Trouble With Harry by Katie MacAlister Read Free Book Online

protection.”
    Thom shrugged and bent over the clutch of tiny pink bodies squirming in her lap. Plum found the heel of bread, tapped it on the counter, winced at the solid thunk , then sighed and tossed it into the goat’s bucket.
    â€œIs that why you went to meet with Mr. Harris? For protection?”
    â€œNo,” Plum answered and bent down to look in the one small cupboard that served as their pantry. Surely there were a few greens left from last week? A bit of suet their neighbor had given them? A handful of dried beans? “I met with the gentleman—his name is Haversham—and have accepted his offer of marriage because I wish to be married again and have a family, and he seemed a pleasant man. Wasn’t there a rind of cheese?”
    Thom ducked her head and carefully allowed milk to drip from the tip of the straw into the little pink mouth of the baby mouse.
    Plum straightened up, dusting off her hands. “I see. I don’t suppose you ate it?”
    Thom’s shoulder twitched.
    â€œNo, I can see you didn’t.” Plum sat on the rickety chair, thought seriously about crying, but decided that laughter was probably the only thing that would save her sanity. She allowed the—only slightly hysterical—giggles to build up inside her, her lips twitching as she asked, “Did you give the cheese to a mouse? A rat? An orphaned vole?”
    Thom peeked at her from under her lashes, an affecting look Plum had never been able to master since her eyelashes, like her brows, were thick and seemed to have a mind of their own. “There was this adorable little monkey—”
    â€œThomasine Laurel Fraser!” Plum gasped in between unladylike snorts of laughter. “To give away your meager luncheon is bad enough, but to make up a falsehood of such magnitude is going too far.”
    â€œIt’s not a falsehood, there really was a monkey. He was with a very old man, so bent and frail he looked as if he would be blown over by a strong wind. He was very charming, however, and told me his name was Palmerston, and his monkey was named Manny. They both looked in such a poor way, I gave him a bit of cheese, and a few other things that I thought you wouldn’t mind…”
    â€œAt least you have the grace to look ashamed at such a bald-faced lie,” Plum said, her lips still twitching. “It’s a good thing Mr. Haversham wishes to marry quickly, else I think you’d give the cottage away.” She gave in and had a good long laugh. By the time she was finished and mopping up her eyes, Thom had tucked the baby mice away on an old worn cloth, and was standing next to her, watching her warily.
    â€œI’m sorry, Aunt Plum, I know it was wrong of me, but Mr. Palmerston and Manny looked in such need of a little kindness, and he did give me something in return.”
    â€œOh?” Plum allowed one last giggle to express itself, then schooled her lips into a more seemly position. “What did he give you? Certainly not any coin?”
    â€œNo, he gave me some advice.”
    A ripple of amusement shook her for a moment, but she kept it under control. She had a suspicion that if she gave in to it, she’d end up witless and giddy. Or rather, more witless and giddy, since she was fast approaching that state. Perhaps it was hunger that was unhinging her mind. Perhaps if she had eaten something earlier, she wouldn’t now be giggling at the thought of her niece giving away the last of their stores to a beggar who offered advice in return. “How very gracious of him. What advice did he give you?”
    â€œOh, it wasn’t advice for me, it was for you.”
    Plum raised both brows as Thom served up two bowls of soup. “For me? Why would he offer advice for me? How did he know who I was?”
    â€œEvidently he stopped in town.”
    Thom kept her gaze on her soup, a small mercy since Plum still felt sick to her stomach whenever she