Somewhere My Love Read Online Free Page B

plundering ill-fated shores and carrying off the women. 
    Will suddenly wished Julia were safely tucked away in the back room. With the instinct of a knight protecting his lady, he stepped between her and the Viking. “ Can I help you ?” he said , meaning ‘ Go away .’
    The unwanted newcomer parted his large white teeth in a smile and fixe d Will with blue eyes reminiscen t of clear winter skies . “ Sorry to interrupt, mate . I tried the house. N o answer. Heard voices in here,” he said amicably in an Aussie accent .  
    Even more unusual. Will hadn’t imagined Vikings in Australia . And he was n’t inviting this one indoors. “I’m William Wentworth , manager of Foxleigh and grandson of the owner . How may I assi st you?” he asked in his formal managerial tone.
    “ Grand place you’ve got here . I’m a Shakespearian actor /odd jobber looking for work. I ca n turn my hand to most anything, carpentry , brick laying , gardening. Are you wanting more summer help?”
    “I might . Do you have references, Mr .–– ”
    “McChesney . Lyle McChesney . Most recently , I’ve been working for Mr. Wilkins . He speaks highly of you. ”
    “ Ah, y es. Why are you no longer in his employ? ”
    Lyle grinned. “I’m so damn good I worked myself out of a job .”
    “ W ell, w e’re not producing Shakespeare at present , though we have in the past. I’ve done some community theater myself. Play a mean Hamlet.”
    “Do you, now? Hamlet’s a favorite of mine.”   
    Will warmed to the fellow. “I f Wilkins vouches for you , I ’ll take you on at the rate he paid . Where are you staying ? ”
    “ A l ittle motel up the road called the Blue Star . I’ve my Harley for transport.  I’m working my way across America before heading back to Sydney .”
    Julia nudged Will’s elbow. Curiosity must ha ve drawn her to the open door .  He saw Lyle spot her. His vivid eyes grew far more inten t than when he first surveyed Will .  
    “Who is this enchanting creature , for swear I’ve never seen her like, ” Lyle uttered in a Shakespearian voice .  
    Odd , coming from a Viking, and more than a little aggravating .  
    Then Lyle lowered the knapsack and struck a dramatic po se. “‘But, soft!  What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.’”
    T he similarity of the names Juliet and Julia gave Will a start , but she giggled and sidled nearer the flamboyant stranger. 
    Lyle plucked a white blossom from the clematis climbing the wall and held it out to her . “Fo r your lovely tresses .”
    She took the flower and laughingly tucked it in her gleaming hair. 
    Will narrowed his eyes at her. Didn’t Julia know better t han to encourage Lyle like that? 
    No. He realized her experience with men was probably extremely limited in her formerly cloistered world . Good heavens. She was likely still a virgin . He didn’t even ask himself if she were his business anymore and felt more like a bristling dog than a congenial host as he introduced the two.
    “Lyle McChesney , this is Julia Morrow, newly arrived from Great Britain to be our assistant tour guide.”
    “Then the British Isles are the poorer and America the richer for it ,” Lyle schmooz ed.
    Jul ia pinkened and dropped her gaze . “How sweet.”
    Doubtless, she had no idea how provocative that gesture was. Lyle’s grin reminded Will o f a wolf closing in on a dove , and he intuitively felt Julia was his dove.
    “My great-g randfather came from Scotland. That practically makes us neighbors, doesn’t it?” Lyle gave a laugh. “ Except for that trouble be tween the Brits and the Scots. Over now, though. Care for a cycle ride , fair Julia?”
    Will had had enough. He might as well send her to a bar with a ‘take me, I’m s tupid,’ sign taped to her back. He fixed Lyle with a strong gaze. “ We do n’t condone fraternizing among the staff at Foxleigh , Mr. McChesney.”
    For a moment, Lyle’s eyes were blue ice ,