Read Online Her Irish Surrender by Kit Morgan - Free Book Online Page B

on the likes of him. I don’t think he’s all he seems.”
    Adaline sighed. “I’m beginning to think that myself.”
    “Did you enjoy working with Lorcan today?”
    Adaline started at the question. “How did you know… oh, yes, you were in the shop this morning.”
    “We love to visit their bookshop whenever we come to Oregon City. You … you aren’t angry with him?”
    Adaline sighed again. “It wasn’t his fault.”
    “Mrs. Brody felt bad it didn’t work out between you two, but don’t you go and marry the first man to come along.”
    “Like Mr. Walker ?”
    “Exactly . Now, be a good girl and get ready for dinner. I’m going to help Mrs. Brown in the kitchen.”
    Adaline watched her leave, then went up the stairs.  She got to her room and noticed a piece of paper peeking out from under her door.  She glanced around but was the only one in the hall.  She unlocked her door, went into her room, and snatched up the folded paper from the floor.  She opened it and read:
    Miss Dermont, would you do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to church come Sunday?
    H. Walker
    Adaline let her hand fall to her side, the note still in it. “Oh, dear me,” she said with about as much enthusiasm as Mrs. Fitzsimmons when dragged out of the oak tree. She was going to have to think of what to say.  She shouldn’t be entertaining ideas of Mr. Walker or any man, especially not now that … oh, Heavens … now that she’d begun to have feelings for Lorcan Brody.
    Adaline went to the chair and sat. She belatedly remembered the book she’d carried in, and set it on the writing desk. She looked at it , and could hear Lorcan’s voice as if he were sitting next to her. It’s Mrs. Fitzsimmons’s favorite.
    She closed her eyes and felt a tiny prick of regret. She’d traveled so long and far coming from New Orleans, and convinced herself on the trip she was doing the right thing. Aunt Pricilla would be well taken care of by Uncle Charles, and she and her new husband would start life together. 
    Such was not the case, and was no guarantee Lorcan would change his mind about her. So here she was in a strange city, in wild country, where many of the residents were less than civilized, at least by southern standards. But Adaline was determined to make the best of it. She just didn’t know what to tell Aunt Pricilla when she wrote to let her know how things were going.
    A knock sounded on the door. Adaline opened her eyes and looked at it, her earlier joy from working all day with Lorcan squashed by the reminder of his rejection of her as his mail order bride. She stood up and walked toward the door. What was she doing thinking she would have something with the man?  He was pleasant to work with today, it didn’t mean he would be the same way tomorrow. She sighed and opened the door.
    “Are you ready to go down to dinner?”
    Adaline stilled at Mr. Walker’s words. He stood on the other side of her threshold, a single flower in his hand. Adaline stared at it, swallowed, and looked at him. “Yes.”
    He offered her his arm. “Shall we?”
    She took it with reservation, but didn’t want to be rude. He smiled broadly as he handed her the flower, and they descended the stairs to join the others.
     
    * * *
     
    “C’mon Lor, it’s one fight, one wee fight,” Finn wheedled. “And think of what we can do with the prize money!”
    Lorcan took a deep breath. The crowd at McPhee’s was larger than normal, and he suspected Finn knew something he didn’t, but wasn’t going to press it, because he wasn’t going to fight. “No,” he said firmly.
    Finn’s should ers slumped. “Ah, I guess yer right. But it’s a shame though, that money would do your da good.”
    Lorcan scowled at him. “What of my da? What would you know of it?”
    “Yer folks talk with my folks, they tell each other things.”
    “Yes, they tell each other things, not you.”
    Finn shrugged. “Can I help it if the wall s in me house are thin as