The Prisoner Read Free

turned her attention to Jack.
    â€œPermit me to introduce myself, Jack. My name is Genevieve MacPhail, and I would like to speak with you—”
    â€œI never stole nothin’,” he spat vehemently.
    â€œI don’t care whether you did or not.”
    Surprise flickered in his gaze, but he was quick to shroud it with sullen indifference. “Then what do you want?”
    â€œI live in a house in Inveraray with some other children who, like yourself, have been through some rather difficult times—”
    â€œI’m not a child,” he interrupted rudely.
    â€œForgive me. Of course you aren’t. You must be what—fifteen?”
    He straightened his posture, pleased that she had overestimated his age. “About that.”
    She nodded as if greatly impressed by this. “Well, I was wondering, Jack, if instead of staying here in prison and then proceeding to a reformatory school, you would be willing to come and live with me for the duration of your sentence.”
    Jack’s eyes narrowed. “You mean like a servant?” His tone was openly scornful.
    â€œNo,” she replied, untroubled by his hostile attitude. “But you would have chores to do, the same as everyone there does.”
    He regarded her skeptically. “What kind of chores?”
    â€œYou would be expected to help with cooking and cleaning and washing, and all the other things that are necessary to run a busy household. And you would be required to spend part of each day learning to read and write and cipher numbers. You don’t know how to read, do you?”
    â€œI get by,” he assured her tersely.
    â€œI don’t doubt that. But my hope would be, Jack, that after you finished staying with me, you would be able to get by far better than you have been.”
    He was silent a moment, considering. “Could I come and go as I pleased?”
    â€œUnfortunately, no. Should you decide to come with me, you would then become my responsibility. That means that I would have to know where you were at all times. I’m afraid I would have to insist that you agree to that,” she added, as a scowl twisted his sharply chiseled features. “And your days would be structured, so you would not be permitted to simply wander off and do as you wished. I can assure you, however, that you would find your situation far more tolerable than what awaits you at reformatory school. You would be well fed and cared for. The others who have come to live with me actually find it quite pleasant.”
    â€œFine.”
    His answer was just a touch too quick, thought Haydon, to be genuine. It was clear to him that the boy had decided that going with this Miss Genevieve MacPhail was infinitely preferable to getting thrashed by the warder and spending any more time in jail. Once he had relieved her of a warm set of clothes and a decent meal, he would steal whatever he could and be gone, by tomorrow at the very latest. Haydon wished he had time to speak to the boy alone, to make him understand the incredible opportunity he was being offered.
    â€œCan you get him out as well?” Jack inclined his head toward Haydon.
    Haydon looked at the lad in surprise.
    â€œI—I’m afraid not,” Genevieve stammered, startled by the question.
    Her dark eyes were veiled with what appeared to be regret. Haydon thought that rather amazing, given all that she knew of him was that he had been convicted of murder. It was scarcely the kind of credentials that roused the more tender sensibilities of a gently bred woman like Miss MacPhail.
    â€œExcellent,” said Governor Thomson, pleased that the two had come to an agreement. “Let us retire to my office and work out the necessary details of this arrangement, shall we?” He scratched his beard in anticipation.
    So that was it, Haydon realized. This Miss MacPhail was securing Jack’s release in exchange for payment of some kind to the prison governor.