Read Online Carried Home by Heather Manning - Free Book Online Page A

from her little brother. She trusted no one but herself with the boy’s safety. “Please, Captain, do not turn back. I cannot wait any longer to see William. We are already making a stop to find your sister in the Carolinas. Please, I could not bear it if we turned around and lost last night’s travel. I cannot sit in some port, waiting for a storm to pass, while I do not know what condition my brother is in.”
    Captain Thompson’s grin vanished. His chocolate-brown eyes grew large. “Milady, I did not think you would object to this. The safety of my crew is obviously important—”
    â€œWhat about the safety of my little brother, Captain? I have no idea how he fares. He could be ill. Don’t you understand? I would think you could, since you have a little sister of your own.” Ivy tried to steady her voice, but it shook with emotion. She needed to get to her brother. “Don’t you want to get to your sister as soon as you can, as well?”
    ****
    Gage ran a hand through his hair and then rested his elbows on his knees, his chin cradled in his hands. The woman had a point. He did long to return to Addie, to make sure she was safe, to get her home with him so she didn’t need to worry about a way to support herself. But what about his crew? Surely he could persuade some of them to agree to continue on. Some of them would be cocky enough to agree.
    He had heard of men who had sailed through hurricanes and survived. One captain had kept his whole ship intact and his crew alive after braving a violent storm. But how could Gage manage that? He had next to no experience as a captain, and he certainly had never sailed through a storm with a ship in his command. Could he do it? And how would he live with himself if something did happen to one of his men, on his account?
    He didn’t want to know how it would feel to be responsible for someone’s death, someone who was under his command. Suddenly the role of captain was much more difficult than he had imagined when serving under his best friend, Caspian.
    â€œWhat do you think, Captain? Would you please attempt to sail through it, for my sake? If we start on our way and conditions grow too poor, we could turn around and rest in a port to wait out the storm, could we not?” Lady Shaw sat down on the edge of the cot and rested a hand on his arm.
    She had soft hands. Very soft hands. He laid his hand on top of hers, enjoying how her ivory skin contrasted with his deep tan. Her eyes met his and his breath stopped in his throat. Gage suddenly forgot about the storm, forgot he had a decision to make that could put the fate of his men in jeopardy. And the fate of this beautiful woman before him.
    Stormy gray eyes, almost the color of the clouds overhead, searched his. A stubborn lock of orange hair had escaped from the braided coil at the base of her neck. Gage’s fingers itched to tuck it behind her ear, but he felt the act would be too familiar of him.
    He clutched his hands together in his lap and forced his eyes from hers. When she looked at him so sweetly, and her pleasing scent of lemon tickled his nose, it was hard to just sit there and be close to her. Gage pulled farther away from her and took a deep breath. She seemed oblivious to her effect on him.
    â€œPlease, Captain Thompson.” The lady made eye contact with him and he swallowed.
    How on earth was he expected to resist her?
    â€œIt is highly unsafe. Do you not want to make it back to your brother in one piece, with a whole crew?”
    Lady Shaw wrung her hands together. “Captain, please. I understand the risk, yet it is of utmost importance that I reach William as soon as I can. As I have told you many times before, I am truly worried about his safety. I don’t know what he will do being without me for so long.” The woman’s voice rose slightly, disturbing Emma. The child whimpered and shifted restlessly.
    Gage leaned forward and