Ransome—”
“Hush. I will hear nothing more on the subject. You must accustom yourself to his presence, as you will not be able to avoid him for the next three weeks.”
Julia glared at her friend through narrowed eyes. “I hope you are not forcing us together in hopes William will renew his addresses to me.
Susan blinked, affecting an innocent expression. “I would never dream of something so conniving.” At another knock on the front door, she slipped out of the room to stand at the head of the stairs, where she could hear the mumble of voices below. She nodded and then returned to the sitting room. “Admiral Hinds’s wife has come to call. This is turning into a party.”
Some of Julia’s anxiety abated. Mrs. Hinds probably did not know Captain Ransome and could therefore be counted upon to carry the conversation.
The small, dark-haired woman entered and greeted Susan and Julia as old friends. The remainder of Julia’s worries melted away under the two officers’ wives’ discussion of mutual acquaintances and the latest meeting of the Naval Family Aid Society, which Julia had not attended due to accompanying her aunt on calls.
Captain Ransome appeared in the doorway and cleared his throat. Julia tried to calm her heart, tried to ignore the fact the man was more handsome than his gold-adorned uniform, tried to stop herself from admiring the way the indigo of his uniform contrasted with the light blue of his eyes.
Susan finished introducing Captain Ransome and Mrs. Hinds, and they all regained their seats—Captain Ransome sitting in the armchair beside Mrs. Hinds, Julia with Susan on the settee.
“I heard you speaking of the Naval Family Aid Society.” Captain Ransome looked from Susan to Mrs. Hinds. “I would like to make a donation if you could direct me to the treasurer.”
Both women turned to look at Julia.
Her cheeks flamed. “I am the treasurer, Captain.”
His eyes held hers a moment, inscrutable. “I understood you had not been in Portsmouth long, Miss Witherington.”
“Nearly nine months.”
“Miss Witherington wanted to participate, but because her rather—” Susan gave Julia an apologetic glance—“because the admiral must carry out his orders of decommissioning the fleet, none of the families would accept the charity if they knew of her involvement.”
“She has a finesse with numbers the rest of us lacked,” Mrs. Hinds added. “Got us out of a pinch we did not even know we were in.”
Julia focused on the pattern of tiny flowers in the fabric of her skirt and prayed for a change of subject.
“Julia has been able to acquire more donations for the fund in the last six months than we’ve had in the last two years.” Susan beamed at her like a proud parent.
She would not have been surprised if flames burst from her cheeks.
Mrs. Hinds must have realized her discomfort. “Captain, what part of England do you call home?”
“Gateacre—a small farming town near Liverpool.”
“We made berth in Liverpool harbor many times when I traveled with my husband during his captaincy...”
The admiral’s wife kept the conversation going with stories of her travels around the world with her husband.
Julia found her gaze straying to William time and again. His eyes occasionally flickered her direction. Each time, she immediately turned toward Susan or Mrs. Hinds. He bore little resemblance to the fifteen-year-old midshipman who had not only concealed his knowledge of her true identity under her brother’s clothes but had been kind and helpful as she’d climbed the rope shrouds to the foremast top several times. Even as a girl of only ten, she had recognized the strong features in his face—broad forehead, dark brows, square jaw—that would mature into the commanding presence he now possessed.
Coldness crept into Julia’s spirit. This man seated across the low table had courted her not for her wealth, but for promotion, for her father’s attention and patronage. He’d
“Hush. I will hear nothing more on the subject. You must accustom yourself to his presence, as you will not be able to avoid him for the next three weeks.”
Julia glared at her friend through narrowed eyes. “I hope you are not forcing us together in hopes William will renew his addresses to me.
Susan blinked, affecting an innocent expression. “I would never dream of something so conniving.” At another knock on the front door, she slipped out of the room to stand at the head of the stairs, where she could hear the mumble of voices below. She nodded and then returned to the sitting room. “Admiral Hinds’s wife has come to call. This is turning into a party.”
Some of Julia’s anxiety abated. Mrs. Hinds probably did not know Captain Ransome and could therefore be counted upon to carry the conversation.
The small, dark-haired woman entered and greeted Susan and Julia as old friends. The remainder of Julia’s worries melted away under the two officers’ wives’ discussion of mutual acquaintances and the latest meeting of the Naval Family Aid Society, which Julia had not attended due to accompanying her aunt on calls.
Captain Ransome appeared in the doorway and cleared his throat. Julia tried to calm her heart, tried to ignore the fact the man was more handsome than his gold-adorned uniform, tried to stop herself from admiring the way the indigo of his uniform contrasted with the light blue of his eyes.
Susan finished introducing Captain Ransome and Mrs. Hinds, and they all regained their seats—Captain Ransome sitting in the armchair beside Mrs. Hinds, Julia with Susan on the settee.
“I heard you speaking of the Naval Family Aid Society.” Captain Ransome looked from Susan to Mrs. Hinds. “I would like to make a donation if you could direct me to the treasurer.”
Both women turned to look at Julia.
Her cheeks flamed. “I am the treasurer, Captain.”
His eyes held hers a moment, inscrutable. “I understood you had not been in Portsmouth long, Miss Witherington.”
“Nearly nine months.”
“Miss Witherington wanted to participate, but because her rather—” Susan gave Julia an apologetic glance—“because the admiral must carry out his orders of decommissioning the fleet, none of the families would accept the charity if they knew of her involvement.”
“She has a finesse with numbers the rest of us lacked,” Mrs. Hinds added. “Got us out of a pinch we did not even know we were in.”
Julia focused on the pattern of tiny flowers in the fabric of her skirt and prayed for a change of subject.
“Julia has been able to acquire more donations for the fund in the last six months than we’ve had in the last two years.” Susan beamed at her like a proud parent.
She would not have been surprised if flames burst from her cheeks.
Mrs. Hinds must have realized her discomfort. “Captain, what part of England do you call home?”
“Gateacre—a small farming town near Liverpool.”
“We made berth in Liverpool harbor many times when I traveled with my husband during his captaincy...”
The admiral’s wife kept the conversation going with stories of her travels around the world with her husband.
Julia found her gaze straying to William time and again. His eyes occasionally flickered her direction. Each time, she immediately turned toward Susan or Mrs. Hinds. He bore little resemblance to the fifteen-year-old midshipman who had not only concealed his knowledge of her true identity under her brother’s clothes but had been kind and helpful as she’d climbed the rope shrouds to the foremast top several times. Even as a girl of only ten, she had recognized the strong features in his face—broad forehead, dark brows, square jaw—that would mature into the commanding presence he now possessed.
Coldness crept into Julia’s spirit. This man seated across the low table had courted her not for her wealth, but for promotion, for her father’s attention and patronage. He’d
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