Radley’s head. “Be grateful it’s not worse. When I found you last night, you were well on yer way to being fleeced blind by three whores. Course there wasn’t much left of you after you’d been buying everyone drinks for half the night. If you were still under my employ, I’d set you to scrubbing the deck with your tongue.”
His mouth could hardly taste worse. Then his mind caught up to what the man had said. If you were still under my employ.
“I’m sacked?”
“Sweet God, no,” answered the man. “But I can’t have a duke sailing the open seas. Besides the obvious danger, every pirate on earth would want to capture you for ransom. Then where would my goods and my ships be but at the bottom of the ocean, thanks to your damned title?”
Radley only heard every third word, but the meaning was clear. It hadn’t been a dream. He was really a duke.
Except, he couldn’t be. He hadn’t the first clue about how to be a nob.
“Sir,” he said when Knopp paused to take a breath, “why are you here?”
The man snorted. “Well, I had to check on you, didn’t I? After what you were blubbering last night, I had to settle you in yer bunk then go find him.” He jerked his head to the right where the other man flashed him a warm grin. “This here’s my son-in-law,” he said, though he flashed the man a dark look. “Not that I got to celebrate anything, mind you. Up and gets a special license. Barely had time to show up in our Sunday best. Not the way to wed, if you ask me.”
The man in question gave his father-in-law a sad shrug. “We are throwing a ball, and you and your lady wife can dance to your heart’s content.”
“Harumph,” he said. “Backwards. That’s how you nobs do things: backwards.”
He focused on Radley. “And now you’re one of them, so I brought him here to help.”
The other man extended his hand. “Lord Crowle, your grace. But you can call me Grant.”
Radley released a low moan of despair at the title, which only made the man grin.
“Yes, you’ve stepped in it, to be sure.”
Mr. Knopp nodded his agreement. “And there’s no denying that your life is upside down now. You’re a sailor through and through, but now you’ll learn how to sail the sheep.”
Both younger men winced, but it was Lord Crowle who spoke. “It’s not so bad once you get the hang of it. But he’s right. You aren’t going to be a sailor anymore.”
Radley’s chest tightened, which set his head to pounding. Not a sailor anymore? Good God, that was the only thing he knew. The only thing he loved. Meanwhile, Mr. Knopp rocked back on his heels.
“Damned shame, too. I was going to give you the run of this boat. See what you could make of it and let you cut a name as a captain.” He sighed. “Now I’ll have to give it to someone who doesn’t love her like you do.”
Radley spoke, his words coming out in a harsh whisper. “Don’t do that yet, sir. Not yet. There still may be a way. She needs repairs still. I could—”
“No, lad, you can’t. And you won’t be able to. I’m sure it feels like I’m cutting the heart out of you, but it’s the way things are. Many a man would be celebrating the windfall that’s hit you. The Duke of Bucklynde. God, who’d have believed it?”
Not him. Not yet. He couldn’t—Mr. Knopp gave a rough grunt, still managing to sound affectionate. “I’ll get you more coffee and let the two of you get acquainted. Mind you, he’s not so bad as nobs go, and he’ll teach you how to do things backwards like them.” He snorted as he headed for the door. “Just mind you don’t forget how to do things the right way too.”
Then the man disappeared. He wasn’t as lithe as he’d once been, and Radley heard him grunt as he climbed the ladder. And then Radley was sitting in his misery with a gentleman who couldn’t stop grinning.
“What’s made you so happy?” he snapped.
“Oh, don’t be pissing in my direction. I’ve got a lovely wife who
His mouth could hardly taste worse. Then his mind caught up to what the man had said. If you were still under my employ.
“I’m sacked?”
“Sweet God, no,” answered the man. “But I can’t have a duke sailing the open seas. Besides the obvious danger, every pirate on earth would want to capture you for ransom. Then where would my goods and my ships be but at the bottom of the ocean, thanks to your damned title?”
Radley only heard every third word, but the meaning was clear. It hadn’t been a dream. He was really a duke.
Except, he couldn’t be. He hadn’t the first clue about how to be a nob.
“Sir,” he said when Knopp paused to take a breath, “why are you here?”
The man snorted. “Well, I had to check on you, didn’t I? After what you were blubbering last night, I had to settle you in yer bunk then go find him.” He jerked his head to the right where the other man flashed him a warm grin. “This here’s my son-in-law,” he said, though he flashed the man a dark look. “Not that I got to celebrate anything, mind you. Up and gets a special license. Barely had time to show up in our Sunday best. Not the way to wed, if you ask me.”
The man in question gave his father-in-law a sad shrug. “We are throwing a ball, and you and your lady wife can dance to your heart’s content.”
“Harumph,” he said. “Backwards. That’s how you nobs do things: backwards.”
He focused on Radley. “And now you’re one of them, so I brought him here to help.”
The other man extended his hand. “Lord Crowle, your grace. But you can call me Grant.”
Radley released a low moan of despair at the title, which only made the man grin.
“Yes, you’ve stepped in it, to be sure.”
Mr. Knopp nodded his agreement. “And there’s no denying that your life is upside down now. You’re a sailor through and through, but now you’ll learn how to sail the sheep.”
Both younger men winced, but it was Lord Crowle who spoke. “It’s not so bad once you get the hang of it. But he’s right. You aren’t going to be a sailor anymore.”
Radley’s chest tightened, which set his head to pounding. Not a sailor anymore? Good God, that was the only thing he knew. The only thing he loved. Meanwhile, Mr. Knopp rocked back on his heels.
“Damned shame, too. I was going to give you the run of this boat. See what you could make of it and let you cut a name as a captain.” He sighed. “Now I’ll have to give it to someone who doesn’t love her like you do.”
Radley spoke, his words coming out in a harsh whisper. “Don’t do that yet, sir. Not yet. There still may be a way. She needs repairs still. I could—”
“No, lad, you can’t. And you won’t be able to. I’m sure it feels like I’m cutting the heart out of you, but it’s the way things are. Many a man would be celebrating the windfall that’s hit you. The Duke of Bucklynde. God, who’d have believed it?”
Not him. Not yet. He couldn’t—Mr. Knopp gave a rough grunt, still managing to sound affectionate. “I’ll get you more coffee and let the two of you get acquainted. Mind you, he’s not so bad as nobs go, and he’ll teach you how to do things backwards like them.” He snorted as he headed for the door. “Just mind you don’t forget how to do things the right way too.”
Then the man disappeared. He wasn’t as lithe as he’d once been, and Radley heard him grunt as he climbed the ladder. And then Radley was sitting in his misery with a gentleman who couldn’t stop grinning.
“What’s made you so happy?” he snapped.
“Oh, don’t be pissing in my direction. I’ve got a lovely wife who
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