Sweet Bea by Sarah Hegger Read Free Book Online Page A

going down to the village to visit Lilly.”
    “Eh?” Tom’s head reappeared over the horse, his blue eyes almost starting right out of his head.
    She’d only been guessing. Many of the castle lads spoke of visiting Lilly. She tried to imagine Tom going there, but the idea made her head spin.
    “What do you know of Lilly?” Tom ducked beneath the animal’s neck and took a threatening step toward her.
    “Fornication.” Beatrice held her ground.
    Tom stalked over, close enough to tower above her. “I never went there.”
    “You did, too.”
    “You cannot prove anything.”
    “I would not have to.” She arranged her features into an innocent expression. “Nurse? Why are Tom and Lilly such good friends?”
    Tom actually growled at her. He wouldn’t strike her, but he mightn’t hesitate to toss her in a rain barrel. His arms were brawny enough to do it, too.
    Beatrice hopped back.
    “You cannot go haring off to London on your own. You could get murdered or worse.” Tom’s expression was stony. “You can tell my mother whatever you want, but nothing you say would be worse than me letting you go to London on your own like this.” Tom let himself into the next stall and barred it behind him.
    The air rushed out of Beatrice’s lungs. Alone and not knowing the way was too dangerous. Unless? Hope flared again. “Then I will not go alone.”
    “What do you mean?” He spun back to her.
    “I will take someone with me, someone who is able to protect me and knows the way to London.”
    “I do not know the way to London and if I did—”
    “I am not speaking of you.”
    “Who then?” Tom planted his elbows on the top of the stall.
    “Someone you do not know.” She did, indeed, know the perfect someone. This thrilling new development made her heart gallop.
    “You do not know any such person.” Tom fetched his fork.
    “That is how much you know.” Beatrice snapped her fingers at him. “I do, too, know someone who would be happy to take me to London.”
    The more she thought on it, the more she liked the idea. Garrett would take her to London. It would be perfect. Nobody would try to accost her with Garrett by her side. Garrett was big and strong. And, more importantly, he’d traveled just about everywhere. She wasn’t precisely sure if he’d been to London, but it stood to reason someone who’d been as many places as Garret had to have been to London. Garrett and her, alone, on the way to London. She shivered with delight.
    “Who is this person?” Tom loomed nearer, his pitchfork held like a spear. He had a look on his face that made Beatrice tread warily. There was only so far she could push Tom.
    “Nobody you know.”
    “That is it. I am telling my mother. Let her deal with you.” The fork clattered to the ground as Tom strode toward the door.
    “Nay.” Beatrice jumped over the implement and caught his arm “You must not. Please, Tom.” She tugged on his sleeve until he stopped. “You must let me do this.” Her voice wobbled as she saw all her newly hatched dreams crumbling at her feet. “You know how ill my mother is. And Faye. Faye’s husband could come and take her children from her by force. Only my father can stop that. He must come. Henry does not see it, but he must come home.”
    “I understand.” Tom’s expression softened. “But it is not you who must go. It is too dangerous.”
    “There is nobody else. I am the only one who is ready to do this.”
    Tom took her hand from his sleeve. He held it in his large, roughened palm. “Bea, you are hatching crazy notions in that head of yours.”
    Beatrice bit her lip to keep from crying. He didn’t see any of it. “If I do not do this, I will never be one of them. Here is my chance to make my family proud. I can make up for all those broken engagements and all the embarrassments and everything.” She stopped because she ran out of breath.
    Tom rolled his eyes and gave her hand a squeeze. “There were only three broken