Page 12 of Winter's Scorching Kisses
Isabel smiled, “I’m not saying you need to find another man, yet. I am only trying to tell you there will be others. There are always others.”
“I’m not you. I can't possibly do what you have been doing.”
Isabel shrugged unconcerned. “I was married off to an older man. He doesn't visit my bed often, so I have found myself some others to pass the time. There is no harm in that.”
“Ask your husband how he feels about other men in your bed.” Adorra glared at her, one true friend.
They were so different, and that was probably the one reason why they were so good together. Isabel challenged Adorra’s beliefs and views of the world around them. While Adorra had saved herself for marriage, Isabel had broadened her views without the restrictions of marriage.
“I am sure he has other women in his bed as well.” Isabel waved it off like it was just matter of fact.
Adorra's eyes widened in amazement. “Does it bother you at all?”
“Not in the least.” Isabel chuckled as she poured herself a cup of tea. “He is about thirty years my senior. Trust me. You will never miss anything by not marrying a man that old.” She smoothed out the skirts of her dress. “I can’t tell you the number of times he visited my bed, could get it to rise,” she lifted a finger and made a lifting motion with it, “and then blamed me for his shortcomings.”
“Lord Gothar hadn't any time to get old. His life was too short.” With the thought of Lord Gothar coming back to plague her, she felt her eyes grow moist. “Excuse me.” Adorra quickly vacated her seat by the window and left Isabel's company before she embarrassed herself with an audience.
Isabel had already done so much, like the night of Edmund’s murder. Adorra couldn’t possibly repay such kindness and felt bothered Isabel had seen her in such a vulnerable state.
She was well on her way to healing. The major factors affecting her now was the fact Lord Gothar had been killed right in front of her and the fact that their future had been cut so short.
The manor gardens ended up being her next refuge for hiding from Isabel and her alarming life stories that Adorra had no wish to hear. Adorra already had enough life stories of her own with her missing sister and dead family members.
“You can’t flee me that easily.” Isabel found her in the gardens, her pastel dress blending in with all the roses that were in bloom. “You need to talk to someone and let it out before it shreds you from the inside out.”
“There’ve been rumors.”
“What type of rumors?” Isabel slowly walked around the garden with Adorra following after.
“Rumors about Jasmine and despite my best efforts, I listened into those conversations.”
“What did they say?”
“The most common I’ve heard floating around is that maybe Jasmine had run off with a man, or she had been jealous of my impending wedding, or someone had kidnapped her.”
Isabel nodded her head. “People love to gossip, don’t they? And they don’t care who they hurt.”
Adorra knew that the only theory that might be true was that her sister had been kidnapped. With all her heart, Adorra knew Jasmine wouldn't have left her willingly. They were the only family they had left.
“Do you believe any of the rumors?”
“Maybe the kidnapping rumor, but if it was true why has there been no ransom? Surely, if someone had kidnapped her, then they would be contacting me for something at some point, and they must know I’d be willing to pay.” She’d made sure to spread the word that she would give anything to have her sister back.
Thinking back on the day that Jasmine had disappeared, Adorra did remember not seeing Keir for the whole day. Keir had always been around Lord Gothar since Keir had been his manservant. He was a puppy dog following at the heels of his owner, looking for a good praise or a tidbit thrown his way. For the whole day, Lord Gothar had acted like it wasn't unusual and had been able to explain it away. Yet Adorra wasn't so sure now.
Keir had, after all, disappeared after Lord Gothar's death as well. She knew he wasn't the killer though because he wouldn't have been tall or broad-shouldered enough… but it was strange. It could be a coincidence, and she had no proof of anything, but it was still there lingering in the back of her mind that Keir may have done something with Jasmine.
With a sigh, she glanced at the guards that had followed her and Isabel outside. This was not ideal. She was beginning to feel like a prisoner, constantly under a watchful eye.
“Will you tell me what is in the letter already?” Isabel asked desperately leaning over to get a peek at the writing.
A week had passed since their outing into the garden together, and Isabel had been right. Talking about all those horrible rumors with someone had gotten a bit of pressure off her chest, especially since Isabel had been a kind ear who always listened with rapt attention. She had a way of making people feel like they were the most important things in the land, and Adorra loved that about her friend.
Adorra frowned at the letter she held within her hand. “It is another marriage proposal.”
Tapping a finger against her chin, Isabel counted. “That would make, let’s see, two, no wait, that would be three marriage proposals this week.” Then she smiled. “And may I point out they are all from men that would make fantastic catches?”
“It's too early!” Adorra barked at the letter in her hand.
