Heiress by Laurie Alice Eakes

Author:Laurie Alice Eakes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2013-03-06T05:00:00+00:00

Eight

Sam stared at Susan as though she’d lost her reason. “Why would I take that piece of yellow glass?”

“Because it’s valuable.” Susan glanced at Daire, realizing she’d just admitted her brother could be a thief. “It’s a unique piece of glass made by the Grassick Glassworks.”

“But you couldn’t get anything for it.” Sam’s upper lip dusted with a pale line of fuzz, curled in the slightest of sneers. “And he had to sell it to you to get any money for it.”

“Mr. Morris,” Daire said in his rich timbre, “you should show your sister more respect.”

“Respect Susan?” Sam laughed.

Susan flinched as though he’d struck her. “Really, Mr. Grassick, I’m just his sister.”

“You’re a lady and deserve to be spoken to with courtesy.” Daire frowned at Sam. “Now if you please, answer your sister with a civil tongue.”

“Susan’s not a lady.” Sam kicked at a crumpled piece of paper lying on the wharf. “She doesn’t do anything that—”

“She’s spent the afternoon in the heat helping me look for you.” Daire’s voice, still low, cut through Sam’s protest.

Susan looked at Daire, feeling as though she had been set aglow like a lantern in a dark room. No one ever championed her, except for Paul upon occasion. But Daire had done so with Gran yesterday and now Sam today.

If she wasn’t careful, she could fall in love with this man. Deborah’s arched eyebrows told Susan her older sister saw the danger signs, too.

Sam ducked his head and ground the toe of his boot into the wharf. “She didn’t need to. I should’ve been gone by now, but the paddle wheel broke on the Mary Sue.”

“You really were running away?” Susan forgot Daire slipping into her heart and his goldfinch and Sam’s disrespect of her. “Sam, why?”

“I don’t want to be a banker.” Sam gestured to the line of vessels from the tiny pleasure crafts to the enormous seafaring ships, and to the river leading to New York City on the other side, then the sea beyond Long Island. “I want to see the world. India. China.” His voice took on an awed tone. “Rio de Janeiro. I want to do something. . .important, not be just another one of the Morrises no one can keep track of.”

“Oh Sam.” Susan blinked back tears. “I wish I didn’t understand how you feel.”

“But running away isn’t the answer.” Daire rested a hand on Sam’s shoulder, making him look like the boy he still was. “I know. I did it more than once. No good ever came from it.”

“Did you go to sea?” Sam’s face lit.

“Just a riverboat the first time.” Daire turned Sam toward the street. “I’ll tell you about it while we walk back to your house.”

Sam balked. “I don’t want to go home. The captain of the Mary Sue hired me on. My gear’s already aboard.”

“You’re too young,” Deborah protested.

“When is she due to leave?” Daire asked.

Susan shot him a disapproving glance. Surely he didn’t intend to give in to her brother’s insistence that he remain at the docks.

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