Tangled Betrayals Read Online Free PDF Page B

thought.
    “It ’s only some fish and cabbage. Not much I’m afraid. I had to work over today for a fitting for the new banker’s wife. This will have to do.”
    “ When I spoke with Minnie last, she again told me what an excellent seamstress you have become, maybe an even better seamstress than your mother,” Her father told her as he waited to use the towel after Thomas.
    That must have been when you stopped to verify my wages, Mary thought. Minnie had spoken to her about his visit and told her she’d refused to divulge any information to him. Mary knew better than to say anything about his visit. He was already taking more money than he needed from her, in her opinion.
    Mary noticed her father had become misty eyed while speaking of her mother. A sure sign he had been drinking too much at the pub, again. The loud belch confirmed it.
    “Father, I wish you’d cut down on the amount of ale you consume. You know it isn’t good for you,” Mary gently scolded.
    Mary knew on most nights this was what to expect. Her father had made arrangements for Thomas to pick him up on his way home from the docks at the local pub each night after work. Thomas finished his work at the docks usually an hour or two later than her father. Her father always went to the pub for at least one drink or more after his work was complete.
    But Mary and Thomas were tired of his drunken behavior. With each passing year he became more dependent on his ale. How he held his job as supervisor for the dockhands was unclear. Mary supposed it was because he could lick anyone in a fight, unless it was three to one, for it took at least three men to handle him, even when he was drunk!
    T hose times were the worst, for there was hell to pay for Mary and Thomas if Henry was attacked and there were too many for him to conquer. He seemed to take his anger out on them before finding the ones who deserved to be punished. He’d make them all pay for their actions for he always retaliated, he was known for it.
    Her father was o nly five feet eleven but he was solid muscle and a dangerous foe despite the amount of ale he consumed. His face had been weathered from all the years he worked on the docks. His nose was a rose color which usually happened when one drank too much. His thinning gray hair made him appear older than he was. Mary always figured he stayed in fighting shape due to his heavy lifting of cargo. He could outwork most men. He could also out drink them.
    “Mary, my drinking is none of your concern! I’ve told you before you don’t ever question me on what I say or do! As for you, Thomas, I’ll box your ears the next time you tell me to put down my ale and come home in front of my friends, as you did tonight. You’re lucky I was in the mood to humor you.”
    “Yes , Father, but you know full well you need your sleep so you can make it to work in the morning,” Thomas replied trying to ease things with his father, but seeing his father’s face was flushed with anger, he warned him, “besides, I’ve become fairly strong myself, and could put up a reasonably good fight, maybe even come out on top. I don’t think you want to push me on this tonight.” Thomas was more than ready to stand up to his father if he forced the issue.
    “Aye, your words might be true, Thomas, but I’m the head of the household and I shall be obeyed at all times!”
    “We need to eat before the food gets cold,” Mary interjected hoping to avoid any further arguments.
    Supper was almost over when Thomas surprised Mary by his next question. “Mary, would you mind if I bring a friend home tomorrow night for supper ? I think you’ll like him well enough. He’s from America. His name is James Parker and his father is the owner of The Parker Shipping Company. They do the majority of their business in London.”
    “Bah , hogwash.” Henry got out. “That’s just what we need, one of those American know-it-alls coming to dinner. Next thing he’ll be doing is turning