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

orders and called out colors and names of fabrics with as much zeal as any leader he’d ever seen in battle. He folded himself into a dainty velvet upholstered chair, praying it wouldn’t snap under his weight, and settled in to enjoy the show. She pulled out a long swathe of some sort of airy, see-through fabric, and as it flew around her in the air, she caught his eye and winked at him before turning to drape it across Catie’s shoulders. It happened so quickly, he wasn’t quite sure he hadn’t imagined it. What was it about the lass that made him think he knew her?
    The bell on the door clanged as a harried footmen burst through, ducking into a bow before apologizing in every direction.
    “I do beg you ladies’ pardon, but Miss Burnet, please will you come with me?”
    Miss Burnet looked upset by the summons and cleared her throat, looking first at Catie, then nervously at him.
    Quinn stood up. “What’s this about?” he asked.
    “It’s all right,” she said. “What is it, William?” She turned back to Quinn. “He works with my uncle.”
    “That’s right, miss, it’s about your uncle. He needs you straight away.”
    All the color drained from her face and Quinn stepped forward to steady her if need be. She turned to him and frowned.
    “I really must go,” she said. “He’s been ill. I’m terribly sorry.”
    “No need, lass. Family first. Do ye need me to accompany ye?” Quinn glanced at the shopkeeper, sure she’d be glad to keep an eye on his sister for a bit while he walked her wherever she needed to go.
    “No, that’s quite all right, I thank you, sir. William can walk with me. It’s just around the corner. Belmary House.” She glanced around. “Catie, Miss Juliet will help you choose. Her taste is impeccable. I’d only agree with anything she said if I stayed. Will you be all right? I’ll return as soon as I may.”
    “Go, Miss Burnet,” Catie cried. “Dinna tarry another moment. Quinn is with me. I shall be fine. If we finish before ye return, shall we fetch ye?”
    Quinn looked over at Catie, surprised at how capable she sounded, how grown up. He hadn’t even considered meeting Lizzie at Belmary House, whatever that was. He supposed any house that had a name would be known by any carriage driver in the city, though.
    “Aye, that is what we shall do,” Quinn said.
    With a worried smile, Lizzie left with the footman. The dressmaker tutted, but got back to business as soon as the door closed behind them. She laid out an assortment of buttons, then told Catie she’d be back with a book of designs and fabric swatches.
    He watched her turn over the buttons, trying not to dwell on how well she was already fitting in with this new life. He didn’t want to admit to himself that he’d hoped she would throw the world’s worst tantrum, be shunned by her English relations and be forced back to Scotland a disgrace. They could say they tried, she could marry a Scot, and still hopefully get her fortune. Actually, the fortune could bugger itself. They’d lived long enough without it. He didn’t care. With a start he thought maybe Catie cared, though. He didn’t want to ruin things for her. Had he been trying to ruin things for her when he let loose with his evil tongue? No, he’d just been riled by that street urchin kicking him.
    “Sorry I’ve already lost the bet,” he said, stepping beside her and nudging a pearl button with his fingertip.
    She glance up at him. “Ye are who ye are,” she said with a shrug. “And I dinna think Miss Burnet was too scandalized. Quinn, she’s nothing like what I imagined.”
    “Ye like her well enough, then?”
    “I like her verra much,” Catie said.
    “Of course, as she agrees with ye,” he said.
    She sorted the buttons by order of size, placing a large silver one in front of a smaller, but equally shiny copper one. “Maybe so, but it’s more than that. She isna like anyone I’ve ever known, and I dinna think it is just her being