Wild Roses Read Online Free Page B

by her intense gaze.
    â€œIs Eleanor Templeton married now?”
    â€œI believe she might be in a month or two, as she is currently engaged to a man of her own standing. She was betrothed three more times between me and her current fool.”
    â€œAnd my cousin Margaret Carson? Do you know if she has wed?”
    â€œShe is now engaged for the fifth time since you ran away. I do not believe you will be attending any wedding, however. The man is from a poor background, born of a poor Scotsman who began a business twenty years ago and has only recently turned the corner to prosperity.”
    Ella smiled faintly when she saw the curiosity he could not hide. “Does it not strike you as passing strange that Eleanor and Margaret make and break so many betrothals? That they risk their reputations and standing in the society they love with apparent callousness? Or that they keep promising marriage to young men who are taking their first steps into the society Eleanor and Margaret were born into, making matches that none of their family or friends could possibly approve of? Odd that they would be willing to brave ostracism and scorn for love yet flee when the man becomes poor again? I find it a little sad that, each time they choose a man who has struggled up from the bottom and finally has wealth in his grasp, he loses it all. One must wonder if those women carry some strange curse, or if they just choose unwisely.”
    â€œOr if they are working for their fathers.”
    Fury had whitened his features, and Ella wondered if she had stupidly given him yet another reason to distrust and dislike her. He had already revealed how easily he could condemn an entire group of people for the crimes of a few. It was possible that he could now think she was hand in fist with Eleanor and Margaret. She had hoped to enhance her standing in his opinion by revealing such deception, but may well have done just the opposite. After taking a deep breath to steady herself, she decided to persevere. Any other action might simply harden his suspicions.
    â€œThat is what I was suddenly wondering. In truth, just before I left Philadelphia, I began to wonder what game they played. Margaret and Eleanor are not women given to whims and fancies. They are also very proud and aware of their place in society. I then began to wonder how they were even meeting these men, men who would never be acceptable to their friends and family. Even the objections of their families seemed weak, and, well, almost practiced.”
    â€œBut you did not pursue it.”
    The strong hint of accusation in his deep voice irritated her. “At that time, Mr. Mahoney, something of far greater importance came to my attention—the threat to my life. I am sorry if you think it selfish of me, but I fear I decided that staying alive took precedence over all else.”
    Before Harrigan could reply, a short, plump man stepped up to his seat and, after nervously clearing his throat, said, “Sir, I do not know what crime this young woman is guilty of—”
    â€œThe most foul,“ Ella said. “I ran away from home.” She met Harrigan’s angry glance with a sweet smile.
    Harrigan met the man’s gaze and inwardly flinched at the condemnation he could read there. There was no way to defend himself. No man would believe that the sweetly smiling Ella was such a threat she needed to be manacled, at least not until they had dealt with her. The concern and good manners of the people he traveled with could prove to be a real problem, especially since Ella was clever enough to take full advantage of it.
    â€œSir,” he finally said in a firm, coolly polite voice, “her family hired me to return her to Philadelphia. She is a chronic runaway.”
    â€œA young woman should indeed be safe within the care of her family, but does she need to be taken there in chains?”
    â€œChains? Hardly that, sir. A simple wrist manacle to ensure that