Read Online Damsel in Disguise by Susan Gee Heino - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susan Gee Heino
Ads: Link
together?” the man asked.
“Yes,” Rastmoor said before Julia could answer.
Well, that was a bit presumptuous. So far she got the idea Rastmoor was as eager to be rid of her tomorrow as she was of him. Now he was declaring them travel companions? Well, she’d see about that.
“My companion and I are traveling together on business,” she said, making it very plain this was not a pleasure trip. “Are you also traveling?”
The man appeared genuinely glad for someone to talk to, and he launched happily into a recounting of his days on the road. They’d been remarkably uneventful, yet somehow he found much to say about them. Julia was keeping herself awake by drawing on her acting skills and feigning interest, but she did have to admit at least it was better to be bored to death by the man’s repetitive rambling than to be sitting here just a few feet from Rastmoor and not have a clue what was going on in his head. Right now it was easy to see what he was thinking, though. He was bored to death, just as she was.
Good. Served him right.
“I say, you’ve got deuced long eyelashes for a bloke,” the man said, abruptly breaking off his discourse and staring at Julia.
“I, er, it runs in the family, sir,” she said, and wished—oddly enough—she had that blasted mustache back to hide behind. The man was studying her so carefully she wondered if he wasn’t beginning to figure her out.
“Had a dog once with deuced long eyelashes,” the man said.
Rastmoor laughed. Julia glared at him. At least she knew what was running through his mind now. He was enjoying the thought of comparing her to a dog. Well, she could name off half a dozen unsavory beasts she might choose to compare him to, as well.
“She was a fine little bitch,” the man went on, a sweet, nostalgic smile coming over his puffy lips. “I loved that pretty little bitch.”
“I find it’s often the pretty little bitches who tend to get rather nippy,” Rastmoor said with a benign smile. “They take up with other masters now and again, too.”
“You know, it’s getting late,” Julia said. She’d had just about enough for one night. It was bad enough she was forced to hold off her search for Sophie until morning, but putting up with his insults was too much. “I think I’ll retire.”
“Not just yet, my dear Mr. Clemmons,” Rastmoor said. “Sit. Stay.”
“I think not,” she replied to his impertinent little commands.
“I was thinking, once things quieted down in here, you and I could have a nice long chat,” Rastmoor said. “I’m sure you would hate to miss out on that.”
She most definitely would love to miss out on that.
“You two are not sharing a room here tonight?” their gentleman friend asked.
“No, it appears this establishment has quite enough rooms for us to each have our own,” Julia said. That was the one thing that worked out well for them tonight. “And I’m afraid I must go up to mine now. You’ll recall, sir,” she said with a pointed look at Rastmoor, “your room is at the end of the hall on the right. I’ll be in the room on the left.”
There, that should let the blackguard know how she felt about his little chat or anything else he might have planned for tonight. With what she assumed was a manly swagger and a final, friendly smile at their wordy companion, she left the common room. If Rastmoor wanted a chat, it was going to have to be with someone other than her tonight. Or ever, if she could help it.
THE AIR IN HER ROOM WAS COOL, BUT THERE WAS AN extra blanket, and Julia decided she’d likely be warm enough in the night. Fresh water had been an oddity, apparently, at the last two inns where she and Sophie had stayed, so she’d decided to take advantage of the luxury here and wash her underthings.
They were hung about the room to dry, and Julia, dressed in nothing more than what God had given her on the day of her birth, slid under the covers. The innkeeper had promised they’d
“Yes,” Rastmoor said before Julia could answer.
Well, that was a bit presumptuous. So far she got the idea Rastmoor was as eager to be rid of her tomorrow as she was of him. Now he was declaring them travel companions? Well, she’d see about that.
“My companion and I are traveling together on business,” she said, making it very plain this was not a pleasure trip. “Are you also traveling?”
The man appeared genuinely glad for someone to talk to, and he launched happily into a recounting of his days on the road. They’d been remarkably uneventful, yet somehow he found much to say about them. Julia was keeping herself awake by drawing on her acting skills and feigning interest, but she did have to admit at least it was better to be bored to death by the man’s repetitive rambling than to be sitting here just a few feet from Rastmoor and not have a clue what was going on in his head. Right now it was easy to see what he was thinking, though. He was bored to death, just as she was.
Good. Served him right.
“I say, you’ve got deuced long eyelashes for a bloke,” the man said, abruptly breaking off his discourse and staring at Julia.
“I, er, it runs in the family, sir,” she said, and wished—oddly enough—she had that blasted mustache back to hide behind. The man was studying her so carefully she wondered if he wasn’t beginning to figure her out.
“Had a dog once with deuced long eyelashes,” the man said.
Rastmoor laughed. Julia glared at him. At least she knew what was running through his mind now. He was enjoying the thought of comparing her to a dog. Well, she could name off half a dozen unsavory beasts she might choose to compare him to, as well.
“She was a fine little bitch,” the man went on, a sweet, nostalgic smile coming over his puffy lips. “I loved that pretty little bitch.”
“I find it’s often the pretty little bitches who tend to get rather nippy,” Rastmoor said with a benign smile. “They take up with other masters now and again, too.”
“You know, it’s getting late,” Julia said. She’d had just about enough for one night. It was bad enough she was forced to hold off her search for Sophie until morning, but putting up with his insults was too much. “I think I’ll retire.”
“Not just yet, my dear Mr. Clemmons,” Rastmoor said. “Sit. Stay.”
“I think not,” she replied to his impertinent little commands.
“I was thinking, once things quieted down in here, you and I could have a nice long chat,” Rastmoor said. “I’m sure you would hate to miss out on that.”
She most definitely would love to miss out on that.
“You two are not sharing a room here tonight?” their gentleman friend asked.
“No, it appears this establishment has quite enough rooms for us to each have our own,” Julia said. That was the one thing that worked out well for them tonight. “And I’m afraid I must go up to mine now. You’ll recall, sir,” she said with a pointed look at Rastmoor, “your room is at the end of the hall on the right. I’ll be in the room on the left.”
There, that should let the blackguard know how she felt about his little chat or anything else he might have planned for tonight. With what she assumed was a manly swagger and a final, friendly smile at their wordy companion, she left the common room. If Rastmoor wanted a chat, it was going to have to be with someone other than her tonight. Or ever, if she could help it.
THE AIR IN HER ROOM WAS COOL, BUT THERE WAS AN extra blanket, and Julia decided she’d likely be warm enough in the night. Fresh water had been an oddity, apparently, at the last two inns where she and Sophie had stayed, so she’d decided to take advantage of the luxury here and wash her underthings.
They were hung about the room to dry, and Julia, dressed in nothing more than what God had given her on the day of her birth, slid under the covers. The innkeeper had promised they’d
Similar Books
