Read Online Love's First Flames (Banished Saga, 0.5) by Ramona Flightner - Free Book Online
Authors: Ramona Flightner
Ads: Link
the South End.” Florence fought a smile, biting her lip.
“What’s it like? Living there with her?”
“She’s a nice woman. She treats all of us who live with her well and wants us to have the chance to make more of our lives than that of a life in service.” Florence paused as they approached the bakery and attempted to pull her hand from Richard’s arm.
He used his other hand to hold hers in place. “She sounds like a nice woman. I’m glad you ended up with her rather than with someone like my aunt.”
Florence’s eyes clouded as he mentioned his aunt. She freed her arm from his and preceded him into the bakery. “I can’t imagine she’s that bad. At least you have family.”
“If you want to call her that,” Richard said. Any further questions he had were forestalled by Florence turning to the baker and ordering fruitcake. He watched as she charmed the baker’s assistant with her smile.
“Are you purchasing anything today?” Florence asked.
“No, nothing for me,” Richard said. He led her out of the bakery and continued the short walk toward the corner she turned down to return to Chester Square. “What did you mean, at least I have family?”
“You’re not alone in this world, and that’s a blessing,” Florence said.
“With or without my aunt, I’m not alone, Miss Butler. I’ve my brothers. They’re all the family I need.”
Florence turned toward the South End. “Then you are even more fortunate that I realized. Good day, Mr. McLeod.”
***
“WHERE DO YOU GO in the morning, McLeod?” Henry demanded as Richard and his brothers returned home that night.
“Henry, if you have any sense, you’d stay out of my way until I’ve bathed. Or else you’ll . . .”
“Or else, what, you worthless pile of horse manure?” Henry taunted, throwing a punch and missing as Richard ducked. “You think you can tell me what to do in my own home? I ask the questions, not you.”
Richard feinted to the right and left a few times as Henry threw wild punches, and then Richard leaped forward, tackling his cousin in a full-body blow that left Henry winded and Richard on top, pummeling him with his fists. “I was going to say, you idiot, whose mother wasted a fortune on education trying to instill some sort of knowledge in a brain with less intelligence than that of a warthog, that I was covered in soot, and you’d do better to let me pass and wash.” He grunted as one of Henry’s knees hit his thigh. Richard rose with lithe grace, no worse for the wear after his tumble with Henry.
Henry, on the other hand, had black splotches of soot on his previously pristine pants, shirt and coat, and sported the beginnings of a black eye. “My mother will hear of this!” Henry cried as he clutched at his eye.
“Yes, acting just like a grown man. Running to Mummy to have her kiss it better and fight your fights. You gutless wonder,” Richard taunted.
“Rich,” Gabriel warned but stayed out of the fray as Henry launched himself at Richard. Richard sidestepped his cousin’s stumbling attack, and Henry slammed into the wooden shed. His howl of pain at the sound of a crack as his hand connected to the wood caused all three McLeod brothers to cringe.
“Well, that’s sure to get Aunt’s attention,” Jeremy said with a shake of his head. “Weren’t we just saying how we didn’t want her to notice us for a while? I’d wash up fast before she takes that away from you, along with dinner.”
Richard swore under his breath before rushing past Jeremy and Gabriel, down the steps into the house. Henry followed him a few moments later, his hand cradled against his chest, each step eliciting a whimper of pain.
“I’d fight him too, Gabe,” Jeremy said as Gabriel heaved out a sigh, “before you become angry with Rich for fighting him again.”
“I’m not angry. I’m resigned. I’d hoped we wouldn’t have to move out until you’d finished school, but I’m beginning to think it will be sooner
“What’s it like? Living there with her?”
“She’s a nice woman. She treats all of us who live with her well and wants us to have the chance to make more of our lives than that of a life in service.” Florence paused as they approached the bakery and attempted to pull her hand from Richard’s arm.
He used his other hand to hold hers in place. “She sounds like a nice woman. I’m glad you ended up with her rather than with someone like my aunt.”
Florence’s eyes clouded as he mentioned his aunt. She freed her arm from his and preceded him into the bakery. “I can’t imagine she’s that bad. At least you have family.”
“If you want to call her that,” Richard said. Any further questions he had were forestalled by Florence turning to the baker and ordering fruitcake. He watched as she charmed the baker’s assistant with her smile.
“Are you purchasing anything today?” Florence asked.
“No, nothing for me,” Richard said. He led her out of the bakery and continued the short walk toward the corner she turned down to return to Chester Square. “What did you mean, at least I have family?”
“You’re not alone in this world, and that’s a blessing,” Florence said.
“With or without my aunt, I’m not alone, Miss Butler. I’ve my brothers. They’re all the family I need.”
Florence turned toward the South End. “Then you are even more fortunate that I realized. Good day, Mr. McLeod.”
***
“WHERE DO YOU GO in the morning, McLeod?” Henry demanded as Richard and his brothers returned home that night.
“Henry, if you have any sense, you’d stay out of my way until I’ve bathed. Or else you’ll . . .”
“Or else, what, you worthless pile of horse manure?” Henry taunted, throwing a punch and missing as Richard ducked. “You think you can tell me what to do in my own home? I ask the questions, not you.”
Richard feinted to the right and left a few times as Henry threw wild punches, and then Richard leaped forward, tackling his cousin in a full-body blow that left Henry winded and Richard on top, pummeling him with his fists. “I was going to say, you idiot, whose mother wasted a fortune on education trying to instill some sort of knowledge in a brain with less intelligence than that of a warthog, that I was covered in soot, and you’d do better to let me pass and wash.” He grunted as one of Henry’s knees hit his thigh. Richard rose with lithe grace, no worse for the wear after his tumble with Henry.
Henry, on the other hand, had black splotches of soot on his previously pristine pants, shirt and coat, and sported the beginnings of a black eye. “My mother will hear of this!” Henry cried as he clutched at his eye.
“Yes, acting just like a grown man. Running to Mummy to have her kiss it better and fight your fights. You gutless wonder,” Richard taunted.
“Rich,” Gabriel warned but stayed out of the fray as Henry launched himself at Richard. Richard sidestepped his cousin’s stumbling attack, and Henry slammed into the wooden shed. His howl of pain at the sound of a crack as his hand connected to the wood caused all three McLeod brothers to cringe.
“Well, that’s sure to get Aunt’s attention,” Jeremy said with a shake of his head. “Weren’t we just saying how we didn’t want her to notice us for a while? I’d wash up fast before she takes that away from you, along with dinner.”
Richard swore under his breath before rushing past Jeremy and Gabriel, down the steps into the house. Henry followed him a few moments later, his hand cradled against his chest, each step eliciting a whimper of pain.
“I’d fight him too, Gabe,” Jeremy said as Gabriel heaved out a sigh, “before you become angry with Rich for fighting him again.”
“I’m not angry. I’m resigned. I’d hoped we wouldn’t have to move out until you’d finished school, but I’m beginning to think it will be sooner
Similar Books
