A Pearl for Love by Mary Cummins Read Free Book Online

herself down on the other side, then jumped up again, excusing herself to go and find her handkerchief. James had taken John into the study for a moment, and Catherine found, to her slight discomfort, that she and Michael were alone.
    ‘ Oh. Perhaps I ’ d better see if I can help Aunt Lucille with anything, ’ she said confusedly.
    ‘ Oh, must you? Surely everyone can ’ t desert me, or I shall think I have B.O. or something. ’ His dark eyes suddenly glinted rather wickedly into hers. ‘ Besides, I don ’ t think I ’ ve yet said hello properly to you, and that I ’ m glad to have you with us. ’
    ‘ Thank you, ’ she said, faint colour in her cheeks. ‘ I was hoping you wouldn ’ t think I was in the way. I mean, sometimes I feel that I ’ ve been rather foisted on Sheridan and Rodgers, and you, being a Rodgers, might have resented me since it was the Sheridans who brought me here. ’
    ‘ The thought never occurred to me, ’ Michael told her. ‘ Besides ...’
    ‘Wh at? ’
    ‘ I doubt if I ’ d have been consulted, anyway, ’ he told her, with a small laugh.
    ‘ Oh, but surely, since you ’ re a partner ...’
    He glanced at her, frowning. ‘ I ’ m the son of James Sheridan ’ s partner, ’ he said flatly. ‘ I ’ ve no more authority than...’
    ‘ John? ’
    ‘ Perhaps. You ’ re David Lyall ’ s daughter, aren ’ t you? The pearl man. ’
    ‘ Yes, but my parents are dead now, and I ... well, I ’ m having to work for my living. ’
    ‘ Not exactly for your living, surely. Not with your father fishing out pearls. ’
    She laughed. ‘ And you a jeweller! I would have thought you would know that it isn ’ t all that easy to find really wonderful pearls, enough to become rich. ’
    ‘ No, but ...’ He glanced at her curiously. ‘ Never mind. I think Elizabeth said her father had been made your guardian or something. ’
    ‘ He ’ s my godfather, though we haven ’ t really seen much of the Sheridans over the years. My father kept in touch, and called in when he went to London on business. It ’ s awfully good of Uncle James and Aunt Lucille to give me a home like this. ’
    ‘ What were you doing otherwise? ’
    ‘ I had a flat in Perth, but Un cl e James has seen to it all for me. It ’ s been let and the things I want to keep are in store. ’
    ‘ In store in Perth ?’
    ‘ Yes, though I ’ ve a few boxes and cases to go through here. I keep putting it off, but I ’ ll have to start to it all one of these days. I ... I ’ m only getting my sea legs back after ... after the accident, ’ she said, a trifle shakily.
    ‘ Poor Catherine !’ His eyes had grown rather soft as he looked down at her.
    ‘ Oh, it ’ s all right, ’ she said hastily. ‘ I ’ m tons better now. Coming here has helped enormously. ’
    ‘ I ’ ve no doubt, ’ he said, rather dryly. ‘ They ’ ll make you very welcome. But don ’ t go grovelling with gratitude. Take it from me, there ’ s no need. ’ His voice was suddenly harsh, and she felt an odd twinge of distaste when she looked up into his dark, moody face. This man was an enigma to her. He could be bright and charming, then in a moment she could feel an almost sulky moodiness in him, and a sort of smouldering anger. Against whom? At first she had wondered if it could be herself, but now she knew it wasn ’ t. Yet it would appear that Michael Rodgers had everything which should bring happiness to a young man ... good looks, a share in a fine, well established business, and someone as attractive and suitable as Elizabeth for his fiancée . He seemed to be welcomed into the Sheridan family, so what could be wrong?
    ‘ Do you like being a jeweller ?’ she asked suddenly, and he relaxed.
    ‘ Love it, ’ he told her briefly. ‘ I ’ ve always been interested in clocks and watches ever since my grandfather used to hold his big hunter watch to my ear to listen to the ticking. Then I often watched my father taking a clock to