Chapter 52: Risky Game

ISABEL

The revelation that Mavis was not joining the family for dinner left a hollow ache in the pit of my stomach. With this realization came the stark knowledge that I wouldn't be able to look at him during dinner like I usually did.

Well, I took my cutlery and stretched out for a glass of water first. As I began to eat, the stillness of the dining room was broken by the unexpected sensation of a hand on my lap. My muscles tensed, and my eyes darted around the table, searching for the source of the contact.

Despite the shock of the unexpected touch, I forced myself to remain calm, my gaze flitting between my plate and the tablecloth, feigning disinterest.

The sensation was delayed for a while. As the seconds ticked by, I thought. Had I imagined the contact? Or, maybe I felt so because of the tablecloth as it brushed against my thighs whenever I moved my legs.

But as the hand on my thigh began to roam, tracing its way along the contours of my nightgown, I became more alarmed.

Wi