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Authors: Stephanie Laurens
Tags: Historical
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that—well, if you do, I hope you’ll stay closer this time.” His voice turned gruff. “You’ve family here…”
His words trailed away; his gaze remained fixed ahead. Caro followed it, to Ferdinand, standing beside the wheel giving his captain orders.
Geoffrey snorted. “I just don’t want you marrying some foreign bounder.”
She laughed, hugged his arm reassuringly. “Truly, you can set your mind at rest. Ferdinand is playing some game, but it’s not one in which I have any interest.” She met Geoffrey’s gaze. “I won’t be throwing my cap into his ring.”
He read her eyes, then humphed. “Good!”
Half an hour later, she thanked the gods that Geoffrey had spoken of his concerns sooner rather than later, and so given her the opportunity to allay them before Ferdinand made his move. As soon as he’d finished with his captain, he fixed his sights on her. With considerable flair, he displaced Geoffrey at her side, then cut her out from the crowd congregated behind the forecastle. She permitted him to take her strolling about the deck—for the simple reason that it was an open deck; there was a limit to what he might even think to accomplish within plain sight of all the others.
Including his aunt, who, somewhat to Caro’s surprise, seemed to be keeping a sharp eye on her nephew, although whether that eye was severely disapproving or simply severe, she couldn’t say.
“Perhaps, my dear Caro, as you are so enjoying the trip, you could return tomorrow and we could go out again. A private cruise just for two.”
She assumed a considering expression, sensed him holding his breath, then resolutely shook her head. “The church fete is quite soon. If I don’t make an effort, Muriel Hedderwick will be unbearable.”
Ferdinand frowned. “Who is this Muriel Hedderwick?”
Caro smiled. “She’s actually my niece-by-marriage, but that doesn’t adequately describe our relationship.”
Ferdinand continued to frown, then ventured, “Niece-by-marriage—this means she is Sutcliffe’s—your late husband’s—niece?”
She nodded. “That’s right. She married a gentleman named Hedderwick and lives…” She continued, putting Muriel and her history to good use, totally distracting Ferdinand, who wanted to know only so he could counter Muriel’s supposed influence and inveigle Caro away on his yacht.
Poor Ferdinand was destined for disappointment, on that and all other scores. By the time he realized he’d been diverted, they were nearing the bow once more.
Looking ahead to where Michael and the girls had been standing, Caro saw the group clustering by the rail. She could see Michael’s back, and the Driscoll girls’ gowns, and Edward, all pressing close.
Edward glanced around and saw her. He beckoned urgently.
Both she and Ferdinand hurried across.
“There, there.” One of the Driscoll girls murmured. “Here, take my handkerchief.”
“You poor thing—how dreadful.” Seeing Caro approaching, the other sister stepped back.
Edward looked grim as he quickly stepped in, taking the arm of the wilting figure slumped over the rail.
“ Oohhhh ,” Elizabeth moaned, a sound of abject misery. Michael, on her other side, was supporting most of her weight.
Edward cast a speaking glance at Caro; she stared back at him. They hadn’t thought…
She blinked. Turned to Ferdinand. “Do you have a cabin—some place she can lie down?”
“Of course.” Ferdinand squeezed her shoulder. “I will have it prepared.”
“Wait!” Michael turned his head and spoke to Ferdinand. “Tell your captain to turn around. We’re now in the Solent—he needs to get back into calmer waters, and closer to shore.”
Caro realized the ride had become considerably more choppy; used to tipping decks—this was mild compared to the
His words trailed away; his gaze remained fixed ahead. Caro followed it, to Ferdinand, standing beside the wheel giving his captain orders.
Geoffrey snorted. “I just don’t want you marrying some foreign bounder.”
She laughed, hugged his arm reassuringly. “Truly, you can set your mind at rest. Ferdinand is playing some game, but it’s not one in which I have any interest.” She met Geoffrey’s gaze. “I won’t be throwing my cap into his ring.”
He read her eyes, then humphed. “Good!”
Half an hour later, she thanked the gods that Geoffrey had spoken of his concerns sooner rather than later, and so given her the opportunity to allay them before Ferdinand made his move. As soon as he’d finished with his captain, he fixed his sights on her. With considerable flair, he displaced Geoffrey at her side, then cut her out from the crowd congregated behind the forecastle. She permitted him to take her strolling about the deck—for the simple reason that it was an open deck; there was a limit to what he might even think to accomplish within plain sight of all the others.
Including his aunt, who, somewhat to Caro’s surprise, seemed to be keeping a sharp eye on her nephew, although whether that eye was severely disapproving or simply severe, she couldn’t say.
“Perhaps, my dear Caro, as you are so enjoying the trip, you could return tomorrow and we could go out again. A private cruise just for two.”
She assumed a considering expression, sensed him holding his breath, then resolutely shook her head. “The church fete is quite soon. If I don’t make an effort, Muriel Hedderwick will be unbearable.”
Ferdinand frowned. “Who is this Muriel Hedderwick?”
Caro smiled. “She’s actually my niece-by-marriage, but that doesn’t adequately describe our relationship.”
Ferdinand continued to frown, then ventured, “Niece-by-marriage—this means she is Sutcliffe’s—your late husband’s—niece?”
She nodded. “That’s right. She married a gentleman named Hedderwick and lives…” She continued, putting Muriel and her history to good use, totally distracting Ferdinand, who wanted to know only so he could counter Muriel’s supposed influence and inveigle Caro away on his yacht.
Poor Ferdinand was destined for disappointment, on that and all other scores. By the time he realized he’d been diverted, they were nearing the bow once more.
Looking ahead to where Michael and the girls had been standing, Caro saw the group clustering by the rail. She could see Michael’s back, and the Driscoll girls’ gowns, and Edward, all pressing close.
Edward glanced around and saw her. He beckoned urgently.
Both she and Ferdinand hurried across.
“There, there.” One of the Driscoll girls murmured. “Here, take my handkerchief.”
“You poor thing—how dreadful.” Seeing Caro approaching, the other sister stepped back.
Edward looked grim as he quickly stepped in, taking the arm of the wilting figure slumped over the rail.
“ Oohhhh ,” Elizabeth moaned, a sound of abject misery. Michael, on her other side, was supporting most of her weight.
Edward cast a speaking glance at Caro; she stared back at him. They hadn’t thought…
She blinked. Turned to Ferdinand. “Do you have a cabin—some place she can lie down?”
“Of course.” Ferdinand squeezed her shoulder. “I will have it prepared.”
“Wait!” Michael turned his head and spoke to Ferdinand. “Tell your captain to turn around. We’re now in the Solent—he needs to get back into calmer waters, and closer to shore.”
Caro realized the ride had become considerably more choppy; used to tipping decks—this was mild compared to the
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