Boxed Set: Innocent Immigrant Read Online Free PDF Page A

guardian, and I have no compunction to obey—”
    “Enough. I will not have my future wife—”
    “Your future wife? Are you a lunatic? And what say do I have in this matter?”
    “Very little, unless, of course, you have the means to return to England,” I added calmly, trying to counter Griff’s rising ire. “We can offer you a more than comfortable life here; one much better than that you were destined to endure. The time will come when you will look upon Sid Watson’s passing as a blessing. Until that day, we hope you will enjoy our hospitality and obey our house rules. Come and sit now. You’re still weak from today’s shock and a lack of food.”
    She appeared to think about this for a moment before shuffling to the table, one hand clutching the towel at her breasts.
    Griff followed close behind her, pulling out her chair. “Please sit, and let me take the towel. You can’t enjoy your tea with one hand protecting your modesty.”
    “If I could have my trunk...”
    I stepped in before Griff could react. “Tomorrow, perhaps. Right now, you’re to sit and eat.”
    She was indeed hungry, enjoying tea, bread and jam and a large slice of fruitcake. I was surprised that a woman so petite could manage such an amount of food. Occasionally as she leaned forward her gown gaped, and I caught a glimpse of the slope of her breasts. When I discovered Griff looking too, he winked at me. I believed he was right. Katie would make an excellent addition to our household.
    By the time she had finished her tea her demeanour had changed somewhat, and she happily answered our questions about her circumstances in England. Life at the Girls’ Home where she’d lived for fifteen years sounded grim. Although she might have thought she was in a sorry position in Kotuku, I’m sure it was an improvement on the situation she’d recently left.
    When tea was finished, Katie immediately cleared away the plates.
    “You can leave those—”
    “So long as I’m here, I’ll help where I can,” she said.
    I have to say, neither Griff nor I could take our eyes off her as she moved around our kitchen in her nightgown and bare feet. It was an unnervingly provocative view, and my damned cock returned to its semi-turgid state.
    When I spoke, my voice was gruff. “I’ll get your clothes, and we’ll take a walk around the property.” Griff nodded at me, and when I cast a glance down the length of his body I noticed he was similarly aroused. No doubt he thought the same as me; until we could touch Katie, we were more comfortable if she was decently clothed. I eyed her once more, the sunlight behind her making her nightgown all but transparent. God, she was a vision.
    She returned quickly, fully dressed, and we set off for a tour of the property, visiting the stables, the milking shed and the hen house. Tyrol, our sheepdog, took a shine to her, as did Rip, our terrier we kept both as a pet and to control the large ship’s rats that were keen to make the farm their home.

Book 1, Part 4
    KATIE
    “What is that bird?” I asked. “Its song is beautiful.”
    Griff took my hand and led me to stand beneath an enormous tree with a broad-spreading crown. Tiny flowers covered the tree, reminding me of snapdragons. They were a deep red, although I recall some were a more delicate cream with a scarlet blush. Then I noticed what Griff had intended me to see. There were birds feeding on the nectar in the flowers, pausing to sing before swooping to another branch.
    “That’s the parson bird, or more correctly, the tui.”
    At first glance, I thought the bird to be black with a white tuft of feathers at its throat. Then one swooped closer to us and I saw it was multi-coloured. Brown feathers adorned its back, and furthermore, a deep emerald sheen was evident when it was caught in the varying light. It was a pleasing-looking bird, but it was its song that made it most extraordinary: beautiful, soaring, clear notes finishing in clicks and