Free A Companion for Life by Cari Hislop Page B

brain,
‘You’re in love with your wife.’ How could he be in love? It was
true Lily’s kisses were incomparable, but he felt no blinding
emotional fireworks. The thought of her dancing with other men
didn’t make him jealous. He couldn’t even imagine flying into a
passion on finding her alone with another man; it couldn’t be love.
Lily Leigh was a pretty woman with pleasant curves. She aroused
him. He wanted her. If only she’d smile and banish the hellish cold
from his heart. “Lily…” He hesitantly moved closer until the front
of his person brushed against her side as if physical contact might
persuade his wife to be merciful. “If I could turn back the clock I
wouldn’t go.” Now she was sobbing into the bedcover. “I’m sorry
Lily. Forgive me, I beg you.”

    After an hour she seemed to have emptied her
eyes of water, but there was still no response. His limbs feeling
as chilled as his heart, Penryth lay next to his wife acutely aware
that his rash lust had destroyed his wife’s good opinion of him.
“Lily say something, anything.”

    “I can smell her on you; your nearness is
making me ill.” Penryth abruptly rolled away as if kicked in the
stomach. Sitting on the edge of the bed he stared at the limp
emerald bracelets in his hand as if they might inspire him with a
solution.

    “Uncle Penryth? Aunt Lily?” The chair scraped
against the floor as the door was pushed open ending any hope of
forgiveness. “Uncle Penryth…” The young man approached the bed with
visible relief, oblivious to the older man’s misery. “…something
terrible has happened. I need your help.”

    “This isn’t a good time William.”

    His uncle’s flat tone made the young man look
again at the woman lying on the bed.
    She was lying with her legs dangling over the
side of the bed as if she’d fallen forward in a fit. “Is she
dead?”

    “No she isn’t dead. I thought I taught you to
knock on a closed door.”

    “It was open. Is she ill?”

    “She’s upset.”

    “Why?”

    “I mortified her.”

    “How?” Penryth’s chilly look of displeasure
caused the young man to blush with horror. “I’m sorry Uncle
Penryth. When you finish…uh…I need to speak with you urgently.”

    “Wait in my room.”

    “You won’t be long?”

    “I’ll be as long as I need to be.” Penryth
sat there for several more minutes hoping the woman behind him
would at least hint at forgiveness, but she remained silent. “I’ll
put your bracelets in their box. Where do you keep it?” Her answer
was a choked sob. “I’ll find it.” He forced his legs to carry him
over to her dressing table and open the drawer. He carefully laid
the limp bracelets in their cream satin bed and snapped the box
closed. “I’ll put them in a safe place unless you’d like me to
leave them in your room?” He looked once more at the bed hoping for
a last minute reprieve, but she merely turned her head towards the
wall rejecting him and his bracelets again. “I’ll send for a
carpenter to fix the door. I’m sorry I hurt you; I feel like the
devil.” What else was there to say? He walked from the room and
shouted down the hall for Jones. “I want a large fire in Mrs
Bowen’s room and send for a carpenter to fix her door.”

Chapter 11

    William Bowen jumped out of the chair and
gulped down his nerves as his uncle opened the door. He was a man
even if he felt like a drowning boy. He licked his lips as his
uncle closed the door behind him and walked over to his desk,
opened the secret drawer and inserted the jewel case. William
thought it prudent to say something pleasant to help balance the
bad news. “Is Aunt Lily feeling better?”

    “No.”

    What was he supposed to say to that? “I’m
sorry I interrupted…”

    “I’m sorry I got out of bed this morning.
What is this urgent business?”

    William sank back onto a chair as his knees
gave way. “Uncle Penryth, I don’t know how to…I feel so ashamed.”
William looked