Read Online Pearls by Colin Falconer - Free Book Online
Authors: Colin Falconer
Tags: Historical fiction, Suspense, Historical, Literature & Fiction, History, European, Genre Fiction, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Thrillers & Suspense, Chinese, Japanese
Ads: Link
shoulders. As they passed George wrinkled his nose at the heavy must of sweat and gum and dirt that accompanied them. Flynn and his daughter walked out, one of the nuns from the Convent following a pace or two behind.
'Good morning, Mister Flynn, Miss Flynn.' He bowed in Kate's direction. 'I was distressed to learn that we shall not have the pleasure of your company on the voyage. It will be a very dull journey without you.'
'I'm sure you'll find something to entertain you. My father, perhaps.'
'With all due respect to your father, it's not quite the same thing.'
Flynn grunted, impatiently. Privately he blamed George for his failure to secure a blood tie with Niland and company. If he was half a man he would stop pussy-footing around and make the girl see sense. He was too much the gentleman by half.
'Shall we get on board?' he said. 'It's damned hot out here.' He turned to Kate. 'Don't get yourself into any trouble while I'm away.'
'I don't have much choice, do I now?' She looked at Sister Aileen, who waited at a respectable distance with an expression of irritating piety.
'I'll thank you not to talk like that,' Flynn snapped. He had made arrangements for Kate to lodge at the Convent while he was away. 'It's a man's town,' he had told her, when he had finally accepted there was no dissuading her. 'I'll not have you stay at the house on your own, not without me there to look out for you,' and he wondered what the hell she was smiling at.
She kissed him fondly on the cheek. 'Have a pleasant trip, papa. Take care of yourself and don't drink too much.'
He was abashed by this sudden display of affection. For all her contrary ways, Patrick Flynn did not know what he would do without her. 'Goodbye, darlin',' he said and embraced her awkwardly. Such a pretty young thing. If only she would do as she was told, she would be perfect.
***
George Niland and Patrick Flynn stood side by side on the Koolinda as she slipped her moorings, watching Kate waving to them from the jetty.
'A fine girl,' Flynn murmured.
'Yes,' George said. 'Yes, she is.' And she's going to be mine one day, he promised himself. I'll bring her haughty spirit to heel, see if I don't.
She went back down the jetty and climbed into the sulky with Sister Aileen. He experienced a moment's unease when he saw a familiar figure approach and speak with her briefly before the sulky headed back into town.
Is that McKenzie? George said.
'What's he doing out here? Flynn said.
'I think he has designs on Kate.'
Flynn gaped at him. 'That bastard! Over my dead body!'
'Watch out for him, Flynn. A shark can take you just as easy close to shore as it can ten miles out in the deeps.'
'What's that supposed to mean?'
'I've known him a long time. Hired him to work for me in Fremantle in one of our fishing boats. Good skipper and his crews loved him. But not a man to forgive. I'll never forget losing one of my skippers a day before sailing. He crossed him in a card game and McKenzie righted the matter with his fists. He ended up in hospital.'
'He doesn't scare me.'
'He should.'
'He's not getting within coo-ee of my daughter. That's the end of it.'
George shrugged his misgivings aside. Flynn had given him his word. The girl was as good as his. He would just have to be patient, that's all.
***
Cameron looked up at her and grinned. 'So he's sent you to the nunnery.'
'For my own protection.'
'Of course.'
Sister Aileen glared at him as if he was the Devil himself. She told the sulky driver to ride on, but Cameron held the traces.
Kate leaned towards him and whispered: 'There'll be no more rendezvous at the bungalow for a while.'
'Never mind, lass. Love will find a way.' He grinned at her, then gave the pony a slap and the sulky clattered off through the red mud along Dampier Terrace.
Chapter 12
March, 1914
The alley smelled of fish and urine and mildew and oilcloth. You can find all Asia down here, packed into the few streets between
'Good morning, Mister Flynn, Miss Flynn.' He bowed in Kate's direction. 'I was distressed to learn that we shall not have the pleasure of your company on the voyage. It will be a very dull journey without you.'
'I'm sure you'll find something to entertain you. My father, perhaps.'
'With all due respect to your father, it's not quite the same thing.'
Flynn grunted, impatiently. Privately he blamed George for his failure to secure a blood tie with Niland and company. If he was half a man he would stop pussy-footing around and make the girl see sense. He was too much the gentleman by half.
'Shall we get on board?' he said. 'It's damned hot out here.' He turned to Kate. 'Don't get yourself into any trouble while I'm away.'
'I don't have much choice, do I now?' She looked at Sister Aileen, who waited at a respectable distance with an expression of irritating piety.
'I'll thank you not to talk like that,' Flynn snapped. He had made arrangements for Kate to lodge at the Convent while he was away. 'It's a man's town,' he had told her, when he had finally accepted there was no dissuading her. 'I'll not have you stay at the house on your own, not without me there to look out for you,' and he wondered what the hell she was smiling at.
She kissed him fondly on the cheek. 'Have a pleasant trip, papa. Take care of yourself and don't drink too much.'
He was abashed by this sudden display of affection. For all her contrary ways, Patrick Flynn did not know what he would do without her. 'Goodbye, darlin',' he said and embraced her awkwardly. Such a pretty young thing. If only she would do as she was told, she would be perfect.
***
George Niland and Patrick Flynn stood side by side on the Koolinda as she slipped her moorings, watching Kate waving to them from the jetty.
'A fine girl,' Flynn murmured.
'Yes,' George said. 'Yes, she is.' And she's going to be mine one day, he promised himself. I'll bring her haughty spirit to heel, see if I don't.
She went back down the jetty and climbed into the sulky with Sister Aileen. He experienced a moment's unease when he saw a familiar figure approach and speak with her briefly before the sulky headed back into town.
Is that McKenzie? George said.
'What's he doing out here? Flynn said.
'I think he has designs on Kate.'
Flynn gaped at him. 'That bastard! Over my dead body!'
'Watch out for him, Flynn. A shark can take you just as easy close to shore as it can ten miles out in the deeps.'
'What's that supposed to mean?'
'I've known him a long time. Hired him to work for me in Fremantle in one of our fishing boats. Good skipper and his crews loved him. But not a man to forgive. I'll never forget losing one of my skippers a day before sailing. He crossed him in a card game and McKenzie righted the matter with his fists. He ended up in hospital.'
'He doesn't scare me.'
'He should.'
'He's not getting within coo-ee of my daughter. That's the end of it.'
George shrugged his misgivings aside. Flynn had given him his word. The girl was as good as his. He would just have to be patient, that's all.
***
Cameron looked up at her and grinned. 'So he's sent you to the nunnery.'
'For my own protection.'
'Of course.'
Sister Aileen glared at him as if he was the Devil himself. She told the sulky driver to ride on, but Cameron held the traces.
Kate leaned towards him and whispered: 'There'll be no more rendezvous at the bungalow for a while.'
'Never mind, lass. Love will find a way.' He grinned at her, then gave the pony a slap and the sulky clattered off through the red mud along Dampier Terrace.
Chapter 12
March, 1914
The alley smelled of fish and urine and mildew and oilcloth. You can find all Asia down here, packed into the few streets between
Similar Books
