already was asleep. He took a quilt at the foot of the bed and covered her and then sat on the bed, stroking her hair. Her face looked younger now, resembling more the girl he had once known.
This day had been the most eventful in his life. He had found the woman he loved and brought her out of the darkness she had lived in for too many years. Now she lay here and he swore he would make sure no one would ever hurt her again.
“I love you, Anna,” Dez said softly and kissed her brow.
Chapter Thirteen
Anna awoke to light. Confusion filled her. Gollingham remained in darkness. Few candles or lanterns were ever lit. The windows had iron bars across them, which hampered light from streaming inside. She opened her eyes and saw a strange room. No, she had seen it before. Last night.
When Dez had brought her here.
She looked down and saw her arms and legs free. No restraints restricted her movements. She couldn’t remember the last time she had gone to sleep without being tied down or laced inside the straitjacket. No wonder she felt so refreshed from sleep. She glanced around and saw Dez in a chair brought close to the bed. Her gaze focused on his forearms, corded with muscle. A tingle swept through her, something she recalled from long ago but couldn’t think of what it was associated with.
He was asleep. His chest rose and fell, his breathing even. She studied him, wanting to touch his face but refraining from doing so. He looked older, much older than the last time she had seen him. When they had made for Gretna Green. A wave of sadness swept through her. They had been barely more than children. She was in the first few weeks of her come-out and Dez had just finished at Eton. Though he was remarkably handsome, his face matured and his frame filled out, instinctively she knew he had experienced pain.
She remembered him talking of the war. Lord Torrington must have shipped him off to the army once he and her father had caught up to them. At least, that is what her imagination was telling her. She knew what she was seeing and hearing and feeling wasn’t real. That she had finally been broken by the Fiend and Matron and retreated into a world of madness. Funny how she had fought from doing so for such a long time. Now, here in the grips of madness, she found it so very peaceful. She was with Dez. They were far from Gollingham. She had been able to create an entire world based upon one she once knew. Anna knew this cottage, though not the furnishings. She remembered the clearing and could see the lake. Why, she had even been able to recall gowns which Dalinda had worn, the ones the man called Coral had brought.
That was the only thing she didn’t like. Anna didn’t know where Coral came from. He didn’t look like any of the attendants at the asylum and he wasn’t a servant she had ever seen. Dez didn’t seem to think Coral was a threat to her even though his appearance had frightened her. She would let things play out. If this Coral bothered her, she would make him disappear.
With her arms free, she stretched lazily as a cat might. Oh, how she had missed cats and all the other wounded animals and birds she used to rescue. She had always loved nature and had helped plant flowers with the Shelton Park gardeners while growing up. She, along with Dez and Dalinda, had explored the woods on both estates. Sometimes, they found animals that had been hurt or a bird with a broken wing. She had insisted on bringing each one home and nursing it back to health. Only then would she try to find a home for it or release it back into the wild.
Anna hadn’t thought of any animals besides horses in a long time. Perhaps in this new world that was slowly unwrapping around her, there would be animals, ones that she could take care of. She could fill the cottage with them and tend to them, Dez helping her. She would wait for that, though. She didn’t want to push things too far or too fast and have this new world crumble into dust. If it did, who knew how long it might take her to recreate it again?
She scooted up, pushing the pillows back