Her Assassin's Heart - Book 2

Chapter 27

Cassandra was furious. She had never felt so. . .so. . .bah! She could just scream with how she was feeling! She couldn't sleep; she couldn't eat; she was agitated with everyone and everything.

Grinding her teeth together, she realized that she had been staring at the same of her book for the last ten minutes. Lavinia was already getting suspicious, and heaven help her if Irene knew! She wouldn't be able to bear it if those two were constantly regarding her with big, sympathetic eyes. For, of course, they would know what ailed her even if she herself had no idea.

Glancing up, she found them both looking at her with raised brows. Irene's amusement was evident. Cassandra clenched her teeth and frowned in mock concentration as she turned another page, feigning interest in whatever book she'd picked up.

"Are you feeling a bit scatterbrained this morning, Cassie?" Lavinia's calm voice even grated on her nerves.

Forcing a smile, she looked up at her sister and shook her head. "This book is simply a little confusing."

Irene, unable to help herself, released a giggle. "It might help, you know, if you it weren't—um—upside down."

Cassandra started at the words and felt her face go hot with embarrassment. Closing the book, she rose and moved to the windows, the old restlessness rising within her again.

Graham's urgent face flashed before her eyes, and before she could help herself, she was thinking of that kiss again. The way his lips felt against hers, his hands tangled in her hair. . . He had matched her passion for passion, absorbing everything she gave and sending back some of his own.

It was all burned into her mind, and she had been struggling not to think of it since that afternoon. They'd ridden back to the manor, and he'd sent her inside as though he feared something might happen to her while he tended to their mount. Then, in his strange, Grahamish way, he'd disappeared, and she hadn't seen him.

It was all so confusing. Why had he kissed her in the first place? And he'd apologized for it, too, as though the idea of kissing her wasn't a pleasant one. What had brought it all about?

Her heart beat out an erratic rhythm. Since coming to Scotland, she'd found herself tossed into a whirlpool of misunderstanding and confusion, and this just added another layer.

"Cassie, are you all right?" Lavinia's voice pulled her back down to earth.

Cassandra mumbled something incoherent in response, flushing hot. What if Lavinia's keen eyes had understood where her thoughts lay? But how could they? Cassandra hadn't even told her about the kiss!

She couldn't only blame Graham for being illusive, she thought, forgetting the other's presence as quickly as she'd been reminded. Ethan had carried him off the next day on an expedition to see that horrible Lord Brodi. They hadn't been heard from since. Perhaps that was setting her more on edge.

A tall, male figure outside had attractive her subconscious attention some minutes earlier. Pulling herself back into reality, she found herself staring at his every move intently for no reason. There were so many men in Fergus Manor. . .

The door of the room suddenly opened as though it had been flung. When she turned to look, it was Ethan in the doorway, his eyes glued to Lavinia.

"Ethan, what is it?" Lavinia's concern was evident, but Ethan remained silent. "Ethan?"

Cassandra's eyes widened with realization, and she spun back to face the window, her eyes frantically searching the grounds for the tall figure. She was going to get some answers if she had to beat them out of him!