Free Seducing the Ruthless Rogue by Tammy Jo Burns Page B

meal.”
    “We’ll see.”
    “It was not a suggestion,” the raven haired beauty said, arching an eyebrow at him.
    “Yes, sister dear.”
    “Good.   Now, Abigail, it is all right if I call you Abigail, isn’t it?”   She waited for the affirmative.   “Good.   Abigail, Jemma, come with me, and we will get you all set up.   How does a nice warm bath sound?” her voice drifted away.
    Cassie watched them ascend the staircase.   “They need to be seen by a physician.”
    “Already being seen to.   Mikala will make certain they take care of themselves.”
    “Good.”
    Cassie allowed him to lead her back to the carriage without argument.   Once settled and back on their way, his words began to sink in.   “You called, Her Grace, ‘sister dear’.”
    “Did I?”
    “You know very well you did.   So, your sister married a duke?   She did very well for herself for you to not have any title affixed to your name.”
    “She is only my sister by marriage.”
    “But that means your brother is a duke?”
    “You are quite good at deducing, aren’t you?”
    “But you are not referred to as a ‘lord’.”
    “Indeed.”
    “Why not?”
    “I believe we have reached your house.”
    Cassie watched him closely.   He moved as if he were escaping a burning building.   He helped her down then turned and walked to the door, beating on it until it opened.   “I am delivering your Miss Graham.   Keep her at home until I say otherwise,” Mack instructed to the little man that bowed his thanks profusely.
    “You can’t do that!” Cassie exclaimed.   “I am a human being and have done nothing wrong.   I will not stay in my house as if I am a prisoner.”
    “Someone believes you did something, and until I figure out what is going on, yes, you will be staying in your house.   Mr. Chang, if I stop by at any time, day or night, and find her missing, I am holding you personally responsible.   Do you understand?”
    “Yes, Mr. McKenzie.   I take good care of Missy Cassie.”
    “See that you do,” he said as he swung into the coach and shut the door.
    “I despise you, you, you…”
    “Come, Missy Cassie, before you get me in trouble,” Chang said, tugging on her arm.
    “Oh!” She stomped her foot in anger before allowing the older man to pull her into the house.

Chapter 6

    Cassie readied a bath for herself, refusing to allow Chang to help her.   She knew she should be thankful to the man for going to Director McKenzie for assistance, but she could not help feeling just a bit betrayed.   The last person she expected to see enter that cramped, dirty watchhouse was McKenzie.   She repeated her actions of yesterday morning, vigorously scrubbing her skin.   This time she soaped her hair as well, feeling as if her scalp crawled with vermin.  
    Her thoughts kept turning to poor Abby and Jemma.   They had both suffered so much.   Cassie’s anger grew by leaps and bounds as her thoughts turned towards the government and their lack of concern for the widows and orphans of their fallen soldiers, as well as the injured soldiers themselves.   She stood after scrubbing her scalp, and bent over, hefting one pail of clear, warm water.   Her anger was a living thing, coursing through her as the water sluiced over her body, washing away the suds.   Cassie replaced the pail on the ground, took up the second one and repeated the process.
    Cassie twisted her long, blonde hair, squeezing out the excess water as much as possible.   She wrapped it in a towel so that it looked like a turban.   The other bath sheet she wrapped around her body.   She peeked around the screen and saw Chang sitting at the table, sipping his tea, and looking pensively out the window.   Her heart clenched because she knew she had hurt the old man’s feelings.   He is all you have right now, she chastised herself.   If you push him away, then who do you have?  
    She swallowed past the lump in her throat and called out, “No peeking