Read Online The Rogue's Return by Jo Beverley - Free Book Online Page B

Bride. And wiser of Miss Otterburn to attend more events. My wife was put out—put out, sir!—to have her kind invitations refused.”
    â€œMy wife is somewhat shy, sir, and she has been in mourning for both a mother and a cousin.”
    â€œAye, aye, but a concert wouldn’t have hurt. Or a summer expedition to Castle Frank.”
    Simon grasped solid excuses. “Her pale skin easily burns, sir, and she seems to attract the mosquitoes.”
    He’d returned to York in July to find Jane covered with bites. He’d offered an Indian concoction that had given her some relief, but he hadn’t thought the natives’ preventative of grease would be appreciated. He didn’t favor it himself, though at times he used it.
    It was one of the impossible problems here that the settlers were often disgusted by greasy, smelly Indians while tortured by the insect bites the grease could prevent.
    â€œThe English climate will suit her better,” he said. “I have passage booked on the Eweretta .”
    The Eweretta was the North West Company’s fur ship. Her annual arrival in Montreal in April marked the true beginning of the Canadian spring. Her departure in late October signaled the approach of the long winter. She took few passengers, but for those few she provided all possible comforts.
    Gore nodded. “Excellent. She won’t wait for anyone this year, however, with that volcanic eruption playing merry hell with the weather. So the sooner you leave for Montreal, the better.”
    The message couldn’t be clearer. Take your troublesome wife and self elsewhere.
    Simon met his eyes. “I would not wish to appear to be shirking my obligations, sir.”
    â€œIf McArthur isn’t here, you can’t be expected to wait on his pleasure and risk being trapped by winter.”
    So.
    â€œOf course, I would always be available to him in England, sir.”
    â€œQuite.” Gore escorted him to the door. “Happy to provide any assistance in settling Trewitt’s affairs. Good, sound man.”
    Simon left feeling half a ton lighter. He wasn’t a coward, but the aborted duel had served its purpose and he had Jane to consider. If Gore sent McArthur on an errand that would keep him away from York for the next few weeks, his honor might be satisfied without more shots.
    â€œThank heavens,” Jane said when he reported back, her eyes bright. “So when do we leave?”
    â€œThe Eweretta ’s set to sail on the twenty-eighth of October, and we should allow a fortnight to get toMontreal. All being well, it might take only half of that, but Gore’s probably correct. This year, the ship won’t wait for us.”
    â€œBut that leaves under three weeks to deal with everything here. It can’t be done. Inventory. Pack. Sell the house. Dispose of all it contains.”
    â€œYou would prefer to stay until spring?”
    He saw her readjust. “Very well. It must be done.” She returned briskly to the desk and the papers.
    Simon turned to Hal. “The Eweretta ’s prime passenger accommodation. You should send with haste to book. Galloway’s a good agent in Montreal. If there’s no space he may be able to find room for us all on another ship.”
    Hal sat to write a letter and then left to see it on its way.
    In the hall, the clock chimed two. Six hours. Six hours since Isaiah’s death. Simon turned to Jane, a black island of calm, seated at the desk, going methodically through documents. It was unreasonable to resent her composure, but he did.
    Had she truly cared for her uncle at all? But he had only to think back to the morning to know just how deeply her feelings ran. This calm was simply more of the peculiarity of Jane Otterburn, his wife.
    Since she had the paperwork in hand, he completed the job he’d foolishly given Hal and checked the books for loose papers. He added a great deal to the pile of scraps, letters,