Flora's Wish by Kathleen Y'Barbo Read Free Book Online

together?”
    â€œThey’ll know soon enough, won’t they?”
    Miss Brimm shook her head. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten what I’ve told you regarding my grandmother. She would neither approve of nor allow any sort of dalliance with someone I barely know. She said as much just now, so I’ve work to do to get around the issue.”
    Tucker’s chuckle and the familiar way he touched Miss Brimm’s sleeve made Lucas clench his fists. “What can one old lady do?”
    The Natchez belle easily slipped from the criminal’s grasp. “That ‘old lady’ spotted you before I did,” she said sharply.
    â€œI told you it wasn’t me she saw last week—”
    â€œI meant today,” she insisted with a shake of her head. “And trust me. Should Grandmama get wind of our plans beyond the general statement I made regarding our contract, she would call in any number of favors to guarantee we would never get away with anything less than a long engagement followed by what would surely become an overblown circus of a wedding. Is that what you want?”
    â€œShe won’t hear it from me.” Tucker spoke just quickly enough to let Lucas know the man was more than a little worried. “You have my word.”
    Tucker said something else, but a trio of squealing children skipped past Lucas’s hiding place, followed by their loudly complaining mother. A moment later, the trolley pulled into the drive and clanged without ceasing for a full half minute. By the time the extraneous noise ceased, the pair appeared ready to part ways.
    Miss Brimm glanced around, but her gaze swept past Lucas’s hiding spot without pausing. “Let’s do this my way. I shall order up transport for us for eight thirty tomorrow morning. Please alleviate my fears and go to your room until then, sir. Order your meals sent up. I’ll gladly pay for them once we’ve finalized our bargain. Just stay out of sight.”
    He paused to give her a look that was hidden by the shade from his hat. “I’ll agree to it, but only because you asked so nicely, my dear. Consider it a wedding gift. Though I still don’t see why you’re so afraid of that old…” Tucker shook his head. “Forget I said anything. I’ll meet you in the lobby tomorrow morning after a night’s rest and an evening of behaving myself and staying out of your grandmother’s way. How’s that?”
    She gave him a sideways look. “By staying in your room?”
    He held up his hand. “I promise.”
    â€œThen I think that’s a good plan.”
    He winked. “As do I. Can’t be tired if I’m heading off on my honeymoon tomorrow.”
    The trolley bell rang again, hiding her response. What could not be hidden, however, was the expression on her lovely face. Though Will Tucker was looking forward to a honeymoon, his bride was not.
    Or perhaps she affected such an angry stance for some other reason. With his listening tube temporarily unusable and no other way to gauge her emotions, Lucas was left to wonder. It didn’t take a Pinkerton man, even one who specialized in advanced science and modern crime-fighting gadgetry, to tell Miss Brimm was not counting the minutes until the after-wedding celebration.
    When she led Tucker toward the hotel’s front entrance, Lucas lost any ability to either see or hear them. He removed the bowler, made the adjustments that hid the listening device, and then returned the hat to his head to follow his prey. Keeping to the edges of the path where the foliage was dense, he easily trailed the pair until they separated at the front entrance.
    Their parting left him momentarily baffled. Had Miss Brimm been his intended, Lucas knew for certain he would have offered at least an embrace. With lips that lovely and begging to be kissed, he would gladly have accommodated her.
    Unfortunately, dwelling on a kiss that would