Page 58 of Harpy of the Ton
“Didyoutry to touch me?”
“No,” he bit out.
“Good. Now leave me.” She wrapped the blanket around herself, then settled on the sofa once more, turning her back to him. “Close the door on your way out.”
Insufferable, haughty creature—dismissing him as if he were a servant!
But perhaps he should be thankful for her vile disposition. It helped to assuage his guilt.
Chapter Twenty
Athick cloudof smoke filled the air, moving in an ever-tightening circle, pulsing in and out. She reached up to fend it off, and it morphed into a cloud of birds, swirling, squawking, and cackling.
“Leave me be!”
The laughter increased, and she pressed her hands over her ears.
“Please—stop!”
A hand grasped her shoulder and the cloud dissipated, leaving three little demons standing before her.
No, not demons…
Urchins.
“That’s enough, Jonathan!” a deep voice cried in the distance. “Leave your mother be.”
“You said to wake her!” the smallest cried, before sticking his thumb in his mouth.
Your mother…
She rubbed her eyes and sat up. Sunlight stretched across the parlor, illuminating the children’s faces and their eyes—three identical pairs of bright blue eyes…
Eyes like hers.
Then the memory of last night came to the fore—three pairs of eyes staring at her across the kitchen table.
The urchins werehers.
“Come, on children!” the voice cried once more, thenheappeared.
The Beast. Her husband.
She clambered into the recesses of her mind, seeking the memory—but his name refused to break into her consciousness. Only hers.
Bella.
And the children’s…
“Jonathan,” she said, looking at the red-headed child, before turning to the twins. “William and”—she stared at the girl—“Rowena?”
The girl scowled, and her brother poked her with his elbow. “Ha-ha!” he cried in a singsong voice. “She’s already forgotten you!”
“Shut up!” the girl cried.
“Roberta—manners!” the Beast said, though his voice contained an undercurrent of laughter.
Jonathan grinned and jumped up and down. “She rememberedmefirst!”
