Lady in Red by Máire Claremont Page A

diseased recesses of her memory.
    His gaze slipped to her lips and then his mouth was on hers. A brush of hot skin and gentle pressure. His hand held the back of her head carefully in place and his other arm came around to cradle her against him.
    She remained absolutely still, trying to allow her mind to go blank. But she couldn’t. The sudden warmth and gentleness of his kiss stole her instincts away and she eased into his embrace. Ever so slowly, she lifted her hands to his shoulders and held with a feather grip.
    He played his mouth over hers, giving and giving with the softest of touches. Teasing her with chaste kisses and the promise of something more.
    Mary let out a shocked breath of pleasure.
    He took the sound as encouragement and eased her tighter against him. His mouth parted and he licked lightly at her lips. Opening to him in small degrees, Mary took his tongue into her mouth. The taste of tea was on him, spicy and aromatic as he stroked her.
    It seemed unbelievable that this could be pleasing, but she couldn’t deny the urging pressure to let him kiss her deeper. Carefully, she caressed her tongue against his.
    His groan filled her mouth and he grasped her tight to his wide chest, his hands hard and suddenly full of demand.
    Fear shot through her and she shoved at his chest. Hard. As she tore her lips away, his mouth smeared down her cheek. “Stop—” She panted. “Please.”
    His embrace suddenly stilled, empty of the pleasure that had been there a moment earlier. “What is amiss?”
    Panic shuddered through her and she saw the image of a bloated face with bloodshot eyes above her where Edward’s should have been. “No no no. I cannot!” She pushed blindly against the man holding her.
    The arms abruptly let go and cold air stole across her skin where she had been warm a moment before. She stood swaying, her eyes blind to the room. She shook her head wildly. “No. Please, no.” She could feel the keeper’s callused hands, rough with dirt and cracked fingernails.
    “Stop—” She choked, her throat tightening like a crushed reed.
    “Mary,” a voice called, desperate and hollow.
    She could feel those rough, stubby fingers upon her cold flesh.
    “Mary!”
    She shook her head again, her hands coming up and clawing at her naked shoulders, trying to push the invisible hands away. Staggering, she scratched at her skin. She couldn’t get it off. The hands. The filthy, hard hands pinching her skin. Any moment. Any moment those hands would shove her to the ground, lift her, and—
    A scream tore from her throat. She brought her hands to her face, forgetting the sheet covering her body, and hid her eyes.
    It had to stop. It had to.
    The keeper. His muddy eyes, alight with hunger, loomed before her. She gagged on the smell of filthy flesh and its accompanying shame. As she attempted to flee from her own thoughts, she couldn’t stop one thought from repeating over and over again. This pain would never stop. She knew that now. It would never leave her. She would never be well.

Chapter 9
    “M ary!” Edward’s muscles locked and he stood helpless, afraid that if he did reach out to her, she would fly apart. She stumbled a few feet away from him, her bare feet sliding over the carpet. Her short hair fluttered about her strained face as she shook her head wildly.
    A sob ripped from her throat as she continued to swipe her hands over her shoulders. “Stop—” She gasped. “Stop!”
    His insides twisted so hard he nearly choked. He longed to grab her and soothe her, but feared it might frighten her all the more.
    “Mary,” he called again, hoping to break through whatever had seized her mind.
    She wailed into her frail hands, covering her face. Her shoulders trembled and she dropped to her knees with a soft thud. “Please,” she whimpered. “I’ll be good.” She lowered her hands from her face and cradled herself. “I promise.”
    Whatever was left of his twisted heart shattered at the sight of