To Love and Protect Read Online Free PDF Page B

attempt to find Franklin.   She fought shivers that ran down her spine as she thought about how close she had come to being taken by the man.   Aunt Gertie sat directly across from Southerby and twisted her hands worrisomely.   Her eyes darted back and forth between Justin and Clarissa.   Clarissa refused to be intimated by Southerby.
    “Why did you run off?”
    “I didn’t think you would help me.”
    “I was going to help you.”
    “Would you have let me come with you?”
    “No.”
    “That’s what I thought.”
    “Clarissa,” he began, but Gertrude cut him off.
    “Now children.   We are going to be in tight quarters for quite a while.   Let’s play nicely with each other, hmmmm?”
    “Papa’s carriage is following us.”
    “Is that really a surprise?”
    “I didn’t expect them to come looking for me.   They usually arrive home early in the morning and sleep until mid-afternoon.   I thought I had plenty of time.   Some of the new servants report directly to them.   I made a mistake stopping by the house before going to the mail station.”   Not for the first time, she said the admission aloud.   Silence reined from the other side of the carriage.
    “Why did you do that?”
    “I had to see if any correspondence had arrived from Papa.”
    “Did Franklin see you?”
    “He had me.”
    “Oh, dear,” Gertie put her fisted hand against her mouth.
    “Should I dare ask how you got away?”
    “I don’t think so.   So, what are we going to do?”
    Justin opened the hatch and had a quick discussion with the driver.   After closing the hatch once more he settled into the corner of the carriage, stretched out his long legs at an angle, and closed his eyes.
    “What are you doing?” Clarissa asked angrily, confused by his languid mood.   She also found herself irritated that his legs were invading her space.
    “Taking a nap.”
    He knew Clarissa fumed at his attitude, but he had to think and could not do it if she thought him awake and continued to talk.   Being followed was a bit of a problem, but they were currently on their way to his country estate.   If they could throw him off between here and there, Justin knew they would be well protected once they passed through the gates.   How would he ask the director for time off?   Damn, the director , he thought suddenly remembering his meeting tomorrow.   He had no other choice, he would have to return to town for the meeting.
    He had yet to discuss Hamilton’s will with Clarissa.   It remained to be seen how she would take the change.   Franklin seemed very interested in Lady Clarissa.   If what Clarissa and Gertrude said had any truth behind it, they were an awfully ambitious brother and sister.   They needed further investing for certain.   He heard the sound of the horses’ hooves change as they left the cobbled streets of town behind.   Mere seconds later, he felt a swift kick against his shin.
    “What was that for?” he bellowed and rubbed his shin.
    “Where are we going?” Clarissa demanded to know.
    “Don’t worry about it,” he replied back.
    “Justin, I think she, no we , have a right to know.”   Justin turned a scathing look on his godmother.   “Oh, don’t give me that kind of look, young man.   I’ve known you since you were crawling around the nursery in your nappies, if you remember. Do quit being sour and tell us where we’re going.”
    Justin muttered something under his breath that the women could not understand, then cleared his throat.   “We are going to mother and father’s country estate.   I hope that I can come up with a plan in which we lose Franklin for a short time.”
    “Now was that so hard?” Clarissa asked sarcastically.
    “Clarissa, please, my head is pounding.”  
    “Go back to sleep Justin,” Gertrude interrupted, attempting to be a calming force.   “Clarissa perhaps you should rest as well.”
    “I can’t,” she muttered and continued to watch her father’s coach