Shattered Dreams by Rebecca King Read Free Book Online

me.
Think about her standing in front of you. How tall was
she?”
    Tilly
studied him thoughtfully. “About as high as your shoulder, I
suppose. Certainly no taller,” she mused. It was difficult to
ignore the flurry of awareness that swept through her as she
considered just how tall he was against her own smaller
frame.
    “ One last thing,” Harry asked as he watched her clutch her bag
tighter and make her way to the door. He was aware that he was
deliberately trying to prevent her from leaving while his mind
raced to find a way to help her, but it was evident with each
minute that passed that he was going to have to let her
go.
    She
stopped in the hallway and looked at him.
    “ Did she give you her direction, the last time you saw her?”
He mentally sighed when she shook her head.
    It was a
struggle not to gather her into his arms for a hug. Unfortunately,
at the moment, he couldn’t really reassure her about anything
because he had no idea what was going on himself.
    “ Thank you for the brandy,” she murmured quietly when he
didn’t seem inclined to ask her anything else.
    She
moved out into the hallway, painfully aware that he followed her.
“Please forgive my intrusion. I just had no reason to believe that
someone would do such a thing.”
    “ I am sorry that they have,” Harry replied quietly. “I can
assure you that I shall be having words with my housekeeper about
who has had access to my desk. Meantime, I hope you find a suitable
position elsewhere.”
    She
smiled at him and turned toward the servants’ door.
    “ This way,” Harry murmured gently, and waved toward the front
door. She wasn’t a servant in his house so he would be damned if
she would use the servants’ doors.
    He
glanced at the door to the servants’ quarters, unsurprised to see
it swing silently closed. Clearly, Dandridge had heard what he had
wanted to hear, and had returned to the kitchen to tell his wife
what he had learned.
    Harry
opened the door and sighed at the steady downpour that awaited her.
He wanted to ask her to stay for a while; at least until the worst
of the weather passed, and actually opened his mouth to speak, only
for her to give him a brave smile, and march outside before he
could say a word.
    Bitter
frustration surged through him at his lack of ability to offer
assistance to her. He longed to be able to go into the kitchen and
dismiss the wastrels who were undoubtedly sitting on their idle
backsides around his kitchen table, but he couldn’t.
    If only circumstances had been kinder to them both, he thought with a frown as he watched her walk
down the steps and hurry down his driveway.
    He
sighed with relief when he spied his good friend, Barnaby pull his
curricle to a stop at the end of the drive. Harry stared at him for
a moment before he turned to look at Tilly, who was already nearly
out of the driveway.
    “ Wait!” Harper called, and raced down the drive after
her.
    He drew
to a stop beside her, and handed her the coins he had taken out of
his pouch. “These are to recompense you for the wasted post chaise
ticket. Please use it to purchase a ticket to another town. I hope
you find the employment you are looking for.” He saw her
instinctive objection on her face as she studied the money. “Please
take a word of advice, Tilly?”
    Tilly
felt everything within her go still, and she nodded jerkily. Her
eyes met and held his.
    He
didn’t want to frighten her, but the memory of the way Dandridge
had leered at her simply wouldn’t go away.
    “ Please get the next post chaise out of the town. There are
some strange things going on around here at the moment, and I don’t
want you getting involved in them.” He placed the coins in her palm
and folded her fingers around them carefully. Rather than release
her hand though, he held on to it for several moments and looked
deep into her eyes.
    “ Look after yourself, Tilly,” he murmured huskily. He could
see the questions in her beautiful green eyes, but he