguish in her voice, but he knew he couldn't hide the truth from her. "The ship is moving; however, Ali has returned to Darhabar."
Shani finally looked up, full into his face. Tears had puddled in those captivating eyes, and Brandon eased her backward into the chamber and shut the door.
28
29
"You must not do this," Shani spoke in desperation, suddenly afraid to be alone with this man.
"Your leaving was planned by the emir," Brandon told her softly.
Even as he said the words, Shani knew he was telling the truth. Still she shook her head and tried to deny them.
Brandon reached for the document on his desk. "He left this for you. Ali said it would explain everything.**
Shani took the offered paper with a shaking hand. She sat on the edge of the bed and read the first line. "It is because of my love for you that I have taken this action.*5The words were written in the language of Shani's adopted homeland, and even though she kept her head bent over the paper, she was not reading. Her mind was moving furiously, very aware of the way the captain watched her.
Years of living on the threshold of a harem, in a land where women were to be seen and not heard, had taught Shani how to hide her emotions well. Carefully schooling her features, she looked at the captain.
"I am sorry if my behavior was rude earlier, and I hope you will not find me rude now, but I wish to be alone."
Brandon felt it was the worst thing for her, but he could see no alternative. "All right. I'll check on you shortly.** He rose reluctantly and left the cabin.
For the space of several heartbeats Shani sat still. In that brief time she convinced herself that her Poppy had made a mistake, and that if she could only speak with him, she could change his mind. Her eyes cast miserably around the room and fell upon the wardrobe. With a glance at the door and one at the buttons on the front of her dress, Shani went to work.
"I can see you'd rather be below, Hawk," Flynn commented. "You've only been up here a few minutes, and you're already pacing the deck."
"She said she wanted to be alone,** Brandon commented as though trying to convince himself of that feet.
"You said as much, but if you feel it's not best, go back down. Remember, you're the authority where that little girl is concerned, and maybe the sooner she realizes it, the better off she'll be."
Brandon silently agreed with him, and after giving him a swift pat on the shoulder, moved to go back below deck.
Shani had no more dosed the cabin door than she heard footsteps approaching in the passageway. She stepped back into the shadows, hoping she would be able to quiet her breathing before she gave herself away. She was dressed in her bloomers and a pair of pants she'd found in the wardrobe, along with a gigantic shirt. She was in danger of losing the pants, but if that was the price she had to pay to get home, she would gladly pay it.
The footsteps drew nearer. Shani nearly gasped when they stopped not five feet from her and the captain's door was opened. Shani knew she had only seconds before her disappearance was reported, but they were seconds she planned to use to her own advantage.
On silent, bare feet she moved toward the steps that led upward to the deck. When her foot was on the first step, the captain's door crashed behind her. No longer bothering to stay silent, Shani
Shani, still slightly dizzy, made a dash for the door. She wrenched the portal open, only to collide with the hard expanse of Captain Hawkesbury's chest. She tried to move past him, but as surprised as he was to find her awake, Brandon was not about to let her escape.
*Tve got to find AH," Shani spoke breathlessly. "The ship is moving, and I've got to see him."
Brandon's heart wrenched at the anguish in her voice, but he knew he couldn't hide the truth from her. "The ship is moving; however, Ali has returned to Darhabar."
Shani finally looked up, full into his face. Tears had puddled in those captivating eyes, and Brandon eased her backward into the chamber and shut the door.
28
29
"You must not do this," Shani spoke in desperation, suddenly afraid to be alone with this man.
"Your leaving was planned by the emir," Brandon told her softly.
Even as he said the words, Shani knew he was telling the truth. Still she shook her head and tried to deny them.
Brandon reached for the document on his desk. "He left this for you. Ali said it would explain everything.**
Shani took the offered paper with a shaking hand. She sat on the edge of the bed and read the first line. "It is because of my love for you that I have taken this action.*5The words were written in the language of Shani's adopted homeland, and even though she kept her head bent over the paper, she was not reading. Her mind was moving furiously, very aware of the way the captain watched her.
Years of living on the threshold of a harem, in a land where women were to be seen and not heard, had taught Shani how to hide her emotions well. Carefully schooling her features, she looked at the captain.
"I am sorry if my behavior was rude earlier, and I hope you will not find me rude now, but I wish to be alone."
Brandon felt it was the worst thing for her, but he could see no alternative. "All right. I'll check on you shortly.** He rose reluctantly and left the cabin.
For the space of several heartbeats Shani sat still. In that brief time she convinced herself that her Poppy had made a mistake, and that if she could only speak with him, she could change his mind. Her eyes cast miserably around the room and fell upon the wardrobe. With a glance at the door and one at the buttons on the front of her dress, Shani went to work.
"I can see you'd rather be below, Hawk," Flynn commented. "You've only been up here a few minutes, and you're already pacing the deck."
"She said she wanted to be alone,** Brandon commented as though trying to convince himself of that feet.
"You said as much, but if you feel it's not best, go back down. Remember, you're the authority where that little girl is concerned, and maybe the sooner she realizes it, the better off she'll be."
Brandon silently agreed with him, and after giving him a swift pat on the shoulder, moved to go back below deck.
Shani had no more dosed the cabin door than she heard footsteps approaching in the passageway. She stepped back into the shadows, hoping she would be able to quiet her breathing before she gave herself away. She was dressed in her bloomers and a pair of pants she'd found in the wardrobe, along with a gigantic shirt. She was in danger of losing the pants, but if that was the price she had to pay to get home, she would gladly pay it.
The footsteps drew nearer. Shani nearly gasped when they stopped not five feet from her and the captain's door was opened. Shani knew she had only seconds before her disappearance was reported, but they were seconds she planned to use to her own advantage.
On silent, bare feet she moved toward the steps that led upward to the deck. When her foot was on the first step, the captain's door crashed behind her. No longer bothering to stay silent, Shani
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