Patricia Wynn by Lord Tom Read Free Book Online

master.”
    “I see,” said the gentleman, recovering slightly. “Well, as I said, I intend no harm by your mistress, and surely your master cannot object to a little conversation.”
    “Oh, but that’s just it, sir. That’s why I felt I ought to speak to you, sir,” said Tom in a confidential whisper. “You see, the master’s very jealous. He don’t like it if anyone speaks to the missus —’cause she’s so pretty, sir, as any man can see.” He jerked his head back towards Susan with lifted eyebrows. The Englishman followed the direction of his glance and then returned his attention to Tom. His expression was not so confident as before.
    “But surely she speaks to casual acquaintances from time to time,” he protested.
    Tom shook his head vehemently. “Not if she’s careful, she don’t. If the master gets word of it — Well, I’d hate to think of it happenin’ again.”
    “Again?”
    Tom shuddered violently. The Englishman looked alarmed. “Runs ‘em through, sir, he does,” said Tom in a terrible whisper. “Time and again. And no matter what the missus says, she can’t convince him there was nothin’ in it. Just a word or a glance the wrong way sets him off. It’s turrible, it is.”
    By now, the Englishman was staring in horror. “But that’s insane! The fellow must be mad!”
    Tom merely shrugged his shoulders. “They say he was too long in the colonies. America,” he added as if that explained everything. “But anyway, now you see, sir, why I had to speak to you. If the missus has to travel without the master he always sends me along to keep an eye on her, and I have to report back to him about everyone she speaks to —or it’s my hide.”
    The gentleman started. “But in this case, surely...” Then, seemingly mindful of his complete loss of dignity, he drew himself up and regarded Tom haughtily. “This is absurd,” he said. “I have not done anything to disturb your mistress and my speaking to her was purely with the intention of preventing her from falling overboard. If there is any need to mention it to your master —and I fail to see any need at all—you must simply tell him that I spoke a word of caution to her, as any gentleman in all charity would have done, and passed on.” He concluded this speech with an air of having given a command. Then after throwing Susan one more furtive glance, he inclined his head stiffly to her groom and moved away. And to Tom’s great en joyment, the poor man strode rapidly to the far side of the ship and kept his eyes carefully averted for the remainder of the voyage.
    Turning his face to hide a gleeful chuckle, Tom suddenly sensed Susan’s presence and looked round to find her at his side. “Lord Harleston,” she whispered. “What have you done to that poor gentleman? He turned quite pale when he was speaking to you.”
    “Tom,” he reminded her with a respectful bow. “I simply told him that you had a jealous husband who would run him through if he so much as glanced at you.”
    “You didn’t! You’re joking, surely! Why, I thought I was supposed to be a widow?”
    Tom shrugged cheerfully. “It was the best thing I could think of on such short notice. And it worked. I don’t think he’ll speak to you again.”
    “Wretch!” Susan said with a reluctant smile. He was looking decidedly smug, as though he had physically vanquished a rival. It crossed her mind to wonder whether there was not a bit of male possessiveness in that smirk of his and the thought was somehow gratifying. “So now I have to balance two falsehoods among one group of people! Don’t forget that Peg thinks I’m a widow. And what if this gentleman should happen to mention my married state to someone else on the journey? It could happen.”
    “I don’t think so,” Tom said. “I don’t suppose he’ll want to say a word about you. But,” he added, and his eyes held a certain gleam, “I’m afraid I must ask you not to lift your veil aboard the vessel