“Knight has a sister?” Nate stabbed a fork into charred bacon and grimaced.

Drake nodded. He peered at his own morning meal which was about as edible as Nate’s. Red had opted for porridge washed down with coffee and had escaped the charred offerings that Drake and Nate were eating.

“I never imagined Knight had any family. It’s hard to think of him even having parents,” mused Nate.

“I suppose you imagined he was hatched from an egg,” said Nate’s brother Red wryly.

The two men were similar in looks though Nate wore glasses. Dark hair, with that elegant air that came from good breeding. Both men could work harder than any nobleman Drake had ever met, though. Red, or the Duke of Redmere as he was known to his serfs, owned enough land and fortune to spend the rest of his days idle but Nate, being the second son, had wanted to join the war effort. When he’d been unable to, due to his eyesight, their plan had been hatched. Red brought Drake on after he recovered from his injuries, and thank the Lord he had. Before joining these men in Cornwall, he’d been sitting in an inn with hardly a penny to his name, having lost his family’s modest estate, and a lot of alcohol rotting his gut. Smuggling had given him purpose again.

Oh, and coin. Plenty of coin. He might only be a mere baron, but he hoped to be able to restore his family’s manor house and lands once this was all over. In his heart, he’d always be a captain, but the lure of the sea was slowly waning.

“What does she look like?” Nate leaned in, having given up on his bacon and thrown down the fork. “Is she...you know...?”

Drake narrowed his gaze at Nate. “I have little idea what you mean.”

Red laughed into his coffee, which swiftly turned into a cough. Nate gave him a hefty slap on the back.

“Is she...?” Nate motioned in front of his chest with both hands.

“Be careful,” warned Red. “Patience will have your balls if she hears you talking about another woman like that.”

“My wife would never do such a thing.” Nate paused. “I don’t think. Hell, who knows? She’s damned unpredictable.”

From his grin, Drake assumed Nate was more than content with his unpredictable wife. He could see why. The breeches-wearing woman was quite the fearsome creature.

“Hannah would not be impressed either.” Red made a stitching motion across his mouth. “Which is why I am having nothing to do with this conversation.”

“I don’t know why you think the first thing I would notice about a woman is her breast size.” Drake affected an offended look.

Nate shook his head with a chuckle. “Because we know you.”

“Because you would not stop talking about Hannah’s...assets when you first met her,” muttered Red.

“Well, they are indeed—” Drake caught the cold look in Red’s eyes and opted not to mention his wife’s assets ever again, as bountiful as they were. “Anyway, Julianna is quite small. A delicate thing really.”

“How the devil does a brute like Knight have a delicate sister?” Nate shook his head in disbelief. “I rather imagined she’d be a large, homely thing.”

“You only just found out about her,” Red pointed out.

“I have a fast imagination,” shot back Nate. He glanced down at his uneaten meal. “It’s a shame Knight isn’t here. I could send him out back to have a word with Louisa. You know how every mention of her turns his cheeks red. It’s the most amusing thing.”

Red took a sip of coffee. “He should be back in a few days once he’s finished disposing of our last haul.”

“And hopefully bringing back a fair price for it.” Drake picked up a blackened sausage and tapped it against the plate. It made a clunk sound against the metal. “I think I shall go and find out why our food is inedible.”

“And see if Knight’s sister is around?” asked Nate, a knowing smile curving his lips.

“I have a suspicion she is already gainfully employed, hence the food.” Drake cast a hand over their plates. “She told me little but there is no chance she has ever cooked or cleaned before.”

“So you put her forward for a job she cannot do?” Red shook his head. “You can be a cad, Drake, but I did not think you cruel.”

Drake held up a hand. “I rescued her from God knows what fate and tried to pay for her lodgings, but she would have none of it.”

“A heroic rescue and offering to give up your coin? Not to mention refusing to talk of her...assets. You must be in love.” Nate nudged him with an elbow.

With a chuckle, Drake stood. “She’s a fine-looking woman, Nate, but there’s a distinct difference between love and lust. You should know that, being an old married man. Or perhaps the lust has already gone from your marriage. I would not blame Patience, having to bed you every night.”

Nate straightened. “My wife lusts after me as much as she did the first day we were married. If not more.”

Drake smirked. “If you say so. Now let me see if I can find out what has happened to the food in this place.”

“Be careful, Drake,” cautioned Red. “Knight won’t take well to you lusting after his sister.”

“There’s no harm in a little lust. Knight does not need to know a thing about it. After all, I’m only going to look. Julianna thinks little enough of me.”

“Clever girl.” Red smirked.

“That must be a first,” commented Nate.

Drake ignored them and headed to the kitchen. A yawn escaped him, and he rubbed a hand over his face. After stormy nights, he was used to feeling a little worse for wear, but it wasn’t because of drink like usual. No. It was Julianna Knight.

Well, Julianna Knight and her propensity for getting into trouble. He’d lingered outside her room for a while to ensure no more trouble found her.

Unfortunately, he’d been far too aware of padding footsteps coming from her room and the sound of splashing water. Heat trailed its fingers through him even now, just thinking of her stripping and washing the grime from her body.

He sniffed as he entered the kitchen, and smoke caught the back of his throat. He couldn’t hold in a cough and Julianna whirled at the sound of it, a pan of blackened bacon in hand.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

She wore a simple gown today that was too large for her. She must have borrowed it from Louisa who was more generous in the chest than her. An apron was tied around her waist, marred by greasy fingerprints. He’d have to offer to retrieve her belongings from the inn.

“I came to see why my morning meal was blacker than the night’s sky.”

She blew a curl from her face. Tied into a haphazard knot of dark curls, strands stuck out at all angles, and her cheeks were flushed and sheening. “It was not that bad.”

He lifted a brow and propped himself against the doorway. “My stomach says otherwise.”

“Fine.” She sighed. “I shall cook you another.”

He eyed the bacon. “If those are to be part of the breakfast, I shall stick to whiskey.” He glanced around the empty kitchen. “Where’s Louisa?”

“Amy is late and there were beds to be made.”

“Could you not have made the beds?”

Julianna’s shoulders sagged. “I...I do not know how.”

He could not help but chuckle. “And you thought cooking meals for hungry men was the better option?”

She lifted a shoulder and offered him a weak smile. “I thought it would be easy enough.”

“Do you have any experience with cooking?”

He saw her weigh up her options before shaking her head.

“What is a lady like you doing in a place like this, Princess? It’s clear you do not belong here. Why do you not return home where you can have people cook for you once more?”

Creases appeared between her brows. “How do you know people cooked for me?”

He motioned to the mess. “That and the way you carry yourself. Not to mention that gown you were wearing yesterday. I know gowns, Princess, and that was no cheap garment.”

“Oh yes, I imagine you do know gowns. No doubt you have stripped many of them from many a woman.”

“Perhaps.” He smiled smugly.

“You know why I am here, Drake,” she snapped. “I am here for my brother.”

“All I am trying to say is be careful. Your breeding is obvious and while you can find charity in Louisa, not everyone is as honest or welcoming.”

“I think I discovered that yesterday. Though I cannot fathom what category you fall into.”

“Why, I am the dashing hero of course.”

“And not the dishonest rogue?” She scraped off the charred bacon and loaded it onto a plate. Drake felt sorry for whoever was to eat those offerings.

“I have been nothing but truthful.”

“Do not fear, I know well of Cornwall’s reputation for housing some of the worst of society.”

“Well, we are not all bad...”

“Smugglers, thieves, pirates...they think they can do whatever they like because they are so far from London and the reach of the law.”

“Oh, so you know a lot about smugglers?” He managed to mask a smile.

“I’ve read books and I read the newspapers.”

“And what do these books and newspapers say about smugglers?”

“That they are the dirt of the earth. While our men are losing their lives to the French, these smugglers are taking advantage of the war and all the blockades. I think most of them would sell their own mothers.” The way her nose wrinkled in disgust as she finished loading up the plates with inedible food made him laugh.

Her gaze met his. “You think it is funny what they do?”

“I just think that perhaps you would think otherwise if you met a real smuggler? There is a difference between fact and fiction, Princess.”

“I know that. But what of those who run whole towns? You cannot deny they exist. I have heard of them threatening locals with burning their houses or hurting their families if they say a word to the customs men.”

“That does happen, yes, but it certainly does not happen here in Penshallow.”

Those who knew of the smuggling turned a blind eye so there was little need for threats. As for the customs men, they could not find their own arses. Drake had suffered a few run-ins with them and there had been a couple of near misses, but none had any idea he and the Earl of Redmere had made a deal for him to ship goods in and out along with information and spies. The French saw them as nothing more than criminals—the perfect cover.

Of course, if it was ever found out, Drake would likely hang for it, as the Crown would never acknowledge them. Red and Nate would probably be saved by way of their birth, however.

Still, it was a risk he was happy to take. It beat sitting around, feeling sorry for himself since his injury.

“Well, all I know is that I would never associate with such men.” She picked up three plates of food, balancing one precariously on an arm, and eyed him. “I must get this food to the men.”

Drake stepped aside. “Far be it for me to get between men and their”—he glanced at the plates—“um, food.”

Her eyes narrowed into slits. She went to move past him but the plate on her arm tipped. As she tried to stop it from tumbling to the floor, she tilted the plate in her hand, and the food slid to the floor. The other two plates followed, crashing to the wooden boards with a clatter.

They both stared at the mess for a moment.

“Oh no,” she wailed. “I shall never keep this job if Louisa discovers this.”

He doubted Louisa would throw out a vulnerable woman, but this was in part his fault, seeing as he volunteered Julianna for this position. He shooed her back into the kitchen.

“Start cooking again. I shall clear up this mess.” He bent to scrape up what food he could. “Go,” he motioned when she remained standing in the doorway.

Julianna hastened into action, slapping food onto the pan. He would have to teach her how to cook too, by the looks of it. He found a mop and bucket and wiped away the worst of the mess before leaning over her shoulder to check on her progress.

“That will do. Black is not the color you’re after,” he reminded her.

She twisted her head. Her lips were mere inches from his. He could feel her breath on his skin and the scent of soap teased him. Drake glanced at her petal pink mouth and had to mask a groan. He saw her throat work and she whipped her head away.

“Do you think?” she asked. “I was worried about it being raw.”

He ignored the food. It was done—he did not even have to look. He eyed her profile and wondered what she would do if he looped his hands around her waist and drew her into him. She would feel how hard his cock was. Would it shock her?

“Drake?”

Easing back, he nodded. “It is done.”

“Good.” She served up the food and opted to take only two plates this time. She avoided his gaze. “I...thank you,” she muttered as she moved past him into the inn.

“You’re welcome, Princess,” he said under his breath while he turned to watch her serve the men.

If she were any other woman, he would have her on her back and calling his name by now. Julianna Knight was a tough woman. How far could he push her, he wondered. He’d been looking for a distraction while waiting for their next mission. He suspected he’d just found it.