Irish Hearts by Nora Roberts Read Free Book Online Page B

pocket and withdrew a piece of paper. "Your first week's wages."
    "Oh," Adelia said with a grin. "It's the first time I've been paid in money for doing anything." She frowned at the check, confused, and Travis's brows rose in amusement at her expression.
    "Is something wrong with it, Adelia?"
    "Yes-no-I-" she stumbled and brought her eyes to Paddy.
    "You're wondering what it is in pounds," he concluded, grinning merrily.
    "I don't think I figured it right," she answered, embarrassed under Travis's gaze.
    Chuckling, he did some mental arithmetic and told her. Confusion changed to astonishment and something close to terror.
    "What would I be doing with that kind of money?"
    "First time anyone around here complained about being overpaid," Travis commented and received a baleful glance.
    "Here." Adelia turned her attention back to her uncle and held the check out to him. "You take it."
    "Now, why would I be doing that, Dee? It's your money; you earned it."
    "But I've never had so much money at one time in my whole life." She sent him a pleading look. "What will I do with it?"
    "Go out and buy some of those female trappings and folderol," he suggested vaguely, waving his hand, then pushing the check back at her. "Treat yourself to something. The good Lord knows it's about time."
    "But, Uncle Paddy-"
    "Why don't you buy yourself a dress, Dee?" Travis inserted with a grin. "I'm curious to see if you've got legs under those jeans."
    Adelia's head snapped up, and she eyed Travis with a dangerous gleam. "Aye, I've legs, Mr. Grant, and I've been told a time or two it's not a trial to look at them. But you'll not have to be worrying yourself; it's not dresses I need to tend your horses."
    His grin only widened as he gave a negligent shrug. "It doesn't matter to me if you want to be taken for a boy."
    Her wrath increased as he had meant it to, and her eyes fired sharp green daggers. "There's only one who ever made that mistake, he being an ill-mannered, bad-tempered brute of a man without a brain working in his empty head."
    "Shopping's a marvelous idea," Trish broke in, deciding it was time to play peacemaker. "As a matter of fact, Travis"-she smiled and fluttered her lashes-"Dee's taking the rest of the day off so we can do just that."
    "Oh, really?" he returned dryly, folding his arms across his chest.
    "Yes, really. Come on, Dee."
    "But I haven't finished-"
    Trish linked her arm through the still protesting Adelia's and propelled her to a late-model compact. Before she had time to think things through, Adelia had an account at a local bank, a checkbook, and more cash than her apprehensive brain could comprehend.
    "Now"-Trish backed the compact from its parking space-"we're going shopping."
    "But what will I buy?" She stared at Trish's clear profile in complete consternation.
    Stopping at a red light, Trish turned to her anxious face. "When's the last time you bought something for yourself for the fun of it? Have you ever bought something because you wanted it instead of just needing it?" The light changed, and as she joined the flow of traffic she sighed at Adelia's blank expression. "Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying people should just throw their money away, but it's high time you did something for yourself." Glancing at Adelia's furrowed brow, she smiled and shook her head. "You can afford to slow down, Dee, take a day off, buy something foolish, stretch your wings, take a breath."
    She grinned as Adelia merely stared at her. "The sky will not fall if Adelia Cunnane takes time off to have some fun."
    No one was more surprised than Adelia when, in fact, she did have fun. The large mall fascinated her with its various small specialty shops and large department stores. There were more clothes than she had ever seen, in colors and soft materials that had her staring and touching in frank admiration.
    While Adelia gazed around her, Trish examined garments critically, going from rack to rack, dismissing dozens of dresses, skirts and