Read My Lord Deceived for Free Online

quicker,” Harry sighed.
    “God, what a
mess,” Norman groaned when silence settled over them.
    “Ahem.”
    Kat jumped and
whirled around. She gasped in surprise to find her nose mere inches
from Jonathan’s chest. None of them had heard him walk up to stand
beside them. Kat ignored the guilty blush that stained her cheeks
and glared up at him.
    “Want a
re-fill?” Harry asked and threw Jonathan an overly bright smile
that betrayed the cautious look in his eye.
    Kat merely
flicked him a half-hearted smile and turned back to Norman. “I am
sure you will get it sorted soon,” she soothed and tried
desperately to think of something oblique to say. She had no idea
how much Jonathan had overheard, and frantically retraced the last
few minutes’ conversation for anything that would give their
activities away. She couldn’t lose sight of the fact that Jonathan
was a relative stranger to the area and, as such, couldn’t be
trusted. Not only that, but he sat with the magistrate. She shook
her head and realised just how foolish they had all been. They
should have waited until the men had left and were out of
ear-shot.
    Jonathan moved
slowly down the bar, aware of the suspicious looks he was
receiving. He glanced back. His eyes met and held Kat’s for several
moments and he read the secrets there. He knew that she had been
discussing something private. He had heard the old man say
something was a mess, but that didn’t mean it automatically related
to smuggling.
    Luckily, the
noise within the tavern had dimmed to a dull rumble now that the
singing had finished. He could at least hear what Harper was saying
to him, even if he preferred to hear what Kat was discussing
further across the room. He nodded amiably to two old sailors
stationed beside the fire and smiled when one lifted his pipe in a
mock salute.
    “Is it my
imagination, or is there a strange atmosphere in here tonight?”
Harper muttered softly from behind his tankard as he took a sip of
his delicious ale.
    The Shipwright
Inn made its own ale and was reputed to be the best for miles
around, Harper could see why. The amber liquid slid down his throat
like silk and he savoured the malty flavour for several minutes
while he waited for Jonathan to tear his eyes away from the
delectable bar maid.
    “It is very
strange,” Jonathan sighed. He studied each of the occupants in turn
carefully. He hadn’t missed the knowing looks that passed between
practically everyone present, but was that because there were two
highly influential strangers in the pub, or because they had
something nefarious to hide?
    “It is as
though they are expecting something,” he added and flicked a
cautious glance at Harper
    “Us to leave
maybe?” he drawled ruefully. The atmosphere was almost expectant.
Were they waiting for Jonathan and him to leave? If so, why? What
were they going to do when they had gone? The hour was still
relatively early, but it would soon be chucking out time. Most of
the tavern’s occupants were fishermen who had to leave port at dawn
to bring in the day’s catch anyway, so Harper couldn’t see why they
would be expectant.
    Jonathan and
Harper made no attempt to move and drank their ale in companionable
silence while they watched as many people as they could. At first
glance, everything was as it should be. On closer inspection, there
were many furtive glances and whispered comments.
    Jonathan shared
a glance with Harper, and watched Kat walk from behind the bar to
gather up mugs and clean the tables down. She did it with swift
efficiency that was poetry in motion to watch. She shared a laugh
and a joke with the old sailors and helped one of the oldest to his
feet when he took his leave.
    “Time,
gentlemen, please,” Harry cried. He laughed at the collective
groans and grumbles rumbled around the room and began to clear away
the mugs.
    Kat slowly made
her way around the room. She finished cleaning the table next to
Jonathan. He waited for her to turn toward