Banking on Temperance Read Online Free

into contact with. Some of them even clung onto his arm or dropped a hankie in his path in the hopes of getting his attention. And none had been disappointed. Even Pennsylvania farm girls were familiar with smooth-talking men such as Mr. Fitzpatrick, and she had to shield herself from him. Noble took advantage of the interruption to scoot away from Temperance and her washcloth.
    She scowled at Basil. “Aren’t you afraid of getting your shoes dirty back here in this alley, sir?”
    “Please, call me Basil, not ‘sir.’ That’s what I call my father.” Basil glanced at the ground and his shoes. “And I’ll be certain to scrape my shoes before I enter the bank. Thank you for reminding me. I wanted to check on your family and see how you fared. I know the alley’s not the best place to spend the night.”
    “We managed quite well, Mr. Fitzpatrick. And I’ll not be calling you by your given name.” She ignored him and began to fold the washcloth and towel to put them away.
    Basil sighed and put his hand to his heart, taking a fake stumble backwards at her words. “Your words have pierced my heart, Lady Temperance.”
    Temperance fought the urge to smile at his foolishness. He and Noble were two of a kind. She was certain his undeniable charm worked on most women.
    “Ma spent the night in the doctor’s office with my da, but we can’t keep him there any longer. This alley isn’t the best place for him to continue his recovery, though. It stinks of rotten food and the contents of too many chamber pots. I don’t know what Ma has planned for us now, but we’ll find something.”
    “I understand your concerns and hope I have found a solution. Not just for your father, but for all of you. After all, I wouldn’t want your lovely skin to be exposed to the sun for too long.” Basil’s gaze lingered on her face.
    Temperance bristled and a blush of color rose to her cheeks. “You’ve done quite enough already, sir. We appreciate your help yesterday, especially taking care of Da, but we don’t expect you to do more. We are used to making our own way.”
    “I’m sure you are. And I never meant to imply otherwise. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll head into the doctor’s office before I open the bank and talk to your mother for a moment.” He turned and glanced down at Noble, who was standing nearby and watching Basil with great curiosity. The other children huddled in a group near the wagon, but Noble’s curiosity got the better of him. Basil gave him a wink. “I’ll let you get back to cleaning up the bobcat.” He tousled the boy’s hair before he left the alley.
    Temperance’s gaze followed him as his strong, long strides ate up the ground between the buildings. Noble turned to his sister. “He’s a nice man, isn’t he?”
    “Yes, Noble, he’s quite nice. Now, come back here and let me finish up with you.”
    “Are you going to marry him?”
    Temperance smiled. “Heavens, no. You’re not going to get rid of me that easily. I’ll still be here to clean out your ears for years to come.”
    Despite the good qualities he’d exhibited yesterday, Temperance was aware that Basil Fitzpatrick and his fine bank were in a much different social class from her. The ladies he spent time with would all have soft hands and pretty dresses with corsets underneath to make their waists look tiny. Not faded homespuns that had patches over patches and did nothing to show off her figure. She tried to imagine him taking her hand as he led her to a carriage, and how he would recoil from her rough, callused fingers. No, she was not the type of woman he usually dallied with. Thank goodness he would pay her no mind.
    With a small sigh, she turned back to her work, cleaning and feeding her younger siblings. She most definitely had little time to spare and it was better spent scratching out a living, not daydreaming about any man. Especially a ladies’ man, which she was sure Mr. Fitzpatrick could call himself. But yet, she