Saturday's Child Read Free Page A

their time on a building such as this, where they could hardly expect to find anything worth their while.
    "Katie?" Her brother's soft voice followed on the sound of a key in the lock and then the creak of the door. "Katie, I've brought a man who's hurt. Will you help?"
    Katie swung her legs off the narrow bed, reaching for the light flannel wrapper she'd laid ready for morning. Buttoning the collar high on her throat, she patted a hand over her hair in a vague attempt to curb its thick waywardness.
    She brushed aside the curtain that separated her bed from the rest of the room, blinking in the sudden light as Colin lit the lamp. Colin turned from the table, an explanation on his tongue, but Katie hardly heard him. She was staring at the stranger who stood near the door.
    He was tall, taller even than Colin. His shoulders were broad, filling out the formal black jacket in a way that must have made his tailor happy. His hair was a shade that seemed not quite gold and not quite brown but was somewhere between the two. His features were strong, too strong to be considered handsome perhaps, but compelling all the same.
    But it was his eyes that threatened to steal her breath away. They were blue, but more than blue. They were deep in color, not like a summer sky but more like a sapphire she'd seen once.
    Katie flushed as those eyes swept over her thinly clad figure. The look was appreciative without being lascivious, and when his eyes met hers, there was a spark in them that told her he liked what he'd seen. Katie was ashamed to find that her heart beat a little faster at the thought.
    "I'm sorry to intrude on you in this boorish manner, ma'am. I'm afraid your brother overestimates the extent of my injury." He swept a battered silk hat from his head and bent low in a bow. The elegance of the gesture was marred by the fact that he had to clutch at the edge of the table to keep from losing his balance. Colin, just turning away from adjusting the wick on the lamp, caught at his arm, lending him support.
    Katie's eyes found the dark stain on the sleeve of his jacket and she hurried forward.
    "Help the gentleman to a seat, Colin, and let me take a look at that arm."
    Colin eased the stranger to a chair, then stepped back and watched as Katie knelt in front of him. His doubts about bringing the man here were even stronger now that it was too late. He didn't like the way the man looked at his sister and he didn't like the way Katie had looked at him in that first moment.
    The man was a gambler and a drinker—and who knew what else? And setting all that aside, there was no doubting that he came from a class far above their reach. Everything about the man spoke of money, something the McBrides had never had much of. They could have nothing in common with a man who wore such fine clothes and gambled with such a fine lack of regard for winning or losing. And it wouldn't do for Katie to be setting her sights so high.
    Colin ran his hand through his dark hair, feeling weariness sweep over him. It wasn't only the lateness of the hour, it was the burden of responsibility he felt. He was all that Katie had now. It was up to him to see that she had a good life ahead of her.
    "Colin, get me some water in a bowl and bring my sewing basket." As she tugged experimentally at the blood-soaked sleeve, she told her patient, "I'm afraid removing your coat is going to be more than a bit painful, sir."
    "Cut it away."
    "Oh, no, I don't think that will be necessary. I'm sure it can be saved. A bit of mending and it will be good as new."
    "It's not worth worrying about," he said casually. "Just cut the sleeve loose. I'm in no mood to try and pull it off."
    "But that will ruin it and it's such a fine fabric."
    "I have others and I'm afraid the fabric of my skin is a bit more important to me at the moment. A sharp knife will solve the problem in an instant."
    Colin set down the sewing basket and a basin of water next to Katie, stepping back without a word.