Read Escapade (9781301744510) for Free Online

would not be so
confoundedly busy on my behalf."
    "Do you indeed? That could be arranged."
    "Look, I've got no time for a quarrel now.
Could you step out of the way until I see that Miss Kavanaugh is
looked after? Then you can snap at me as much as you please."
    A trace of pink stole into that icy white
complexion. The woman's gaze rested for a moment on Rory; then,
with a chilling dignity, she moved away from the stairs and stalked
off down the hall
    Rory shivered. No living being's eyes should
have been that cold. Rory felt as though the woman could have
destroyed her as easily as brushing aside a speck of lint from her
gown. An odd thought to have about such a refined-looking lady.
    Rory turned to Zeke, who was following the
woman's retreat, a frown on his face.
    "I am sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to
cause trouble between you and your. . . wife?"
    "Mrs. Van Hallsburg is not my wife!" As Zeke
glanced back at Rory, his expression lightened. "I am quite a free
man, Miss Kavanaugh. And you- you are quite wet."
    He studied her as though he were having his
first good look, and Rory realized with dismay that he probably
was. Her damp gown outlined to perfection her breasts and the curve
of her hips.
    "Come on," he said. "You'd better get out of
those clothes."
    The statement sounded harmless enough, merely
a civil suggestion. Why then did she have this feeling that Zeke
Morrison should have his face slapped? He wasn't doing anything,
only looking.
    Rory crossed her arms protectively in front
of herself. "I don't want to cause you any more bother. I am sure
my assistants will track me here from the fairgrounds. We'll move
the balloon and try to set your lawn to rights. Of course I will
pay-"
    Even as she started to promise, Rory wondered
how she was ever going to do so. She bit down on her lip. The cost
of the damages would likely bankrupt her.
    "Don't worry about that," Zeke said. "I am
sure we can work something out."
    His voice softened with the barest hint of
suggestion, and Rory drew back in alarm. Just what did he have in
mind?
    Before she could protest any further, they
were interrupted.
    "Mr. Morrison," the butler announced. "The
police have arrived."
    Rory felt her heart skip and Morrison
swore.
    "They didn't get here so fast last fall when
I caught that burglar breaking into my safe." He gave a sigh of
pure annoyance. "Never mind, Wellington. I'll meet with them in my
study. You look after Miss Kavanaugh."
    "But what about my passengers and my
balloon?" Rory protested. "1 really can't just-"
    "I'll see to everything. You just run along
like a good girl and do what you're told," Morrison said, striding
away. He paused long enough to instruct his butler. "Send one of
the maids to help Miss Kavanaugh out of her clothes. I'll be right
back."
    "Mr. Morrison!" Rory cried.
    But having given these peremptory commands,
Morrison was gone. She wanted to charge after him, inform him that
she didn't take orders as readily as his servants did. Yet it
didn’t seem prudent to antagonize a man who had gone to confront
the police on her behalf.
    Rory raked her fingers through her damp hair
in frustration. She sensed Morrison's butler staring at her and
whipped about to face him. If the man had been wearing a smirk, he
was quick to stow it behind a deferential mask.
    "If you would he pleased to follow me,
miss."
    Rory wasn't pleased, but she didn’t see what
else she could do. She had no doubt that Tony was tracking the
course of the balloon, probably half out of his mind with worry.
But it might be hours before he found her, what with having to
bring the wagon back across on the ferry, and make his way through
the uptown traffic.
    In the meantime, she could not just stand
here, dripping water onto Morrison's carpet.
    "Lead on," she said to the butler with a
gesture of weary assent.
    As she hobbled up the stairs after him, Rory
had to grit her teeth. The endless rise of marble did her ankle no
good at all. She was almost sorry she had