The Sinful Duke’s Bride (THE DUCHESS DILEMMA #3) by Tessa Brookman EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
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- Authors: Tessa Brookman
- Language: English
- Genre: Historical Romance
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2.2 MB
- Price: Free
THORNHILL CASTLE
“Now you can open your eyes.”
Upon opening her eyes, Cecilia felt as though she had stepped back through
time.
The hall through which she walked, arm in arm with Arthur, was of
brooding dark stone. A vaulted ceiling was supported by massive timbers.
Windows set to either side of the hall were tall and arched—they looked as
though they belonged in a cathedral! The floor was of naked stone, though
highly polished, and despite the finish, it bore the scars and scratches of its
centuries of use.
“This is… remarkable. I cannot imagine living in such a place…” Cecilia
gasped.
Her long auburn hair cascaded down her shoulders in bouncing curls. She
shared the same brown eyes and small, straight nose as her brother, and
both possessed dimples in their cheeks when smiling—so deep, it wasn’t
difficult to tell they were siblings.
Arthur nodded. “Neither can I. In all the times I have visited Lionel here, I
cannot picture Thornhill Castle as anything other than cold, brooding, and
possibly haunted.”
He grinned and Cecilia returned the smile. “How exciting. I would love to
share a house with a phantom.”
“But not the bloodless seventh Duke who walks the passageways of the east
wing,” Arthur noted, grimacing in the manner of a gargoyle. “They say his
throat was cut and when he was found, he was as white as snow. Now, he
remains there, prepared to push unwary visitors down the tower stairs.”
Cecilia shuddered, though she knew her brother was exaggerating.
“I don’t see how an insubstantial wraith could push anyone down
anything,” she said.
“By the force of sheer fright,” Arthur pointed out.
Cecilia playfully slapped his shoulder.
“Stop trying to frighten me, Artie. I am sure that this house is not nearly as
frightening as its age makes it appear. It is… atmospheric, however.”
“Very,” Arthur agreed.
The babble of voices reached them from the far end of the hallway. A
carved wooden screen divided the room at that point. It was painted to
depict a grandiose scene from Teutonic mythology. A door was set into the
screen, and as it opened, the sound of the other gathered guests grew in
volume. A man stepped through the door and Cecilia immediately felt her
heartbeat hasten.
“Ah, there you are, Penrose! Come and join us. Have you shown your sister
around this moldering pile of stone I call home?” he uttered.
He was tall and broad-shouldered with short-cropped black hair. The
darkness of his hair made his skin seem pale and emphasized his emerald,
green eyes. His handsome features were completed by a Roman nose and
full lips above a strong jaw.
The man exuded strength and power. When
those green eyes met her own, Cecilia found her breath quickening. She did
not want to look away and found herself reminded of dark fairytales
concerning seductive vampires. There was a physicality to him that made
her acutely aware of her own body.
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