Island of Darkness Read Online Free Page A

little English miss like your still nameless friend has for taking on the chores of a local fisherman, that’s all.”
    Leonora looked at Scottie, willing to let him explain if he wanted to; for herself, she was anxious to get away before she lost her temper and said something she would really regret - something that would make it impossible for her to come and see Scottie again.
    “You’re a suspicious devil,” Scottie told him, after a moment’s silence. He rubbed a hand over the back of his head, glancing at Leonora as if he wanted to say things he would rather she didn’t hear. “I - I like to see Leonora because - well, because it’s somebody I can talk to about home.”
    “Leonora?” The dark lenses turned on her again, and she thought how uncanny it was how he always seemed to know just where she was. “Is that what the Leo stands for?”
    “Yes!” She made her answer as brief as possible, not caring if he took offence at her sharpness or not.
    “Leonora what?” he asked, and Scottie glanced at her apologetically again.
    “Leonora Jackson,” he supplied, and Jason Connor
    smiled that curiously twisted smile again.
    “They don’t come much more English than that, do they?” he remarked dryly. “Except Smith or Robinson, of course.”
    Leonora flushed, following the implication easily enough. “It happens to be my name, Mr. Connor,” she said quietly. “And now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go.”
    She turned her back on him deliberately although she realised the snub was lost because he could not see her, but she heard the harsh, dry laugh he gave as she walked quickly across the terrace. “I’ll bet she’s got red hair, Scottie,” she heard him say, and she could guess what expression was on Scottie’s honest-looking face.
    “She hasn’t!” he said shortly, and Leonora heard his footsteps coming across the terrace after her. “Leonora, wait!”
    Reluctantly she did as he asked and turned to face him as he caught up with her. His brown eyes were anxious and apologetic, and she felt sorry that he had had to take some of the resentment meant only for his employer.
    He took one of her hands and hesitated before speaking, then he glanced across at the tall figure of Jason Connor. “He doesn’t mean it the way it sounds, Leonora,” he said earnestly. “Please don’t go away - angry.”
    For a moment she said nothing, then she smiled and put her other hand on his. “I’m not angry with you, Scottie, you know that, but—” She hesitated and he looked more anxious than ever.
    “You will come again?” he asked, and Leonora pulled a face and shrugged.
    “I don’t know, Scottie. I think, for the moment at least, I’d better not come again. I’m sorry,” she added hastily when she saw his crestfallen expression, “but you must see that it wouldn’t be very advisable at the moment.”
    “Mebbe not,” he agreed reluctantly.
    “I’m sorry, Scottie, I really enjoyed talking to you and I know you liked telling me about the old country, but you must admit it wouldn’t be the same, not now that - that he’s spoiled it.”
    “Och, Leonora!” he said reproachfully. “Don’t judge him too harshly, lass, he’s had to make a lot of adjustments and he’s sometimes a wee bit - crotchety.”
    “He’s almost exactly what I expected him to be from the things I’ve read about him,” she said. “Conceited and arrogant and full of his own importance!”
    “Och, you’re hard on him, girl,” Scottie protested again. “You’d like him better if you knew him more,” he assured her earnestly.
    Leonora looked across at the tall, lean figure now leaning on the walled surround of the terrace. It startled her to find her pulses racing when her eyes registered the blond hair gleaming in the sunlight and the golden brown torso revealed by that open shirt, a look of restrained power about the strong hands and arms. There was an air of tense excitement about him that was startling on first