Read Online Unlaced by the Outlaw (Secrets in Silk) by Michelle Willingham - Free Book Online Page B

from so far away.”
    Jonah wasn’t sure about that, but he didn’t bother to contradict the man.
    “If ye’re wanting to leave for London, I can take ye there,” MacKinloch promised. “We’ll travel by mail coach, and ye won’t be alone on the journey, lad. That is, if you’ve enough money for the fare.”
    The uneasy feeling in his stomach wasn’t quite gone, but he knew the man was right. Forty miles was a goodly distance to travel on foot. It would take him far too long.
    But he only had a little money—not nearly enough. Beyond that, he had only the clothes on his back. Nothing even to sell.
    He knew his brother had money of his own, but Cain had never told him where it was hidden. Last night, Jonah had turned the house upside down, but there was not so much as a single coin. Clearly, his brother had a different hiding place.
    “In two days, then,” he suggested to MacKinloch. “I want to gather a few more things. If that’s all right.” It would give him time to search for his brother’s money and question Cain’s friends. He would take what he needed and pay it back later.
    A sense of excitement pushed back the fear. Perhaps it wasn’t a bad thing to go with someone. It didn’t matter if he found Cain or not—this was his moment to find adventure.
    His friends had claimed that London was a place where anyone could become wealthy. If a man was willing to work hard enough, he’d have enough coins to do anything he wanted. But more than the money, Jonah craved the independence.
    “I’ll return for ye then,” MacKinloch promised, before he left.
    Two days to search , Jonah thought to himself. He had to find the money somehow.

Chapter Four
    ONE WEEK LATER
    I t was nearly dawn. The fire had dwindled down to embers, and Cain couldn’t sleep. Margaret had kept a firm distance between them, and he suspected she’d continued to sleep in a chair simply for propriety’s sake. It was ridiculous, for there was no one to care about it. And he wanted her to be comfortable. There was room enough on the bed for both of them, and there was no reason for Margaret to suffer because she was too embarrassed to share the space.
    Silently, he got up, placing his pillow as a divider. His limbs were stiff, but he could move easier now than a few days ago. He saw Margaret twisted in the chair with her head resting upon her arm. Without asking, he reached out and lifted her up. She stirred, murmuring, “What’s wrong, Sinclair?”
    “Naught, lass. Go back to sleep.” He laid her down on the other side of the bed with the single pillow between them. She wasn’t conscious of anything, but the moment she stretched out on the mattress, he covered her with the blanket. Then he lay down upon the opposite side.
    The delicate scent of her skin ensnared him, making him want to pull the pillow aside and touch her. Over the past few days, he’d been acutely conscious of Margaret’s presence, even though she’d kept herself apart. He’d savored the last few nights, knowing they were as close as he’d ever get to her. Despite the rare kisses he’d stolen over the years, he knew the invisible boundaries between them.
    Yet, Fate had handed him an opportunity. Here, there were no ballrooms or silks. The stark isolation of northern England was familiar to him, and he knew how to survive in the middle of nowhere. He’d be a fool not to savor this time with her, enjoying whatever moments he could. In a matter of hours, they would leave this place.
    He turned to his side, but Margaret didn’t move. The dim glow of the fire revealed goose bumps rising over her bared arms.
    She was still awake; he was certain of that. And whether or not she was feigning sleep, he reached out to touch her arm. Her skin was cool beneath his fingers, and he caught her involuntary flinch, as if he’d set her on fire. But she didn’t pull away.
    Cain slid his hand over her arm in a silent caress. Damn the pillow between them. He removed it, setting