Averill: Historical Romance (The Brocade Collection, Book 3) Read Online Free

so tightly, she couldn’t see the texture. There were so many sizes and types of handmade brushes she didn’t know how to choose, and the paints! She’d never seen paints in collapsible tubes before. She hadn’t known they came that way.
    “How much am I to spend?” she whispered, daring a glance up at the Captain.
    He smiled, and her eyes darted away.
    “I’ll buy what you like . You can paint whatever takes your fancy – animals, scenery. Buildings.”  He shrugged. “You decide.”
    Averill clasped her hands together to keep them from trembling . Is this really happening to me? This morning I woke up hungry and had to avoid camel dung outside Sen-Bib’s booth when I went out to relieve myself. And now, I can buy whatever I like? Is this truly the same day?
    “I can’t decide,” she whispered finally.
    “Is there anything you’d recommend for an artist?”  Captain Tennison asked the shopkeeper.
    “This boy paints?” 
    The man hooted with laughter. She turned away.
    “I’ll spend my coin at the shop next to the basket weaver,” Captain Tennison said sharply . “Good day.”
    The shopkeeper ’s laughter cut off and Averill swiveled her head in surprise. No one had ever stood up for her before. It was truly a day of wonders.
     
    They left the shop much later. Captain Tennison stowed her purchases in his saddlebags, mumbling about a large canvas she couldn’t resist. She had eleven smaller ones, too. Perhaps a camel bag could be made to fit the big one. She couldn’t wait to begin. She also had brushes of every imaginable size. There was solvent for cleaning them, and colors of all descriptions. The blending possibilities stunned her.
    “Come along, then,” Captain Tennison said . “And don’t you dare think of leaving me. What would I do with all this stuff?”
    She ran to him and put a hand on his arm as she looked up at him. It didn’t help that she came only to his shoulder, but she didn’t want to appear ungrateful. She smiled.
    “ I won’t leave. I’ll follow you, Captain Tennison. I thank you.”
    His eyes weren’t as dark as she thought . They were light brown and shadowed by thick lashes. Perhaps that was what had made them seem darker against his tan.
    Strange things were happening to her skin as she continued to touch his jacket sleeve . She watched the gooseflesh form on her arm as he cleared his throat. When she lifted her fingers, they didn’t feel like her own, and Averill frowned.
     
     

 
    CHAPTER THREE
     
    He lived in a two-story sandstone building. Averill cautiously followed him in, her feet feeling chilled by the tiles on the floor.
    “Harvey!”
    A man stepped out from another room. “Sir, you’ve got a thief following you! A street urchin!” 
    He waved his arms and Averill ducked behind the captain.
    “Stop that, Harvey. This is Averill. I’d like a bath for the child immediately.”
    A bath ? Oh no. No. She couldn’t bathe! They’d see, and then they’d know she was no boy! She turned to run, but hands gripped her upper arms and hauled her around to face Captain Tennison. Then he lifted her feet from the ground to bring her face close to his.
    “You wouldn’t leave me now, would you?” he asked in Arabic.
    “I...I....”  Averill swallowed.
    “I’ll buy you more clothing while you bathe . Harvey won’t bother you. I swear it. You’re safe here. That’s why you’re here. Understand?”
    She shook her head.
    “I’ll explain later. After you bathe. But you will bathe. Or I’ll stay and force it. You understand that?”
    She nodded .
    H e set her back down. Averill couldn’t control her shaking. She couldn’t tell how angry he was.
    “Have I your word?”
    She nodded again.
    “Good.”
    He turned to Harvey, who’d listened to the exchange but looked like he hadn’t understood a word.
    “The street child will bathe, Harvey, so we don’t have to contend with fleas.”
    “He’s staying, then?”  Harvey looked at her for a fraction