1609366867 by Janice Thompson Read Free Book Online Page B

leave his evil ways behind and move forward with your life.”
    “You’re making no sense, Peter.” Tessa plopped back down onto the bale of hay, her thoughts in a whirl. Truly, the yelps from the piglets made more sense than the peculiar conversation with these two lovebirds.
    “I want you to take my place aboard the Titanic .” Jacquie’s words were whispered, but they might as well have been shouted in Tessa’s ear, they took her by such force.
    “W–what?” A wave of nausea passed over Tessa, followed by a dizzy spell.
    “Yes, don’t you see? As soon as Mama gets me settled in my room aboard the ship, we will trade places—trade lives, as it were—and you can sail to New York in my place. You will take my boarding pass, my clothing, my…life. All of that I will gladly trade for the pure joy of marrying your brother and spending my days as his wife, here in England.” She batted her eyelashes in Peter’s direction, and he responded with a smile, though it looked a bit strained.
    Still, Tessa couldn’t make sense of this. Was the girl daft? Had years of wearing tight corsets squeezed the common sense out of her?
    “It’s the perfect solution.” Peter turned to Tessa, pleading with his eyes. “Don’t you agree? Jacquie does not care to leave, and you…well, you need to leave. I will feel better knowing you’re safely away from here.” His gaze shifted to the house and then back to her.
    “I do not agree.” Tessa rose and marched across the barn. “You’ve both spent too much time consuming rich foods, I fear. It has affected your reasoning. Do you really think, for one moment, that I could possibly play the role of a—a—” She pointed to Jacquie, not wanting to be rude.
    “A society girl?” Jacquie offered a confident smile. “Yes, I do believe it possible. You’re the right size for my dresses, the perfect hair color, everything.”
    “Not everything.” Tessa folded her hands over her chest and glared at her brother’s beau, taking in the wealth of dark hair and perfectly arched brows. Her gaze traveled to the narrow, fitted waist on the beautifully trimmed-out dress and finally landed on the pristine shoes with their pointed toes. Her feet ached just thinking about them.
    Jacquie cleared her throat, which brought Tessa back to her senses. Resolved to put an end to this ridiculous conversation, she looked her way and spoke with fervor. “I can wear the dress, but I cannot wear the life. I do not speak like you or walk like you or put on prissy airs like—” She stopped herself.
    “I will teach you all of that.” Jacquie gripped her hand with such force that Tessa felt it might break. “We have two weeks to accomplish it. I feel sure it can be done.”
    “And in two weeks, you think I can learn to be a proper English lady?” Tessa snorted and ran her rough palms across her dirty skirt. “If so, then you truly don’t know me. I am far more athome here, in the stalls, with a swine who thinks she’s a countess, than rubbing shoulders with the real thing.”
    Jacquie’s eyes pooled. “You want to leave this place. That much I do know. From what Peter has shared, your life is very difficult. What you’ve had to endure is beyond comprehension.”
    Tessa trembled and glared at her brother. How dare he share her personal stories with this stranger?
    “You, of all people, deserve a fresh start,” Jacquie said. “And I hope to offer you that. Please consider this, Tessa. It will be my gift to you. And yours to me, of course.”
    “Consider it, Tessa.” Peter’s eyes brimmed with tears. “Please.” Something about the tone of his voice gave her reason to actually do so.
    The erratic thumping of Tessa’s heart nearly knocked the breath out of her. She rose and paced the barn before turning toward her brother, doing her best to suppress the anger threatening to erupt.
    “What will you tell Pa when I turn up missing? He will be furious. You know how he depends on me to work