Read Online Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Johanna Lindsey
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walk the streets of London again without looking over your shoulder.”
That deserved the draining of another glassful. “When did you start defending that young cockerel?”
“Good God, is that what I was doing?” Anthony looked utterly horrified. “Beg your pardon, old boy. It won’t happen again, you may depend upon it. He’s a blighter through and through.”
“But Regan makes him pay for it,” James said with a gloating smile.
“How’s that?”
“He ends up sleeping on the sofa each time he crosses words with one of us and she happens to overhear it.”
“The devil you say.”
“It’s true. Told me himself. You’ll really have to visit those two more often while I’m gone.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Anthony laughed. “Eden on the sofa. Gad, that’s rich.”
“No more amusing than the muddle you’re in with your own wife.”
“Now don’t start in on me again.”
“Wouldn’t think of it. But I do hope you’ll have smoothed the waters before I return in a few months, since I’ll be taking Jeremy off your hands then, and that , dear boy, will leave you no buffer. Just you and the little Scot…alone.”
Anthony’s smile was quite confident and a little bit wicked. “You will hurry back, won’t you?”
Chapter Nine
T he whole family had turned out to see James off—Jason and Derek, Edward and his whole brood, Anthony and his little Scot, who was looking quite peaked, but understandably so, since Anthony had recently been told he was to be a father. That scamp, Jeremy, was in high spirits, despite the fact this was the first time he would be separated from James since he’d been found six years ago. He was probably thinking he’d be getting away with murder now, with only his Uncle Tony to keep him in line. He’d find out soon enough that Jason and Eddie boy would be keeping an eye on him, too. He’d be reined in as tight if not tighter than he had been under James and his first mate Conrad’s supervision.
The tide put an end to the goodbyes. James’s hangover, which he could blame Anthony for, wouldn’t take much more back-pounding anyway. But it had also almost made him forget the note he had jotted off for the little Scot, explaining to her about the barmaid she had accused her husband of bedding. He called Jeremy up the gangplank and handed it to him.
“See your Aunt Roslynn gets this, but not when Tony’s around.”
Jeremy pocketed the note. “It’s not a love letter, is it?”
“A love letter?” James snorted. “Get out of here, puppy. And see you—”
“I know, I know.” Jeremy threw up his hands, laughing. “I won’t do anything you wouldn’t.”
He ran back down the gangplank before James could take him to task for his impudence. But he was smiling as he turned away, and came face-to-face with Conrad Sharpe, his first mate and best friend.
“What was that about?”
James shrugged, realizing Connie had seen him pass the note. “I decided to lend a hand after all. At the rate Tony’s going, he’d be floundering forever.”
“I thought you weren’t going to interfere,” Connie reminded him.
“Well, he is my brother, isn’t he? Though why I bother after the dirty trick he played on me last night, I don’t know.” At Connie’s raised brow, he grinned, despite the slow throb in his head. “Made sure I’d be feeling miserable today to cast off, the bloody sod.”
“But you went along with it, naturally?”
“Naturally. Couldn’t have the lad drinking me under the table, now, could I? But you’ll have to see us off, Connie. I’m afraid I’m done for. Report to me in my cabin after we’re under way.”
An hour later, Connie poured a measure of rye from the well-stocked cabinet in the captain’s cabin and joined James at his desk. “You’re not going to worry about the boy, are you?”
“That rascal?” James shook his head, wincing slightly when his headache returned, and took another sip of the tonic Connie had had
That deserved the draining of another glassful. “When did you start defending that young cockerel?”
“Good God, is that what I was doing?” Anthony looked utterly horrified. “Beg your pardon, old boy. It won’t happen again, you may depend upon it. He’s a blighter through and through.”
“But Regan makes him pay for it,” James said with a gloating smile.
“How’s that?”
“He ends up sleeping on the sofa each time he crosses words with one of us and she happens to overhear it.”
“The devil you say.”
“It’s true. Told me himself. You’ll really have to visit those two more often while I’m gone.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Anthony laughed. “Eden on the sofa. Gad, that’s rich.”
“No more amusing than the muddle you’re in with your own wife.”
“Now don’t start in on me again.”
“Wouldn’t think of it. But I do hope you’ll have smoothed the waters before I return in a few months, since I’ll be taking Jeremy off your hands then, and that , dear boy, will leave you no buffer. Just you and the little Scot…alone.”
Anthony’s smile was quite confident and a little bit wicked. “You will hurry back, won’t you?”
Chapter Nine
T he whole family had turned out to see James off—Jason and Derek, Edward and his whole brood, Anthony and his little Scot, who was looking quite peaked, but understandably so, since Anthony had recently been told he was to be a father. That scamp, Jeremy, was in high spirits, despite the fact this was the first time he would be separated from James since he’d been found six years ago. He was probably thinking he’d be getting away with murder now, with only his Uncle Tony to keep him in line. He’d find out soon enough that Jason and Eddie boy would be keeping an eye on him, too. He’d be reined in as tight if not tighter than he had been under James and his first mate Conrad’s supervision.
The tide put an end to the goodbyes. James’s hangover, which he could blame Anthony for, wouldn’t take much more back-pounding anyway. But it had also almost made him forget the note he had jotted off for the little Scot, explaining to her about the barmaid she had accused her husband of bedding. He called Jeremy up the gangplank and handed it to him.
“See your Aunt Roslynn gets this, but not when Tony’s around.”
Jeremy pocketed the note. “It’s not a love letter, is it?”
“A love letter?” James snorted. “Get out of here, puppy. And see you—”
“I know, I know.” Jeremy threw up his hands, laughing. “I won’t do anything you wouldn’t.”
He ran back down the gangplank before James could take him to task for his impudence. But he was smiling as he turned away, and came face-to-face with Conrad Sharpe, his first mate and best friend.
“What was that about?”
James shrugged, realizing Connie had seen him pass the note. “I decided to lend a hand after all. At the rate Tony’s going, he’d be floundering forever.”
“I thought you weren’t going to interfere,” Connie reminded him.
“Well, he is my brother, isn’t he? Though why I bother after the dirty trick he played on me last night, I don’t know.” At Connie’s raised brow, he grinned, despite the slow throb in his head. “Made sure I’d be feeling miserable today to cast off, the bloody sod.”
“But you went along with it, naturally?”
“Naturally. Couldn’t have the lad drinking me under the table, now, could I? But you’ll have to see us off, Connie. I’m afraid I’m done for. Report to me in my cabin after we’re under way.”
An hour later, Connie poured a measure of rye from the well-stocked cabinet in the captain’s cabin and joined James at his desk. “You’re not going to worry about the boy, are you?”
“That rascal?” James shook his head, wincing slightly when his headache returned, and took another sip of the tonic Connie had had
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