Read Only You for Free Online

get a scarf,” she said.  “I’m very hot, and I want to go to the hotel.”
    “Have you suffered a mishap?  Where’s your bonnet?”
    “I…lost it.  I fell.”
    “My goodness,” he ingenuously commiserated.  “Were you hurt?”
    “No.”  She stared across the busy courtyard to the spot where their porters had sworn they’d wait, but she couldn’t locate them.  “Where are the porters, Fenton?”
    He oozed innocence.  “Aren’t they over in the shade?”
    She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d sent them away in the hopes that he could annoy her further.  Nor would she be surprised if they’d simply grown bored and left.
    She blew out a heavy breath.  Why, oh, why was she in Egypt?  Why, oh, why had she let herself be roped into a lengthy holiday with her relatives?  She barely knew them and didn’t like them very much, and the close proximity was quickly wearing thin.
    She peeked up at Mr. Grey, and he was studying Fenton, his censorious gaze roving over Fenton’s features.  He was taking the boy’s measure and seemed to have figured out his wicked temperament.
    Fenton was blond and blue-eyed, tiny and slight, so he looked younger than he was.  He had the face of a cherub, which was why it was so easy for him to cause trouble, and he was always able to deny culpability.
    Mr. Grey was a hard nut to crack though, and he asked Fenton, “How were you separated from your cousin?”
    “I have no idea,” Fenton replied.  “One minute she was right next to me, and the next she wasn’t.”
    He couldn’t hide a smirk, and Mr. Grey turned to Theo and said, “Shall we leave him here and see if he can get himself back to the hotel by himself?”
    Fenton’s jaw dropped.  “You can’t do that!”
    “Can’t I?” Mr. Grey fumed. 
    “I’ll tell my mother,” Fenton warned. 
    “So tell her.”  Mr. Grey gave a dismissive shrug.  “I think it would be amusing to abandon you.  What’s your opinion?” he asked Theo.  “Is he smart enough to get back on his own?  Or would he have his throat slit in some alley?”
    “We’re not leaving him,” she said, wishing she had the temerity to behave so reprehensibly.  “How can I hire a chair?  The porters who brought us were from the hotel, but it appears they’ve departed.”
    At the news, Mr. Grey’s expression was thunderous.  “I’ll have a conversation about it with the manager.”
    “Again, Mr. Grey, how will I accomplish the hiring of porters?  Who would aid us?  Can you point them out?”
    “I’ll handle it for you, Miss Postlewaite.  It’s obvious I can’t let you go off on your own.  There’s no predicting what sort of jam you might land yourself in.”
    “I’m perfectly capable of getting myself to the hotel without incident.”
    “Are you?”  He scoffed.  “You just admitted you can’t so much as rent a chair without assistance.”
    “Besides that small problem, I can manage.”
    “Sure you can, Miss Postlewaite.  Sure you can.”
    He whistled to some men, and they rushed over.  In a matter of seconds, Theo and Fenton were deposited in the chair, and they’d started off.
    Mr. Grey trotted with them, and while Theo tried not to glance out, not to notice how vigilantly he assessed the route, she felt safe with him standing so close and was very, very glad that he’d insisted on accompanying her the rest of the way.

CHAPTER TWO
    S oloman grabbed Fenton before he could skip into the hotel. He latched onto the boy’s ear and yanked him to a halt.
    Miss Postlewaite was already in the lobby. Soloman wasn’t really interested in following her in, but she’d invited him to meet her aunt, and to his stunned surprise, he’d agreed.
    Normally, he’d have been running fast and furiously in the other direction, but he was unnecessarily intrigued by her. He was quite certain—given sufficient opportunity—the pretty, gullible Theodosia would provide hours of amusement.
    She was that kind of adorable