James stood next to the hammock a long while the next morning, watching the girl sleep. The moment he had awakened, he had regretted not bringing her back to his bed last night. A man of strong drives, he very frequently woke in an amorous mood, and any female found snuggling at his side was treated to more of what she experienced in the night.
It was for that reason, several days ago, that he’d been so sharp with Georgina for being up and about before him, for he then had no excuse not to have her dress him, as was her supposed duty. He’d had one hell of a difficult time getting his body under control at first, but somehow he’d managed.
He smiled at the thought that that problem would no longer be a problem. He no longer had to hide the fact that he found the wench extremely desirable. Yes, he most definitely regretted his decision last night to give up sleeping beside that soft little body, to allow her her one night of pique. There’d be no more of that. Tonight she’d share his bed again, and stay there.
“Show a leg, George.” He kneed her hammock, setting it aswing. “I’ve decided not to announce to our little world at sea that you’re other than you’ve been appearing to be. So get those lovely breasts tucked away again, and go fetch my breakfast.”
She merely stared at him, eyes only partly open. She yawned, blinked up at him, then came fully awake with a widening of those velvety-brown eyes.
“I’m still to act as your cabin boy?” she asked him incredulously.
“Excellent conclusion, George,” James replied in his most obnoxious dry voice.
“But…”
She paused as the idea of going on as she had been really set in. She wouldn’t have to tell Mac, then, that she’d been discovered. She wouldn’t have to explain what had happened—as if she could. Even she wasn’t sure what had happened, but she was positively sure she didn’t want anyone else to know about it.
“Very well, Captain, but I want my own quarters.”
“Out of the question.” He held up his hand when she started to argue. “You’ve been sleeping in here for a week, dear girl. To move now will give rise to entirely too much speculation. Besides, there are no other quarters, as you well know. And don’t think to mention the fo’c’sle, because I’d put you under lock and key before I’d allow you to return there.”
She frowned at him. “But what difference can it make, if I’m still thought to be a boy?”
“I deduced the truth easily enough.”
“Because of that silly confession of mine that was so embarrassingly naive,” she said with half-disgust.
The smile he gave her then was one of the tenderest she’d ever seen. It made her catch her breath, it was so heartwarming.
“I thought that confession of yours was rather sweet, my darling girl.” The back of his fingers brushed her cheek. “You wouldn’t happen to be feeling, ah…nauseous now, would you?”
His touch had a powerful effect on her. Well, that smile had really done it. But she wasn’t going to make another mistake like the one she’d made last night, to leave herself wide open for his derision again. Besides, what had happened last night couldn’t happen again. This man was not for her, even if he did make her pulses race and her insides quiver. He was an Englishman, for God’s sake, and worse, a despised aristocrat. Hadn’t his country just put hers through four years of hell? And even before the war, her brothers had been railing against England’s highhandedness. That couldn’t be ignored, no matter how much she might wish it could be. Why, her brothers wouldn’t even let the man in the house! No, James Malory, lord of the realm, was definitely not for her. She had to keep that in mind at all times from now on, and make sure he knew it, even if she had to lie through her teeth.
“No, Captain, I’m not feeling a bit nauseous. You promised a cure and it apparently worked, for which I thank you. I won’t need any more doses.”
That he was still smiling told her he wasn’t buying her attempt to put him off even a little. “A pity,” was all he said, but that was enough to make her blush.
“About those quarters…?” she prompted as she crawled out of the hammock and put a little distance between them.
“No longer under discussion, George. You’ll stay here and that’s the end of it.”
Her mouth opened to argue again, but she closed it just as quickly. She could give ground on that, as long as he understood she wasn’t his to command in every way. Actually, if she couldn’t have a room to herself, then his cabin was preferable to any other quarters. At least here she would be able to remove her bindings and sleep more comfortably for the duration of the voyage.
“Very well, as long as the sleeping arrangements remain the same.” That was putting it plainly enough. “And I don’t think I should be scrubbing your back anymore…sir.”
James almost laughed. How prim the little wench was sounding this morning, and entirely too demanding. He wondered again what kind of life she led when she wasn’t sporting breeches. He supposed he had to rule out dockside doxy after last night.
“Need I remind you, George, that you’re the only cabin boy I’ve got. You put yourself in that position, so you’ll stay in it until I tell you otherwise. Or have you also forgotten that I’m captain around here?”
“And you intend to be difficult, I see.”
“Not at all. I’m merely pointing out that you yourself give me no choice but to insist. But you aren’t by any chance thinking I mean to take advantage of you just because you were so accommodating last night?”
She eyed him narrowly, but his expression gave away nothing. Finally she sighed. Until he gave some indication that he might force his attentions on her, she really had no choice but to be fair and assume the man wouldn’t bother her unless invited to do so.
“Very well, we’ll go on as we did before…before last night, that is.” With the concession, she even offered him a tentative smile. “And now I’ll dress more thoroughly, as you suggested, sir, then fetch your breakfast.”
He watched her scoop up the rest of her clothing from the floor and head for the concealment of the leather screen. He had to bite his tongue to keep from making some comment about her modesty after she’d marched gloriously naked across the room last night.
He remarked instead, “You don’t have to keep sir-ring me, you know.”
She paused to glance back at him. “Sorry. It just seems appropriate. After all, you’re old enough to be my father, and I’ve always given my elders a measure of respect.”
He looked for the twitch of her lips, the triumph in her eyes, anything to show that she was deliberately trying to insult him. And it was a direct hit. Not only did he feel indignant, but his pride and vanity were also seriously wounded. But there was nothing in her expression. If anything, she looked as if the comment had been entirely casual, even automatic, without any forethought at all.
James gritted his teeth. For once, his golden brows didn’t move even a miniscule amount. “Your father? I’ll have you know, dear girl, that that is an impossibility. I may have a seventeen-year-old son, but—”
“You have a son?” She turned about fully. “Have you a wife, too?”
He hesitated in answering, only because she surprised him with her crestfallen look. Could it be disappointment? But she recovered during his hesitation.
“Seventeen?” she practically shouted, sounding totally incredulous, then added quite triumphantly, “I rest my case,” and marched on toward the screen.
James, for once at a loss for a proper rejoinder, turned and left the cabin before he gave in to the urge to throttle the saucy chit. Rest my case, indeed. He was bloody well in his prime. How dare the wench call him old?
In the cabin, behind the screen, Georgina was smiling—for all of five minutes. And then her conscience began to prick her.
You shouldn’t have attacked his self-esteem, Georgie. Now he’s mad.
What do you care? You don’t like him any more than I do. Besides, he deserved it. He was entirely too smug.
With reason. Before he reverted to form last night, you thought he was the greatest thing God had ever put breath in.
I knew it! You just couldn’t wait to gloat because you think I made a colossal mistake. So what if I did? It’s my life to make mistakes with, and I’m not denying it. I gave him my permission.
He didn’t need it. He’d have taken you with or without it.
If that’s the case, what could I have actually done about it one way or the other?
You were too complaisant.
I didn’t hear you complaining very much last night…Oh, God, I’m talking to myself.