Tide and Tempest (Edge of Freedom Book #3) Read Online Free PDF

concluded, he couldn’t wait to leave. “Me thanks to ya, sir. I’ll be going now—”
    The Celt’s hand lifted, halting Donal at the door. “Before you go, there’s another matter I’d like to discuss with you. If you have a moment?” He gestured back toward the chairs. Reluctantly, Donal joined him there.
    “There’s a good lad.” The Celt braced both elbows on the table and leaned forward to peer at him intently. “Now, what can you tell me about Keondric Morgan?”

    For some time after the boardinghouse returned to stillness, Tillie sat watching Amelia, who watched from the window as the captain withdrew. At long last she pulled her hand from the drape, allowing it to fall back into place, and turned to inquire of Tillie.
    “Well, we certainly never expected to see him again, did we?”
    “No.” She drew a deep breath and blew it out. “We certainly did not.”
    Grabbing her embroidery hoop, Amelia joined Tillie on the settee. “Did he say what brought him, dear?”
    Tillie poured a cup of tea from the pot Laverne had provided and passed it across a flowered tray to Amelia. Though she had no reason to doubt him, something about Captain Morgan’s impromptu visit troubled her. Realizing Amelia waswatching her, she shrugged. “Just that he hoped to inquire after my welfare.”
    Amelia took the cup and lifted it to her lips for a sip. “Odd, that, after so many months, don’t you think?”
    Aye, ’twas very odd, to say the least. She turned toward the tea tray. Apart from the pot and a small bowl of sliced lemons, the tray was empty. She stood. “It appears Laverne forgot to add the sugar bowl. I’ll fetch it.”
    Amelia’s cup rattled against its saucer. “Don’t bother.”
    Startled by her haste, Tillie paused.
    “It’s just . . .” She laughed and patted her slender waist, but her cheeks colored and not with mirth. “You don’t take sugar in your tea, and I could stand to lose a few pounds.”
    Tillie retook her seat.
    Setting her cup aside, Amelia reached for her embroidery hoop and pulled the needle free of the fabric. “I thought the captain very striking, didn’t you?”
    She laughed again, but this time it was high-pitched and unnatural, and Tillie had no doubt it was meant to distract her attention from the tea. She leaned forward. “Amelia—”
    “I remembered him as being handsome, but today, well, I can’t say as I recall him looking quite so distinguished. The past two years have been kind.”
    “’Tis not only kindness what adds silver to a man’s sideburns or lines to his face,” she said quietly.
    The flashing of Amelia’s needle slowed, and her eyes met Tillie’s over the hoop. “Yes, I suppose that’s true enough.”
    Pushing the captain from her thoughts, Tillie focused on the friend seated across from her. Amelia looked tired, and strain marred her normally peaceful features. Why hadn’t she noticed before? She reached out to clasp Amelia’s hand, stilling her fingers.
    “Is everything all right? Are you well?”
    Though she smiled, her fingers trembled. “Of course. Why do you ask?”
    Tillie thought back over the last week. “I thought I heard you stirring last night, after everyone else went to bed.”
    “Oh, that.” She gave a shrug that was surely meant to appease, but to Tillie, it appeared feigned. “Just my old joints giving me trouble, what with all the rain we’ve been having.”
    Tillie had not noticed an inordinate amount of rain, but she let the comment pass. “I’ll speak to Dr. Kingsley. Perhaps he could prescribe some liver salts.”
    Amelia tugged her hand free. “No need, dear. It’s probably nothing more than a bit of the rheumy. One of Laverne’s lemon toddies will fix me right up.” She chuckled softly. “All these years and I still can’t coax her into telling me what she puts in them.”
    “I’ll make sure she has plenty of fresh lemons, then.”
    “Thank you, dear.”
    Amelia went back to her stitching, but the