Devil’s Desire (CASABLANCA CLASSICS) by Laurie McBain EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Authors: Laurie McBain
- Language: English
- Genre: Historical Romance
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2 MB
- Price: Free
High in a cloud-laden afternoon sky, a free-spirited skylark soared
gracefully; its spread-winged shadow traveling swiftly over the colorful
autumnal countryside below. Its song pierced the primeval silence of the
forest below as the cheerful cry carried through the chill air; the clear notes
penetrated beneath the thick canopy of branches, and reaching the soft,
loam-covered forest floor the sound was absorbed by the bright carpet of
fallen leaves.
The woods seemed to come to life, humming with the chirpings and
chatterings of busy forest creatures contentedly gathering food for the
oncoming winter, until another sound intruded into the aimless animal
chatter and sent a hush over the clearing. An uneasy silence hung over it as
the threatening sounds of baying hounds and pounding horses’ hooves
echoed in the distance.
The gossiping birds took wing and the bushy-tailed squirrels scurried
into safe nests as a figure emerged from the trees, twigs snapping sharply as
it moved into the clearing.
“Tally-ho!” Ribald laughter followed the cry of the hunt. “Where is that
foxy wench? Damnation! Don’t lose sight of her now, man!”
The excited voices drifted to a still figure, galvanizing it into action, and
the raised voices became louder as the riders moved closer. Then the voices
merged into one menacing sound as they intermingled with the snorting of
their mounts.
As they came closer, Elysia could almost feel their hot breath against the
back of her neck, as she held up her skirts and hurriedly climbed over a
fallen tree. She stopped, pausing to catch her breath, panting heavily as she
leaned against another tree for support. She could hear the raised voices of
the men as they searched about the undergrowth, not far off, beating it back
to find her hiding place. She shivered as she heard the throaty yelping of the
dogs, and saw movement through the trees as the horsemen pressed on
toward her; each passing second bringing them closer.
She stood still, frozen with fear, her eyes darting about like those of a
trapped animal seeking safety. Suddenly, she noticed the hollowed out trunk
of the fallen tree, the opening partially concealed by the full-fronded ferns
and wild weeds that grew about the gaping mouth. She moved quickly into
the cool, concealing darkness. Crawling past the thick ferns, she pulled
them back into order as she stretched out full length on the rotted and damp
bottom. She shivered as she felt the little crawling inhabitants of the
decayed tree about her. Elysia’s breath caught painfully in her throat as she
heard the pounding of the horses’ hooves coming straight towards her;
shaking the earth beneath her body until she thought she would be trampled
to death beneath them.
“Bloody fool. You’ve let her flee,” said a petulant voice, startling Elysia
by its closeness.
For More Read Download This Book
EPUB