Escapade (9781301744510) by Susan Carroll Read Free Book Online Page A

parlor
and play the urbane host, soothing, calming and apologizing. What
he really wanted to do was to strip out of his suit, and take a
long soak in a hot bath. His wet clothes were drying to a state of
stiff dampness that was damned uncomfortable.
    The suit was probably ruined, but Zeke hadn't
liked it much anyway. His tailor had assured Zeke that the silk
striped vest and close-fitting jacket would give him a dapper
appearance, just like any of those young sprigs who had gone up to
Harvard. But the transformation had never taken place. He had the
tough exterior of a prizefighter, and his muscular frame threatened
to burst the silk's flimsy seams.
    Zeke couldn't wait to toss the suit into a
heap and get into something more comfortable. Surely he could leave
the cosseting of his guests to his redoubtable butler Wellington
and the charming Mrs. Van Hallsburg. This infernal party had been
all Cynthia's idea anyway.
    Even as he considered this appealing notion,
Zeke frowned. If he abandoned his role as host, Mrs. Van H. would
likely be even more irritated with him. Not that Zeke feared any
woman's wrath, but he owed Cynthia Van Hallsburg a great deal for
her help these past months in opening the doors to New York
society. Zeke Morrison was a man who always paid his debts.
    He reluctantly headed for the drawing room,
but a situation arose that required more immediate attention.
Someone was hammering on the front door. When a harried parlor maid
opened it, Zeke was not altogether surprised to see a
representative of the press standing on the doorstep.
    Nothing of interest could take place at
Morrison's Castle without bringing the reporters out in droves, and
none of these newsmen was more persistent than Mr. William Duffy of
the New York World.
    Wellington would have barred the fellow
admittance, but the bold red-haired reporter easily slipped past
the little parlor maid. Duffy's sharp features lit up as he spied
Zeke paused outside the drawing room. He crossed the hall in three
quick strides, his faded brown coat dripping rainwater with every
step.
    "Mr. Morrison! Just the man I wanted to
see."
    "The feeling isn’t mutual," Zeke replied.
"What the hell do you think you are doing, barging in here?"
    "Oh, Mr. Morrison," the parlor maid wailed.
"I tried to keep him out."
    "That's all right, Maisie. You go help
Wellington with the tea. I can look after Mr. Duffy." Zeke spoke
softly, but his voice had enough of an edge that the reporter took
a wary step backward. As the relieved parlor maid scuttled off,
Duffy flung out his hands in a placating gesture.
    "I'm here on legitimate business this time,
Mr. Morrison. I came to cover your party for my society editor."
Duffy produced a small notepad and pencil from his inner breast
pocket. He moistened the pencil tip with his tongue and affected to
write. "Now what did Mrs. Van Hallsburg wear today—puce?"
    Zeke glowered and snatched the pencil away.
"Get out of here. Don't you have anything better to do than hang
about my house and bother me?"
    "No." Duffy grinned. "Like it or not, you are
news, Mr. Morrison. The mysterious tycoon of millionaire's row. You
can't just breeze into this town, buy up a whole block, build
yourself a castle, and expect not to attract attention."
    Zeke sucked in his breath with an impatient
hiss. He collared the reporter and propelled him back toward the
door.
    "Ow! Watch the coat, Morrison. I still owe
money on it, and I already near split my pants climbing your
fence."
    "You're lucky I don't split your head."
    "All right then. All right! I didn't just
come to cover the party. I was down at the police precinct and
heard there was some sort of an accident out here—something about a
balloon crash. Did you hire it for your party?"
    "No. I don't provide my guests with cheap
circus entertainment."
    "Hey, what's wrong with cheap entertainment?
I like it."
    There had been a time in his life when Zeke
would have agreed with him. That he had come across sounding