Written in the Stars Read Online Free Page A
Author: Patricia Rosemoor, Sherrill Bodine
lounged upon satin-and-velvet pillows placed
on the floor where a small male child sat beside her.
Elizabeth bowed. “I come bearing gifts from Carlyle and his old nurse, Florea.”
A servant appeared at Elizabeth’s side, taking the heavy, sweet blossoms from her
arms.
“Yes, leave them and come join us,” Laurel called.
Obeying, Elizabeth walked toward the duo. The babe blinked up at her, his rosebud
mouth curling to reveal two milk teeth and a dimple in his chin. Gurgling with laughter,
he pushed himself up on pudgy legs, swayed, and took two unsteady steps toward her.
Elizabeth quickened her steps to catch him as he toppled forward. Cooing, he buried
his face in the warm hollow between her neck and shoulder. His white-gold hair smelled
of sunshine and soap.
Laurel clapped her small hands. “Look, Will. Young Stephen has gifted Elizabeth with
his first steps. You have been properly welcomed to Dunham Castle.”
Surprise and fear rushed through her, flaming across her skin. Gasping, she swung
around to meet Will’s gaze where he stood in the doorway. She hugged the babe more
tightly to her breasts as if he could shield her from the powerful current pulling
her toward him.
Desperate to break this strange hold Will had upon her, she turned back to Laurel.
“Young Stephen is well favored.”
Again, Laurel’s light laughter echoed through the chamber. “He should be well favored.
His father is the handsomest in the land. Only surpassed by my beloved duke.”
His skin flushing, making his eyes even more startlingly blue, Will moved to Laurel’s
side.
Can this cooing child clasped in my arms be Will’s son?
It felt as if she inhaled fire.
No. Will belongs to no other woman. He is mine.
Trembling with the strength of her confusion and desire, she carefully placed the
babe back upon the floor. Instantly, his cornflower-blue eyes filled with tears. He
stretched out his arms toward her, his mouth agape, and began to wail.
Despite all her resolve, her heart opened to him. She fell to her knees to again gather
him close, rocking him.
A moment later, Will knelt beside her, reaching for his son. “I will take him, Lady
Elizabeth.”
Stephen clung to her, his pudgy arms tightening around her neck. “No, young Stephen,
you must go,” she whispered into his ear, his fragrant infant curls brushing her lips.
“You need your mother.”
“Stephen’s mother died in childbirth.” His face unreadable, Will swept his son away
from her body, leaving her bereaved of his warmth. “Time for Stephen to rest. He awoke
with the roosters.”
Now seeing Will and Stephen cheek to cheek, Elizabeth recognized the man in the babe.
She couldn’t take her eyes from them as they left the room.
“Do not look so sad, Elizabeth. Their loss is a year past.” Laurel’s kind voice gave
Elizabeth courage to ask the question burning through her heart and mind. A question
which to her finely edged nerves did not feel like a betrayal of honor to ask.
“Will still mourns his wife?”
Laurel’s moonbeam-fair, silky hair swung against her cheek. “Margaret was a sweet
girl from a fine family but not a match of his making. The duke wished it for Will,
and Will agreed out of love for him.”
She fought to understand why her world was spinning out of control since her eyes
had met Will’s. Why is my duty no longer as important as knowing more about Will Grey?
Her eyes widening, Laurel patted the soft pillows, indicating for Elizabeth to slip
down beside her.
“I see by your expression and your words that you are curious about Will. Here at
Dunham Castle you shall hear many tales concerning him. Few are truly privy to the
truth. If fortune smiles on you and you win Will’s friendship, he may reveal himself
to you. ’Tis not mine or any other’s to tell.”
Smiling, Laurel rose and pulled Elizabeth to her feet. “Come. I have a gift for you.”
Feeling more
on the floor where a small male child sat beside her.
Elizabeth bowed. “I come bearing gifts from Carlyle and his old nurse, Florea.”
A servant appeared at Elizabeth’s side, taking the heavy, sweet blossoms from her
arms.
“Yes, leave them and come join us,” Laurel called.
Obeying, Elizabeth walked toward the duo. The babe blinked up at her, his rosebud
mouth curling to reveal two milk teeth and a dimple in his chin. Gurgling with laughter,
he pushed himself up on pudgy legs, swayed, and took two unsteady steps toward her.
Elizabeth quickened her steps to catch him as he toppled forward. Cooing, he buried
his face in the warm hollow between her neck and shoulder. His white-gold hair smelled
of sunshine and soap.
Laurel clapped her small hands. “Look, Will. Young Stephen has gifted Elizabeth with
his first steps. You have been properly welcomed to Dunham Castle.”
Surprise and fear rushed through her, flaming across her skin. Gasping, she swung
around to meet Will’s gaze where he stood in the doorway. She hugged the babe more
tightly to her breasts as if he could shield her from the powerful current pulling
her toward him.
Desperate to break this strange hold Will had upon her, she turned back to Laurel.
“Young Stephen is well favored.”
Again, Laurel’s light laughter echoed through the chamber. “He should be well favored.
His father is the handsomest in the land. Only surpassed by my beloved duke.”
His skin flushing, making his eyes even more startlingly blue, Will moved to Laurel’s
side.
Can this cooing child clasped in my arms be Will’s son?
It felt as if she inhaled fire.
No. Will belongs to no other woman. He is mine.
Trembling with the strength of her confusion and desire, she carefully placed the
babe back upon the floor. Instantly, his cornflower-blue eyes filled with tears. He
stretched out his arms toward her, his mouth agape, and began to wail.
Despite all her resolve, her heart opened to him. She fell to her knees to again gather
him close, rocking him.
A moment later, Will knelt beside her, reaching for his son. “I will take him, Lady
Elizabeth.”
Stephen clung to her, his pudgy arms tightening around her neck. “No, young Stephen,
you must go,” she whispered into his ear, his fragrant infant curls brushing her lips.
“You need your mother.”
“Stephen’s mother died in childbirth.” His face unreadable, Will swept his son away
from her body, leaving her bereaved of his warmth. “Time for Stephen to rest. He awoke
with the roosters.”
Now seeing Will and Stephen cheek to cheek, Elizabeth recognized the man in the babe.
She couldn’t take her eyes from them as they left the room.
“Do not look so sad, Elizabeth. Their loss is a year past.” Laurel’s kind voice gave
Elizabeth courage to ask the question burning through her heart and mind. A question
which to her finely edged nerves did not feel like a betrayal of honor to ask.
“Will still mourns his wife?”
Laurel’s moonbeam-fair, silky hair swung against her cheek. “Margaret was a sweet
girl from a fine family but not a match of his making. The duke wished it for Will,
and Will agreed out of love for him.”
She fought to understand why her world was spinning out of control since her eyes
had met Will’s. Why is my duty no longer as important as knowing more about Will Grey?
Her eyes widening, Laurel patted the soft pillows, indicating for Elizabeth to slip
down beside her.
“I see by your expression and your words that you are curious about Will. Here at
Dunham Castle you shall hear many tales concerning him. Few are truly privy to the
truth. If fortune smiles on you and you win Will’s friendship, he may reveal himself
to you. ’Tis not mine or any other’s to tell.”
Smiling, Laurel rose and pulled Elizabeth to her feet. “Come. I have a gift for you.”
Feeling more