Smitten by the Spinster by Cassidy Cayman Read Free Book Online Page A

splattering mud all over his newly polished boots.
    “Well, bugger,” he said, staring at the ungrateful man and the struggling criminal. The lad tossed him a rude hand gesture before he was jerked around the corner, hopefully to be beaten.
    Catie giggled and Miss Burnet looked like she was trying not to. “We feel verra much safer out here with ye, Quinn,” his sister said. “That lad looked to be about ten years old, aye? And dead accurate with his kicks.”
    A string of swear words slipped out before he could stop himself. It irritated him so badly he swore once more for good measure.
    Catie whipped around, a look of triumph on her face. “Did ye hear him, Miss Burnet? That was three at least. He must buy me three things, whatever I choose.”
    “Catie, lass, that isna how we’re counting it. It was one instance, so therefore ye get one thing.”
    “Aha, did ye hear him call me Catie?” She turned to Miss Burnet, who still looked like she was holding back laughter, and doing a poor job of it.
    He glowered at her, hoping she’d be easy to intimidate, and surprisingly pleased when she very clearly was not intimidated by him. At all.
    The cheeky spinster turned to his sister and nodded. “Very well, Catie, if that’s what you prefer to be called.”
    “And you heard three foul curses, aye? The one instance nonsense wasna agreed upon beforehand, so I believe he owes me three things.”
    Lizzie looked him up and down, but he turned his dark glower on Catie this time.
    “Actually, Catie, I heard four foul curses. It was quite distressing. And Mr. Ferguson, you did say I was in charge as long as you were in London, did you not?” She turned and smiled at him, a smile that could only be described as sensuous.
    A shudder of desire coursed through him as she continued to stare him down. He licked his bottom lip and she quickly looked away. That was better. It helped him get his equilibrium back when she wasn’t looking directly at him, especially when she had such a playful look in her eyes. What possible games could Miss Burnet want to play with him, he wondered.
    “Verra well, Catie, go ahead and empty my coffers.” He glanced back at Lizzie. “She’ll run roughshod over ye,” he warned. He knew Catie was just bedevilling him and would choose four wee biscuits or some other silly things that only cost a few pence.
    “I’ll take my chances,” she said, her voice husky and far too close to him.
    How had she moved so close to him? He could reach out and touch her. No, he couldn’t. He’d already cursed, he couldn’t flirt with Catie’s chaperone only seconds later. He shook his head and stepped back.
    “Let’s be on our way before we’re the next victims in this crime ridden city,” he said gruffly, making shooing motions at them.
    “I feel confident that will never be the case with you around, Mr. Ferguson,” she said.
    “Aye, he’d snap the necks of anyone who tried anything with us,” Catie agreed wholeheartedly, and he was gratified she was back to liking him again, but he wished she wouldn’t paint him in such a savage light. Miss Burnet turned around and raised a brow at him.
    He rolled his eyes. “I’d only crack their heads a bit.”
    She quickly faced forward and he could swear she was trying to hide her laughter. Quinn didn’t know what to make of that at all. She should have been horrified, even though he was clearly joking. Most ladies didn’t find threats of cracked heads amusing. There was something about her he couldn’t quite put his finger on, but she seemed familiar to him somehow.
    They arrived at the dressmaker’s shop and he crammed himself into a corner while the proprietress fawned all over Catie. He was glad to see she took it in stride and gracefully accepted all the outrageous compliments. To him, his sister was one of the loveliest lasses he’d ever seen. Her usually sweet personality and lighthearted ways transformed her into a true beauty.
    Miss Burnet barked