For Love of the Earl (16 page)

Nathan now pointed to the clouds he had spotted earlier, dark masses encroaching on the pale moonlight.
 

"Storm is moving in.
 
They'll not risk their precious cargo for a mere storm."
 

"Not even in the Channel?
 
It's not as if they'll be moving in the open ocean."
 

Nathan shrugged.
 

"The Channel can be equally as dangerous as open sea."
 

Nora nodded.
 

"I've never been on a ship, so I must take your word for it, Mr. Black."
 

Nathan waited a moment more and then carefully gripped Nora's elbow before slipping into the stream of people moving along the thoroughfare.

The smell grew worse once they were inside the throng of seamen, and Nathan felt his throat constrict.
 
They reached the dock in question and turned off, slipping out of the crowd of people just as easily as they had slipped in.
 
They made their way carefully along the dock, dodging crates and coils of rope and the odd drunken sailor, perched precariously against both.
 
The wind grew sharper as they moved further along the dock, and Nathan kept his grip firm on Nora's elbow.
 
They had nearly reached the end of the pier, when the last ship on the dock came into view, looming out of the darkness like a sudden beacon.
 
Nathan slowly stopped, putting his back to the stack of crates resting four feet from the ship.
 
He looked up at the vessel, noting its worn wood and wind scarred mast poles.
 
It wasn't a big ship, but it would do for their purposes.
 

Nora pressed against him, and his grip on her tightened.
 

"Is this it then?"
 

He nodded.
 

"And how is it that you know the captain of this ship?"
 

"He saved me bloody life even if he did not save me blinkin' leg."

Nathan felt Nora jump, startled, but the gravelly voice and its owner were nothing that frightened Nathan.
 

"Reginald Davis," Nathan said, stepping forward as the man came off the gangplank of the ship before them.
 

The man looked no different from the last time Nathan had seen him except for the wooden peg he stood on.
 
He was still tall and broad shouldered with a barrel chest and beefy hands.
 
He looked as if he should be shoveling dung from a stable rather than captaining a ship, but this was where the War Office had reassigned him after his injury.
 
And Nathan suspected it was the perfect outfit for his fellow soldier.
 

"Sorry again about the leg, old chap," Nathan said then, extending a hand to his comrade,
 
"But it's better your leg than your life."
 

Nora looked between them.
 

"I believe I am not familiar with this tale."

Davis approached Nora then, bowing over her extended hand.
 

"Tis a pleasure to meet the honorable Mrs. Black.
 
But allow me one question.
 
Why the bloody 'ell did you marry this whelp when you could have had someone as charming as meself?"
 

Nathan saw Nora blush in the moonlight and stepped closer to remove his wife from Davis's grip.
 

"Because she has common sense," Nathan said, and Davis laughed.
 

"Shall we be aboard then, chaps?" he said, turning back to the gangplank.
 

It was then that Nathan noticed the ship had come alive with sailors moving along the ropes and up into the masts.
 
It vibrated with the energy of preparing to set sail.
 

Davis was well ahead of them when they began their way up the plank.
 

"How is it that you know him?" Nora whispered.

"He was in my regiment on the Continent."

"Your regiment?
 
But how did he get into a regiment with noblemen's sons?"
 

Nathan grinned.
 

"Who said he's not a nobleman's son?"
 

Nora looked straight ahead at Davis, her jaw hanging slack.
 

Nathan called up the gangplank.
 

"What is it you have in mind for our rescue mission, Captain?"
 

Davis turned at the top of the plank, the moonlight hitting him full in the back and silhouetting his impressive person in an ethereal light.
 

"How do ye feel about pirates, Nathan?"
 

CHAPTER SEVEN

On a ship bound for France

April 1815

The harsh sound of the lock of the door grating against its metal sheath as it was withdrawn ripped apart the peace of the tiny berth that was their prison.

Alec went from blissfully lost in his wife's sleepy embrace to alert and ready.
 
He rolled Sarah across him, jackknifing off the bed in one fluid movement.
 
Sarah moved behind him as he stood up to get between her and whatever was coming in the door.
 
Harpoon Man stuck his head inside.
 

"Captain wishes you to see," the man said in stilted English.
 

Alec nodded as he felt Sarah's small hand press into his back.
 
He reached behind him and took her hand in his.
 

Harpoon Man shook his head.
 

"No woman.
 
Just you."
 

Alec shook his head, too.
 

"I'm not going anywhere without my wife."
 

Sarah pressed against his back now, and he gripped her hand tighter in reassurance.
 

"Une moment, si vous plait," Harpoon Man said and shut the door.
 

Alec turned, and Sarah came into his arms, resting her head on his chest.
 

"What do you think he wants?" Sarah whispered, her voice even softer than it had been before Harpoon Man had been so ungracious as to interrupt them.
 

"I don't know," Alec whispered just as softly, rubbing his cheek against her hair.
 
His fingers found the buttons he had undone what felt like hours ago and quickly refastened them.
 
He was not going to let those French bastards see an inch of his wife's glorious, pale skin.
 

They were silent then, just standing there, holding onto each other.
 
The ship rocked gently, and the sound of water sloshing against the sides mingled with the sound of the lantern swinging on its peg.
 
Sarah was tense against him, but he thought it was more because of the situation than any of the many problems between them, problems they had only begun to solve.
 
He kept his arms solidly around her, not moving his hands in any attempt to soothe her.
 
He needed soothing right now and holding onto Sarah was soothing.

"Alec?"

Alec closed his eyes, not wanting to fight with his wife any longer just then, praying that the truce they had reached earlier still stood.
 

"Yes?"
 

"Why didn't you kill him?
 
The Earl of Wheaton.
 
Why didn't you kill him?"

It took a moment for Alec to recall what she was talking about, but when he realized she spoke of his ill-fated duel, Alec's stomach somersaulted.
 
He didn't know if he even had the energy to continue that particular conversation let alone the desire.
 
But she should know why he hadn't killed Wheaton.
 

"I didn't want to," he said.
 

She eased away from him, and he looked down at her inquisitive expression.
 
She didn't say anything, but then she didn't have to.
 
Alec felt guilty enough to elaborate.
 

"I thought you might not approve if I killed him, so I refrained."
 

"You refrained because you were concerned about what I might think on the matter?"

Her voice was gaining back some of its strength, and Alec knew the contented mood of the moment was slipping away, the truce was crumbling.
 
So Alec just nodded, keeping his eyes steady on her face.
 

And then Sarah bit her lower lip.
 

Alec's heart stopped momentarily.
 
Sarah had never bit her lip.
 
Sarah had never done anything that may have indicated that she was unsure where to step, and now her rigid exterior suddenly evaporated when Alec least expected.
 
And that left Alec without a clue as to how to respond.
 
He had spent four years learning how to read his wife, learning what to do and not do, and now in the space of a few hours, she unraveled everything he knew.
 
Everything he felt certain about his relationship with her.
 
Abut what he meant to her.
 

Thankfully, Sarah responded first.
 

"What I think matters that much?" she said, whispering once again and avoiding his eyes.
 

Alec grabbed her chin, but Sarah's eyes still looked at everything but him.
 

"Sarah," he said, but she still wouldn't look at him.
 

The sound of the lock moving again severed the tenuous connection between them, and Alec spun around, putting Sarah safely behind him.
 
This time the door came fully open, and Alec had to shuffle Sarah back so the door didn't hit them.
 
The captain's perfectly coifed head of blond hair appeared around the doorframe.
 

"Is there a problem, monsieur?" he asked.
 

Alec felt Sarah tremble against his back.
 

"I'm not leaving my wife alone."
 

The captain nodded and moved further into the doorway.
 

"I understand your position, but I must insist that you join me in my quarters.
 
Alone, monsieur."
 

"Why?" Alec asked, reaching behind him to grab Sarah's hand as she shivered again.
 

"There are certain delicate matters we must discuss."
 

"The countess can join us.
 
I assure you, Captain, women do not have the mental capacity to handle delicate matters.
 
She will be quiet as she should be, and we can discuss whatever needs to be discussed."
 

Sarah poked him in the back, so he poked her in the stomach.
 
Her soft
Ow
almost had him grinning.
 

"I still must insist, monsieur.
 
These are state affairs that I can only discuss with you."

Alec saw Harpoon Man shift against the far wall of the passage as Sarah grabbed a handful of his coat, latching herself to him.
 

"Then I'm afraid we are at an impasse, Captain.
 
I will not leave my wife."
 

"Perhaps you can be persuaded," Teyssier said, turning and disappearing down the passage.
 

Alec waited, unsure of what the captain was going to do.
 
One of Sarah's arms came around him as the other hooked around his shoulder.
 
He felt her drag her body up, so she could see over his shoulder.
 

"Where did he go?" she whispered, which actually sounded very loud as her mouth was so close to his ear.
 

"I don't know," Alec said, distracted by the warmth of her breath against his neck.
 

"Don't leave me, Alec."
 

"I won't," he said, irritated that she would even say that.
 
He had left once.
 
Just once.
 
He did not have a chronic problem with remaining immobile.
 

Sarah didn't move but stayed attached to his back, her arms holding her up so that she was pressed as firmly as possible against him.
 
Alec could have summoned the energy to ignore the fact that he liked his wife hanging onto him so tightly, as if seeking safety, but he didn't feel like ignoring it.
 
Sarah had never held onto him when she needed strength.
 
She had never had to.
 
This was a pleasant change of circumstances that he was not going to dismiss.
 

Were things actually changing between them?
 
Was he finally getting through to her?

But the captain returned before Alec could truly enjoy the moment.
 
Teyssier marched through the door, stopping mere inches from Alec, forcing Alec to recoil from the stench that emanated from the captain.
 
Sarah never let go of him and backed up with him.
 
Teyssier extended his hand, a very distinct hat held between two fingers.
 

"I believe this will persuade you."
 

The captain smiled as a cold shiver ran down Alec's smile.
 
He waited a breath, but Sarah did not react as he had expected her to, giving nothing away.
 
It was the first time Alec had seen the captain smile since boarding the ship.
 
Reluctantly and with great trepidation, Alec reached up and took the hat, flipping it over in his hands.
 

The last time he had seen that hat it had been atop Thatcher's head.
 

Alec's stomach dropped to his toes, and his throat closed.
 
Sarah moved against him, but she made no noise.
 
Alec's heart beat so loudly he was sure everyone in the room could hear it.
 
He needed to form a reaction, form a response.
 
But before Alec could react, Sarah shoved him out of the way, which wasn't very far as he ran into the wall.
 
She squeezed around him though, snatching the hat out of his hand.