Wild legacy Read Online Free Page B

from the grass, and waited for him to fetch the tortoiseshell combs from where he had tossed them.
    Discouraged that he had been unable to persuade Belle to his point of view, Falcon was quick to blame her rather than his own lack of eloquence. "You were a stubborn little girl. You know that? We spent most of our time together but you fought me every inch of the way. I'd hoped that you'd changed."

    He looked as depressed as Belle felt, but that only served to strengthen her resolve. She wound her curls into a thick coil she secured with her combs, then replaced her cap with a careless tug to restore the modest appearance she knew she no longer deserved. She turned away and started toward the path home.
    "You're the stubborn one," she called over her shoulder.
    Falcon watched her a moment. She didn't walk with Dominique's seductive sway, but with a long, sure stride that reminded him again of the saucy little girl who had been closer than his shadow. "Wait," he shouted, but she didn't slow her pace and he had to sprint to catch up with her. He was too angry to take her hand, and rather than argue, didn't speak as they walked home. It wasn't until he saw his aunt and mother standing on the front porch, their arms crossed over their bosoms, their expressions as suspicious as when he had left them, that he realized he and Belle should have agreed on what they wished to say.
    "What did you tell them?" Belle whispered anxiously.
    Still smarting from her rejection, Falcon was tempted to threaten her with the truth and force her to accept his proposal, but he successfully suppressed the bitter impulse. He just shook his head to warn her to be silent, and greeted the curious women with a solemn shrug. "She turned me down," he told them.
    "What?" Belle cried. She had been positive Falcon's proposal had been prompted by guilt-laden remorse rather than love, but now it was painfully clear he had merely been following orders. She had not even imagined she could feel any worse, but suddenly she did. She scorched Falcon with a searing glance, then turned the full fury of her anger on her mother and aunt.
    "Did you two force Falcon to propose to me? Is it completely beyond your comprehension that he might have wanted me on his own?"
    Aghast that Falcon had lacked the sense to relate his re-

    suits in private, Arielle tried her best to soothe her daughter's wholly justifiable outrage. "After his halting explanation of what occurred between you two last night, it was merely a strongly worded suggestion, Belle. Please don't be insulted. We want what's best for you."
    Belle had a very good idea of what her mother and aunt must believe, and because the truth was almost as bad, she didn't care to offer a denial before brushing by them and entering the house.
    Dismayed he had inadvertently made a bad situation even worse, Falcon started after Belle, but his mother quickly stepped in front of him to block the door.
    "Let her go," Alanna urged. "She's too angry to listen to anything you might have to say. After dinner, I want you to move your things over to Christian's house," she directed firmly. "That way, there can't possibly be a repeat of last night's regrettable incident."
    His brother's house stood no more than fifty yards away, so what his mother asked was no hardship, but Falcon was deeply insulted all the same. "Don't you trust me anymore?"
    Alanna dared not look at Arielle, but she was positive she had her support. "Let's just say it will be better for all concerned if you and your lovely female cousins aren't under the same roof."
    Falcon had helped to build Christian's house. He had made bricks from clay they had dug from the banks of the James River, and stoked the fires to bake them. The timbers had been cut from forests on their land and he had labored to lay the pine floors and carve the fine walnut paneling. It was a beautiful house with a magnificent view of the river, but Christian and Liana had a daughter and two little boys,