Page 75 of The Dravenhearst Brides
With him.
“Again,” he told her, grabbing her wrists and pinning them to the mattress.
“Greedy,” she murmured, lips fusing to his. Losing herself already.
Truthfully, she didn’t think him greedy at all. Merrick didn’t take anything from her she wasn’t willing to give. She gave to him freely, by her own volition. Because she wanted to, wantedhim.
He was her choice. An all-consuming fever dream of a choice, buthersnonetheless. And she would give herself to him again and again. A thousand times over in a thousand different ways. She’d give herself away.
For him.
24
June 19, 1870
Dear Diary,
I planted a magnolia tree today.
—Excerpt, the diary of Eleanor Dravenhearst
Thebedgrewcoldin the night. It was either very late or very, very early. Still dark out.
Margot rolled over, reaching for him. Reaching to where he was supposed to be.
But Merrick’s side of the bed was empty.
Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She sat upright so quickly, the room swirled around her. Dizzying.
She rose to her feet and shivered. The room was ice cold, the door cracked open.
She knew he’d closed it before they’d gone to sleep. Before they’d made love in his bed.
“Merrick?” she whispered, creeping toward the hall. Her breath rosein a frozen cloud. “Merrick?”
The anxious and fearful part of her brain woke up fast. Surely he hadn’t snuck out? Not again?
Noteveragain. He’d promised.
Things were different now, weren’t they? She was certainly different. With every step she took, she could feel the ache between her legs from where he’d been.
“Merrick?”
She reached forward, pushing open the door with a slowcreak. He wasn’t in the hallway, but someone was. Margot froze.
A woman. Dressed all in white. Turning the corner for the stairwell. Margot barely caught the swirl of skirts before she disappeared.
“Go back to bed.”The familiar whisper raised the hair on the back of her neck.
Margot turned, expecting to find Babette, but the dark hallway was empty.
Where was Merrick?
She took off down the hall, heading for the stairs. She had to find him.
Her bare feet thudded on the carpet, slapped loudly on the wooden landing. She ran to the serpentine balustrade, looked into the foyer, and lost her breath.
There she was. The woman in white. Gliding across the floor.
