The Raider by Jude Deveraux Read Free Book Online Page B

“I’m tired now. You may tell me more later. I think I shall take a stroll, then nap before supper.” He yawned behind his handkerchief and then rose and left the room without a further word to Pitman.
    â€œIf I get my hands on that kid, I’ll wrap his ears about his throat,” Alex muttered. He couldn’t hurry through the corridors of the house because if someone saw him, his image would be shattered. It wasn’t easy to act languid and still hurry. He had to catch that child and find out what he’d heard.
    Once outside, he stood still, trying to figure where a child would have run to if he’d been caught doing what he shouldn’t. Alex remembered how many times he’d escaped to the woods when he was a boy.
    Following an old Indian trail, he walked into the quiet darkness of the forest that ran behind the Montgomery house. About half a mile in was a cliff that led down to a little rocky beach called Farrier’s Cove. Alex headed for it now.
    Agilely, he made his way down the bank and came face to face with the Taggert boy he’d caught eavesdropping and Jessica.
    â€œYou may go, Nathaniel,” Jessica said haughtily, her eyes on Alexander, every bit of her hatred showing in them.
    â€œBut, Jess, I didn’t tell you—”
    â€œNathaniel!” she said sharply, and the boy clambered up the embankment and they could hear his footsteps retreating.
    Alex didn’t say a word to her, since he wanted to find out how much the boy had told her.
    â€œSo now we know why you came back to Warbrooke. Those poor fools thought you were going to help them. Twenty-five percent should keep you in laces.”
    Alex tried to keep his face from showing his emotion. It looked as if the brat had told her everything. Amazing memory—not to mention hearing—the child had. He turned his back to her so that she couldn’t see his face. He had to find a way to keep her from talking. If this got back to the townspeople or…He thought of his father, already an invalid: this would kill him.
    He turned back to her, smiling. “So how much do I pay you to keep your mouth shut?”
    â€œI don’t sell myself for money.”
    He gave her a sneering look up and down, then put his handkerchief to his nose as if to get away from her fish-stinking clothes. “I can see that.”
    She advanced on him. He was taller than she, but with his s-curved slouch, they were almost equal. “There are no words low enough to describe you. You’d take money from a man who ruins people just so you can have those silk clothes.”
    As she moved closer to him, Alex forgot all about what she’d heard and that he wanted to keep her from repeating it. All he was aware of was her eyes flashing with fire and passion and her breasts inches from his chest and heaving. She kept yelling at him and calling him names that no lady had ever called him before, but he didn’t hear a word of it. When her lips were very close to his, she stopped abruptly and moved back. Alex’s breath was coming from deep within his chest.
    Jessica stood back and looked at him, her eyes blinking rapidly, as if in confusion.
    Alex recovered himself and looked with longing at the sea. He considered jumping into the water to cool off.
    â€œAnd who do you plan to tell about this?” he asked at last, no longer looking at her. He was too aware of the privacy of where they were to trust himself too far.
    â€œThe people of Warbrooke are afraid of Pitman because he represents the king—not to mention the English navy. But you, they aren’t afraid of you. If they knew what Nate heard this morning, they’d tar and feather you and then hang you. You wouldn’t be allowed to live. They want someone to blame for what happened to Josiah.”
    â€œSo what do you plan to do with your information?”
    â€œIt would kill your father if he knew.” She looked down at the rocky