The Sea Between Read Online Free PDF

wind. The only thing to hint that Isobel’s unimposing frame might house a few surprises were her eyes. They were a very dark brown colour, sharp and intelligent, and he had no doubt that behind them lay a sharp, intelligent brain.
    He turned his attention to George’s wife, Ann—a fair-haired very pretty young woman, but rather too thin. ‘Mrs Blake,’ he said in the same polite tones. Finally, he turned to Charlotte. He was fully expecting her to turn the colour of a ripe cherry and look away in embarrassment. Not that he’d blame her. She couldn’t find it easy having to meet him again tonight, after being violently sick in full view of him yesterday. To his surprise, though, Charlotte Blake looked him straight in the eye, smiled, and said pleasantly, ‘We’ve been looking forward meeting you, Captain Steele. We’re hoping to hear about your voyages.’
    ‘I’m afraid that Edwin and Sarah won’t be joining us this evening,’ John apologized from behind Isobel. ‘Edwin’s leg has been paining him all day, so he’s decided to rest it. Naturally, Sarah is keeping him company.’
    ‘Has his leg swollen much?’ Richard asked.
    John nodded. ‘It’s as fat as a marrow. Sarah’s going to make him a poultice to put on it before he goes to bed. There’s no sign of infection, but we’ll keep a close eye on it, of course.’
    ‘Where’s Ben? Does he know we’ve arrived?’ Isobel looked pointedly at the closed parlour door. Ben was their host and she wasletting it be known that he ought to be in the parlour, welcoming them.
    ‘My father will be here presently, Mrs Wyatt,’ Richard replied. His tone was pleasant but unapologetic. ‘While we’re waiting for him to arrive, may I offer you a glass of sherry?’
    Isobel looked at Letitia, clearly hoping to get a more satisfactory answer from her. Getting none, she accepted the proffered drink and went to sit on the sofa to await its arrival.
    ‘A sherry, ladies?’ Richard offered pleasantly, looking from Ann to Charlotte.
    ‘Yes, thank you,’ Ann replied.
    ‘A small port, please, if you have some,’ Charlotte said.
    Leaving their guests to chat among themselves, Richard went over to the sideboard and poured out the drinks. His mother had gone across to talk to Charlotte, no doubt to enquire if she’d recovered from her ordeal with the boar. He ran his eye over Charlotte. She was wearing a white high-necked blouse and a pale green skirt, and she looked a picture. He hadn’t paid much attention to her looks yesterday. All he’d noticed was her bloody dress. He’d overheard her telling her father that it was boar’s blood, not Edwin’s, but how the hell had she managed to get it all over her dress? The only explanation he could come up with was that Edwin had killed the boar, then she’d fainted at the sight of all the blood and landed on top of the slain animal. He couldn’t think how else she could have ended up looking like a slaughterer’s apprentice. No doubt during the course of the evening John would furnish them with an account of what had happened. Richard eyed Charlotte speculatively, trying to assess her age. In her early to mid-twenties, perhaps? He turned to look at the door as the sound of brisk footsteps reached his ears. It swung open, and his father appeared, hastily doing up the buttons of his jacket.
    ‘Apologies for not being here to welcome you,’ Ben said, stridinginto the room. ‘I’ve been getting cleaned up. That blasted woman Letitia employed yesterday set the kitchen chimney alight half an hour ago. There were flames coming out of the top of it. It’s a miracle she didn’t burn the house down.’ Dragging a handkerchief from his pocket, Ben wiped his sweating forehead. ‘You should have seen how much wood she piled on the fire. I didn’t think you could get so much wood on a grate.’
    John frowned, well aware of the dangers that fire could pose to a house constructed entirely of timber. ‘Is the chimney safe