Page 37 of The Beast of Ashwood Manor

“Is this a poetry book?” Cale asked, picking one up from the stack I’d brought to his room.

“Yes. Do you want to try and read it?”

He nodded and slipped down from the chair to the rug before the fire. He patted the floor next to him. “Want to sit with me?”

I tensed and held my breath as I gazed down at him, and he gave me an innocent smile that showed the glow in his cheeks. How could I deny him when he looked at me that way? Nodding, I sat beside him.

Cale flipped open the book and ran a hand over the first page. “This one’s been read a lot. I can tell.”

“I like this one. I’ve read it a few times. Some of the others also indulge in books, especially Royce.”

“I’ve seen him in the library often.” Cale looked down and slowly read a simple poem. I had to help him with a few of the words, but otherwise, he’d been able to read it fine.

“You’re doing really well,” I told him.

“My mother would be shocked if I came back home reading.” Cale shook his head.

Don’t pry.Don’tpry.“What does your mother do?”

“She makes herbs and medicines for people.” Cale flipped through the pages and sat up straight. “This one is very long. I don’t think I’ll be able to read it. Will you?”

“Yes.” I took the book and glanced up at him. “But only if you stop sitting straight as a board. I’m not your mother. I won’t hit you for relaxing.”

Cale opened his mouth to protest, but then he smiled, and his shoulders drooped. He leaned on his arm, and chills spilled over my skin when I felt him brush lightly against me.

I’m so deprived of human touch that just him grazing me makes my body react.

I cleared my throat and read a rather desolate, long poem that spanned over three pages, and Cale listened intently, never once interrupting. When I was finished, he stared at the fire for a long moment, as if thinking. Or perhaps he’d grown bored. I wasn’t sure.

“I feel like I could have written that,” he finally said. “The way it talked about loneliness.” He shook his head. “Not to dampen the mood. It was very good.”

My heart clenched. “Were you really so lonely before you came here?”

“Yes. I didn’t have many friends growing up. I had a friend who I thought loved me, but I caught him with someone else. It didn’t last very long anyway. After that, he spread lies about me and my family to the village. The others were cruel to me after that, and I stayed away from them.”

“That’s why you went to Tolburg?”

“I wanted away from it all. I couldn’t keep living that way.” He rubbed his neck, and I could see something different in his eyes. A new sadness I hadn’t seen, perhaps shame.

I took in a deep breath and grabbed his hand.What am I doing?But the impulse was natural, and once I’d done it, I couldn’t pull away, because he looked up at me with those dark eyes, and I didn’t want to leave the warmth I felt there.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” I told him. “I understand a thing or two about being shunned.”

His lips parted, as if he wanted to say something, and I found myself moving forward, our eyes meeting. I could feel his breath on my cheek and feel the warmth of his skin. He smelled like earth and smoke from working in the kitchen.

No, Gil, stop doing this to yourself.

Pulling away, I cleared my throat and said, “I’m sorry.”

For a moment, Cale’s expression dropped, but then he looked up at me and tried to smile. “For what? I’m just glad to have company. Thank you.” He stood up straight again, which made me frown, and closed the book. “I think I might keep this one in here for a few days and see what I can read. I already feel tired from all you’ve taught me today.”

“I’ll let you get some sleep, then.” I got to my feet along with him, but before I started for the door, I tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. “Good night, Cale,” I said.

“Night,” he whispered.

I turned on my heel quickly before I did something I regretted.

Iwenttothelibrary with Gil every day for the next week, falling into a routine that I liked very much. When he wasn’t teaching me, we were both reading or writing, and he even drew me a few pictures of cute woodland animals like chipmunks, squirrels, and deer to put in my room. I cherished each one, amazed at how he could draw them to look so realistic.

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