To Save a Love - Alexa Aston Page 0,54
the staff merely called him Doctor. I called him Fiend in my mind.”
Dez cradled her cheek in his palm. “He can never hurt you again, Anna. Your cousin is now head of the Browning family. He feels terrible that he didn’t know of your whereabouts. Jessa, too, must experience guilt.”
“She was just a small girl.”
He smiled. “She has turned into quite the beauty. She has your blue eyes but your mother’s blond hair.”
“Mama said one of her cousins had hair the shade of mine. Papa never liked it.”
Running his fingers through her hair, Dez proclaimed, “I always loved it.”
She reached up and tugged on it. “It is so short. I must be so ugly.”
“Don’t say that.”
“I can’t help it, Dez. I am bony and barely have any hair. I am sure my face is—”
His fingers pressed against her lips, silencing her. “Your face is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. I love you, Anna. I have told you that several times and I will continue telling you until you believe it is true.”
“Can you really love me the way I now am?” she asked sadly.
“You are more than your looks,” his said fiercely. “You are kind and compassionate. You love people and flowers and music. You always think of others, be it humans or animals in need. You are intelligent and have a remarkable sense of humor. You are the sum of those things, Anna, and not merely your looks.”
“I want to believe you,” she said earnestly.
“You will. I guarantee it. You will grow stronger. You will add weight. Your hair will grow longer. But inside, your core, you always have been the same person I grew up with. The same girl I fell in love with. The one I still love.”
He kissed her gently. The kiss held the promise of what might come between them.
If she would allow it.
“I won’t ask you to marry me now,” he told her. “I understand that after what you have gone through that you might never wish to wed. You may be more comfortable being the only one in charge of your life. But if the time comes when you decide you would like a partner to go through life with, then I will be here. Whether that is in a month. A year. Ten years. It doesn’t matter.” He smiled. “Until then, I am content to be your friend.”
Anna wanted him desperately. As her friend. Her husband. Her lover. But she also thought Dez deserved much more than a broken human being. No, she wasn’t broken. She had survived Hell on earth and now stood proud and tall, knowing she had done so. It didn’t mean, however, that she was the one for this wonderful man. He was now an earl. He needed a countess worthy of him. Not old, plain Miss Anna Browning.
She would let him help put her life back together because he so desperately wanted to—and she didn’t think she could accomplish this alone. When the time was right, however, she would tell him that she would never take a husband.
To free him to take another as his wife.
Anna smiled. “I hope you will always be my friend, Dez. You have been my entire life.”
He kissed her brow. “We should rise and get ready for the day. Coral will be here soon with breakfast for us. I also have an idea that I think you will like.”
He left her to her ministrations and she heard Coral arrive. She came out from the bedchamber and the valet greeted her.
“A good morning to you, Coral,” she said, a bit raspy.
“You have recovered your voice, Miss Browning,” he declared. “I know you are happy to have it back.”
“Miss Browning will need to keep gargling her salt water, however, and sipping on tea laced with honey,” Dez added. “At least for the foreseeable future. Let me walk out with you, Coral.”
She began setting out the dishes Coral had brought. Her stomach growled in hunger. At least she was getting good food and it tasted marvelous.
Dez returned and they ate and cleared the dishes. He told her to go and gargle while he began washing them. She did as he asked and then came in and began drying the plates.
“I thought we could walk again if you’d like,” he suggested.
They strolled along the lakeshore. Dez pointed out a few things but had told Anna to rest her voice as much as possible in anticipation of tomorrow’s visit with Jessa and Tom. They