Free Sylvie Sommerfield - Noah's Woman by Unknown Page B
Authors: Unknown
sophistication and quality that seemed part of her. She was a chameleon, he thought with satisfaction. One who, if thrown into a drawing room with kings and queens, would become one. A perfect mimic whose ability to study and imitate made her capable of assuming different characters as easily as he might change his shirt.
He already knew much more about her than she could imagine. It would have surprised both her and Amiee to know of the unique contacts Gregory Hamilton had.
He could tell that she longed for a life beyond the confines of the Round. She longed for all the luxuries she had never known. She had the questions, and in time he meant to provide the answers.
One Sunday they had taken an afternoon ride and when they finally arrived back at the Round late that night, Gregory stepped down from the carriage and offered his hand to Charity. She disembarked with the aplomb of a queen, well aware that a great number of jealous eyes watched.
She walked up the rickety steps and opened the door to the sound of laughter. Beth and Amiee were seated at a small square table. Amiee held a deck of cards, some spread in a pattern across the table. Both women seemed to be sharing a joke.
"What's so funny?" Charity inquired.
"Oh, Charity," Beth laughed, "Amiee is so clever. She's decided to try her hand at reading cards. She's set up a little stall on Front Street. It would amaze you how many people are just dying to have their fortunes told."
"Fortunes? You can do that?" Charity questioned.
"No," Amiee said with a laugh, "but nobody knows that. They think," she said in a mock mysterious voice, "that the Amazing Madame X can see into the future. Is there wealth . . . love . . . travel? Only Madame X knows for sure." Amiee smiled. ''And it costs a pretty penny to find out."
"Another way to make a shilling or two," Charity laughed. "Were you two practicing?"
"Actually we were," Beth said. "Amiee has given me four different fortunes. I'm waiting for the one that suits me."
"Come on, Charity, let me show you how it's done," Amiee said.
Beth stood up and Charity slid onto the chair opposite Amiee, who was shuffling the cards. Then she set the deck before Charity. "Cut the cards into three piles." Charity obeyed. "Now, choose the one that holds your future." Charity tapped the center one and Amiee picked it up. She pushed the other two piles aside and began to deal the cards out, face up in a single line across the table.
Both Beth and Charity's attention were on the cards, so they were not observing Amiee's face, which for a minute registered surprise, then a faint look of
shock. She was not prepared for what was happening, and she couldn't seem to stop it.
Vague, misty visions began to form before her, blotting out Charity and becoming so real she could not control the words that poured from her lips.
"I see a man," she said softly, "a dangerous man. I see . . . intrigue. You are walking into a dark place and you cannot see who is lurking there. Promises . . . promises. There is a portrait, one that reveals a secret. This man . . . No! There are two men . . . two men, both dangerous. You will taste fear and betrayal . . . pain and . . . and love."
By this time Beth and Charity had exchanged looks. Charity was smiling, but Beth was uncertain. Charity was sure this was a very professional act on Amiee's part and was impressed.
"There is a secret, and the secret brings . . . oh"Amiee gasped and her pale face looked as if she saw something horrible"death . . . you must not believe! You're in grave danger" At this point Charity began to clap her hands together in applause.
The sound seemed to draw Amiee back from her vision.
"That is very good, Amiee," Charity said. "You can really make it believable. You should make a great deal of money."
Amiee remained silent and lifted her gaze to meet Beth's. It was the first time Beth had ever seen fear on Amiee's face. Perspiration dampened her brow,
He already knew much more about her than she could imagine. It would have surprised both her and Amiee to know of the unique contacts Gregory Hamilton had.
He could tell that she longed for a life beyond the confines of the Round. She longed for all the luxuries she had never known. She had the questions, and in time he meant to provide the answers.
One Sunday they had taken an afternoon ride and when they finally arrived back at the Round late that night, Gregory stepped down from the carriage and offered his hand to Charity. She disembarked with the aplomb of a queen, well aware that a great number of jealous eyes watched.
She walked up the rickety steps and opened the door to the sound of laughter. Beth and Amiee were seated at a small square table. Amiee held a deck of cards, some spread in a pattern across the table. Both women seemed to be sharing a joke.
"What's so funny?" Charity inquired.
"Oh, Charity," Beth laughed, "Amiee is so clever. She's decided to try her hand at reading cards. She's set up a little stall on Front Street. It would amaze you how many people are just dying to have their fortunes told."
"Fortunes? You can do that?" Charity questioned.
"No," Amiee said with a laugh, "but nobody knows that. They think," she said in a mock mysterious voice, "that the Amazing Madame X can see into the future. Is there wealth . . . love . . . travel? Only Madame X knows for sure." Amiee smiled. ''And it costs a pretty penny to find out."
"Another way to make a shilling or two," Charity laughed. "Were you two practicing?"
"Actually we were," Beth said. "Amiee has given me four different fortunes. I'm waiting for the one that suits me."
"Come on, Charity, let me show you how it's done," Amiee said.
Beth stood up and Charity slid onto the chair opposite Amiee, who was shuffling the cards. Then she set the deck before Charity. "Cut the cards into three piles." Charity obeyed. "Now, choose the one that holds your future." Charity tapped the center one and Amiee picked it up. She pushed the other two piles aside and began to deal the cards out, face up in a single line across the table.
Both Beth and Charity's attention were on the cards, so they were not observing Amiee's face, which for a minute registered surprise, then a faint look of
shock. She was not prepared for what was happening, and she couldn't seem to stop it.
Vague, misty visions began to form before her, blotting out Charity and becoming so real she could not control the words that poured from her lips.
"I see a man," she said softly, "a dangerous man. I see . . . intrigue. You are walking into a dark place and you cannot see who is lurking there. Promises . . . promises. There is a portrait, one that reveals a secret. This man . . . No! There are two men . . . two men, both dangerous. You will taste fear and betrayal . . . pain and . . . and love."
By this time Beth and Charity had exchanged looks. Charity was smiling, but Beth was uncertain. Charity was sure this was a very professional act on Amiee's part and was impressed.
"There is a secret, and the secret brings . . . oh"Amiee gasped and her pale face looked as if she saw something horrible"death . . . you must not believe! You're in grave danger" At this point Charity began to clap her hands together in applause.
The sound seemed to draw Amiee back from her vision.
"That is very good, Amiee," Charity said. "You can really make it believable. You should make a great deal of money."
Amiee remained silent and lifted her gaze to meet Beth's. It was the first time Beth had ever seen fear on Amiee's face. Perspiration dampened her brow,