Never Seduce a Scot (The Montgomerys and Armstrongs #1)(45)

“Eveline, can you tell me what happened inside the keep that upset you so?”

Silence fell. She didn’t respond. Didn’t turn around to acknowledge him. She acted as though he hadn’t spoken at all.

He frowned. “Eveline?”

Still no response.

“Eveline, turn around so that we may speak on the matter at hand.”

The order was imperious, purposely said in a biting tone because he suspected … He wasn’t sure what he suspected, but he’d spoken in a manner that would have most certainly have upset her. She would not have sat there, unmoving, ignoring his dictate.

His mind was a whirl of confusion and gradual understanding. If he was correct … Jesu, could he be? Could it be as simple as that?

He strode forward and straddled the bench she sat on. As soon as she sensed his presence, she turned, her gaze immediately going to his face, or rather, his mouth. His mind was struggling for answers to the questions that plagued him. There was something very important here. Just within reach.

The nagging suspicion became stronger. It wasn’t possible. It sounded preposterous. And yet he found himself mouthing his next words, not giving voice to them.

“Can you tell me what happened, Eveline?”

Slowly she nodded, but then she shook her head and shrugged as if to say she wasn’t sure what she could tell him.

His pulse thumped rapidly. He found it difficult to remain calm. One more time, he did the same, still not believing the proof in front of his eyes.

“Can you understand me, Eveline? Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”

She frowned and then nodded, as if she found the question ridiculous.

His discovery floored him. All he could do was stare at her in utter amazement.

“Dear God,” he whispered. “You can’t hear, can you?”

CHAPTER 21

Eveline’s eyes turned nearly black as her pupils grew large. Only a thin band of blue surrounded the darkness and her fear was something he could not only see but he could feel.

She hastily rose, backing away from him, her expression panicked. She ran into one of her trunks, fell backward and then tried to scramble up as she continued her track toward the door.

Graeme shot up and went to her, determined that she wouldn’t fear him. He couldn’t bear it if he frightened her.

“Eveline. Eveline!” He turned her face so that she was looking directly at him. “Eveline, please. You have nothing to fear. I only want to understand. Please believe that.”

He touched her cheek, caressing softly as he tried to soothe away her panic.

Gradually her breathing slowed and some of the terror left her eyes.

“That’s it,” he said. “Deep breaths. You’ve nothing to fear. I just want to talk to you. I’d like to understand you, Eveline. I think you have been very misunderstood for a long time now.”

He helped her up and then took her hands, leading her to the bed so she could be comfortable. The hard bench in front of a no longer burning fire didn’t qualify and he didn’t want to take the time to start it burning again. There was too much he needed to know about the woman he’d married.

He settled her down and then sat across from her, bending one leg up on the mattress so they faced each other. He took her hands in his, holding them firmly.

“I’m right, aren’t I? You can’t hear.”

She briefly closed her eyes and issued a short nod. He waited until she reopened them before he continued.

“And yet, somehow you’re able to tell what people are saying by watching their mouths?”

Even as he said it, he knew how incredible it sounded and yet it had to be so. It explained so much. Why she seemed to sometimes be aware and why other times she seemed to drift and have no awareness of what went on around her.

Again she nodded.

He was astounded. He wouldn’t have believed such a thing possible. There were so many questions crowding into his head that he had to control the urge to blurt them out in succession. He didn’t want to overwhelm her.

He leaned in closer, gazing into her eyes. “Eveline, out there, you spoke. You said two words. Have you been unable to speak or have you just been unwilling to speak all this time?”

She swallowed hard and then again. She opened her mouth, but paused almost as if she were afraid to even try.

“Try,” he coaxed gently. “I won’t judge you. Try to say the words.”

He held his breath in anticipation, only now realizing just how important it was that she be able to communicate verbally with him. He’d never felt an eagerness like this. His pulse was about to beat right out of his head.

Her hand went to her throat, and then she opened her mouth again. The words when spoken were a little garbled and barely a whisper.

“I w-was a-afraid.”

His chest tightened at such simple words, but they conveyed a heavy wealth of emotion.

He nudged her chin upward so she’d see his own words. It was important she understand what he would say. If she knew nothing else, he would have her understand his vow. “You don’t have to be afraid here, Eveline. You never have to be afraid with me.”

Her eyes brimmed with tears. “Th-they haate mee.”

This time the words were rather singsong and they came out in varying degrees of loudness. She started soft, became much louder in the middle before fading away to nearly nothing. It was almost as if she were testing, trying to see what was normal.