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Authors: Johanna Lindsey
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steered to the couple when he’d been looking for someone to care for
his nieces while he was away on The Pearl. It had proven to be a nicer arrangement than he’d first thought, since the cottage
had its own private dock, and Alf let him use it as a berth for The Pearl.
Alf had been generous in that after his wife, Peggy, had agreed to watch the girls
for Nathan. He hadn’t even charged Nathan a fee, merely laid down the rule that no
cargo was ever to be unloaded there, since he knew what business Nathan had got into.
Alf refused to say much about the bigger vessel at his dock, or why she sat empty,
and Nathan was in no position to pry when the elderly couple was doing him such a
big favor.
“At least you got me on her with you,” Corky said.
“Only because they still needed a carpenter and I bargained to have you included.
Alf even hesitated to mention the job, since he knows I no longer practice carpentry.
It was his wife, Peggy, who brought it up. Every time I visit the girls, she nags
me to go back to work that won’t land me in prison. The old gal worries about me.”
“She’s fond of your nieces and worries they will be left without a guardian again.
And she’s right, you know. Look how close you came to fulfilling her fears this time.
Are you sure you even want your ship back?”
“Are you going to nag now, too?”
“Is that pint of ale suddenly sounding like a good idea?” Corky countered.
Chapter Nine
N athan chuckled and gave in, steering his friend across the docks. The tavern Corky
had his eye on stood between a warehouse and a ticket office. Nathan didn’t know London
at all, had never been there before, and had never heard anything good about it either.
But taverns were taverns, and this one looked no different from the ones he’d find
at home in Southampton. While Nathan had no interest himself in a woman his last night
on land because he had too much on his mind to spare any thoughts on a wench, a pint
of ale would indeed be welcome.
He’d never asked for them, but now he had responsibilities that he didn’t have last
year when he would have been the one to suggest a quick tumble. Not anymore. Not since
his sister died and he was the only one left in their family who could care for her
two children. Not that he hadn’t had an agenda before that happened. He just hadn’t
been in a hurry to achieve his goals.
His nieces, Clarissa and Abbie, were darling girls. He never expected to get so attached
to them so quickly, but each time he visited, it was getting harder to say good-bye.
At seven years of age Clarissa was the younger and the more exuberant of the two.
She never failed to throw herself into his arms with a happy squeal when he arrived.
Abbie was more reserved at nine years of age. Poor thing was still trying to emulate
her father’s snobby family, thinking that’s how she ought to behave. But she was starting
to come around. She expressed delight now when she saw him and he’d even felt dampness
on her cheek when she’d hugged him good-bye a few days ago. My God, that had been
difficult, walking away from them this time.
They didn’t deserve to live in poverty just because their parents had passed on. He
had to do right by them, give them a home, a stable one. One way or another, he was
going to provide them with the comfortable life they used to have.
The girls had been raised so differently from him, but then his sister, Angie, had
married well. She’d had a fine house in Surrey and her daughters had had a governess,
tutors, and fancy dresses. It was too bad it had all come with such disagreeable people
for in-laws, the lot of them thinking they were grander than they were just because
they held a minor title. Nathan hadn’t liked Angie’s husband because it had become
apparent soon after the wedding that he had only married her because she was descended
from an earl. Nathan hadn’t even
his nieces while he was away on The Pearl. It had proven to be a nicer arrangement than he’d first thought, since the cottage
had its own private dock, and Alf let him use it as a berth for The Pearl.
Alf had been generous in that after his wife, Peggy, had agreed to watch the girls
for Nathan. He hadn’t even charged Nathan a fee, merely laid down the rule that no
cargo was ever to be unloaded there, since he knew what business Nathan had got into.
Alf refused to say much about the bigger vessel at his dock, or why she sat empty,
and Nathan was in no position to pry when the elderly couple was doing him such a
big favor.
“At least you got me on her with you,” Corky said.
“Only because they still needed a carpenter and I bargained to have you included.
Alf even hesitated to mention the job, since he knows I no longer practice carpentry.
It was his wife, Peggy, who brought it up. Every time I visit the girls, she nags
me to go back to work that won’t land me in prison. The old gal worries about me.”
“She’s fond of your nieces and worries they will be left without a guardian again.
And she’s right, you know. Look how close you came to fulfilling her fears this time.
Are you sure you even want your ship back?”
“Are you going to nag now, too?”
“Is that pint of ale suddenly sounding like a good idea?” Corky countered.
Chapter Nine
N athan chuckled and gave in, steering his friend across the docks. The tavern Corky
had his eye on stood between a warehouse and a ticket office. Nathan didn’t know London
at all, had never been there before, and had never heard anything good about it either.
But taverns were taverns, and this one looked no different from the ones he’d find
at home in Southampton. While Nathan had no interest himself in a woman his last night
on land because he had too much on his mind to spare any thoughts on a wench, a pint
of ale would indeed be welcome.
He’d never asked for them, but now he had responsibilities that he didn’t have last
year when he would have been the one to suggest a quick tumble. Not anymore. Not since
his sister died and he was the only one left in their family who could care for her
two children. Not that he hadn’t had an agenda before that happened. He just hadn’t
been in a hurry to achieve his goals.
His nieces, Clarissa and Abbie, were darling girls. He never expected to get so attached
to them so quickly, but each time he visited, it was getting harder to say good-bye.
At seven years of age Clarissa was the younger and the more exuberant of the two.
She never failed to throw herself into his arms with a happy squeal when he arrived.
Abbie was more reserved at nine years of age. Poor thing was still trying to emulate
her father’s snobby family, thinking that’s how she ought to behave. But she was starting
to come around. She expressed delight now when she saw him and he’d even felt dampness
on her cheek when she’d hugged him good-bye a few days ago. My God, that had been
difficult, walking away from them this time.
They didn’t deserve to live in poverty just because their parents had passed on. He
had to do right by them, give them a home, a stable one. One way or another, he was
going to provide them with the comfortable life they used to have.
The girls had been raised so differently from him, but then his sister, Angie, had
married well. She’d had a fine house in Surrey and her daughters had had a governess,
tutors, and fancy dresses. It was too bad it had all come with such disagreeable people
for in-laws, the lot of them thinking they were grander than they were just because
they held a minor title. Nathan hadn’t liked Angie’s husband because it had become
apparent soon after the wedding that he had only married her because she was descended
from an earl. Nathan hadn’t even
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