Ryan's Bride by Maggie James Read Free Book Online Page B

clerk’s brows crawled into his hairline when Ryan asked for a room. “Sir, I don’t think—”
    But Ryan cut him off. He hadn’t liked the stares, either, and was tired of all the scrutiny. “The young lady needs accommodation, and since I’m staying in one of your most expensive rooms, I would appreciate your taking care of her.”
    The clerk pursed his lips. Ryan had made his point. As one of the house’s best-paying guests, his demands were not to be questioned. “As you wish, sir, but at the moment I have nothing. However, I do have a couple checking out of a room just down the hall from you, but they’ve asked to be allowed to stay until six o’clock.”
    “Fine. I won’t be back before then. She can stay in my room. Have someone take her there. I’m in a bit of a hurry.” He turned to Angele. “Get some rest. We’ll talk more tonight…get to know each other better.”
    He turned to go, but Angele called to him. “I just want to say thank you…for everything. You won’t regret any of this.”
    He smiled and kept on going.
    The afternoon was passing quickly and Ryan had much to do. First, he went to the nearest boutique and told the proprietor what he wanted—a gown fit for a princess to be sent to Mademoiselle Angele Benet at the Le Pierre Hotel. He didn’t care what it cost. He left a large deposit and said he would pay the balance the next day.
    His next stop was the office of the Black Ball Line, where he was told there were no cabins available. The agent asked if there was any reason he was dissatisfied with his accommodations on the voyage over.
    “No. But circumstances have changed,” he revealed. “I’m getting married, and my bride will be traveling with me.”
    “I understand, but let me explain the situation.” The agent took out a diagram of the ship and unrolled it on the counter. “As you can see, the Victory only has dormitories. No cabins. Now I can put you on the James Munroe. It’s about four hundred tons, one hundred feet in length. It has six cabins that will hold two passengers each and room for a dozen men and women in steerage dormitories. There’s also a smoking salon for cabin passengers—which we consider first class, a sewing room for the ladies, and a nice dining room. I think you and your bride would be quite comfortable.
    “The only thing is,” he continued, “you will have to leave a week later.”
    That was no problem. He needed the extra time to go to Blois and find Francois DeNeux. If he went home without the horses, his father would be upset, and he didn’t want that, not when he was bringing home a wife. “All right. Change my reservation to the James Munroe and book two cabins—one for me and one for my cousin, Corbett Tremayne.”
    The agent leafed through his book and frowned. “I’m sorry, I only have one left, but I can put your cousin in steerage.”
    Ryan groaned to think of how Corbett would react to that. Then the thought struck that maybe he would want to go back as scheduled, which would be much better. Having him around Angele might prove awkward. “Reserve the cabin on the James Munroe , but hold back on changing my cousin’s ticket from the Victory till you hear from me.”
    As soon as Ryan left, he wasted no time in getting to the office of the commandant général, the person he knew to be in charge of the city jails. The hour was growing late, and he did not want the sun to set on another day in the hellish prison run by Captain Duclos.
    He told the story about how a friend of his had endured unspeakable horror at Duclos’s jail, as well as being coerced into agreeing to sell herself into prostitution in order to be freed. The commandant général was not only appalled—he was furious. He assured Ryan he had not known what was going on and that Duclos would be dealt with severely. It would never happen again. Apologies were offered. Ryan said it was not necessary. He just wanted to make sure that no woman would ever suffer