Time for Love (11 page)

“Shouldn’t you be worried about what I plan to do with you?”

A cry rose in her throat, but she swallowed it down. Reassured by Evelyn’s confidence she wouldn’t be punished, she had convinced herself she was safe. With his words her fear returned, but she squared her shoulders and replied, “Obviously that’s a concern, too, but I’m more worried about Evelyn.”

“I see.” He looked away from her and appeared lost in thought as he watched the crew going about their work, an occasional laugh or muffled curse reaching their ears from time to time.

She kept her silence and watched with him as she waited.

After a while, he returned his gaze to her and said, “I have yet to decide what is best. I am within my rights to throw her back into the cargo hold for the duration of the trip and turn her over to the authorities when we get home. Most other captains I know would do so, or worse.”

He paused and Alex held her breath.

“She owes me for her passage, and she has caused quite a disruption. I am not particularly fond of Mr. Duff, but I would not be facing such problems if she were not on board.”

Alex gritted her teeth to keep from saying anything. She had a strong urge to throttle him for implying it was Evelyn’s fault Mr. Duff had tried to rape her, but killing the captain wouldn’t exactly help her cause, so she resisted the enormous temptation.

Her thoughts must have shown on her face, however, because Nicholas said, “I am not saying it was her fault. We both know Mr. Duff is a…” He rubbed the back of his neck and gave a slight cough before continuing. “I believe you know what he is. However, you must admit, he could not have tried to abuse her if she were not on board in the first place.”

Alex saw his logic and allowed herself to relax the tiniest bit. “I see your point.” She waited for him to continue, but he remained silent, and she couldn’t wait any longer. “I may have a solution for you, if you want to hear it.”

“Please do.”

“I could pay her passage.”

He gave her an odd look. “Why?”

“What do you mean, why? Why does it matter?”

“I am merely curious. You barely know her, and yet you have risked your job, your life, and now your money for her. Why?”

Alex shrugged, but before she even realized she planned to answer, the words burst bitterly from her mouth, “Because she’s just a child! She should be at home worrying about what to wear or whether some boy likes her. She shouldn’t be on her own trying to figure out where her next meal will come from.”

“You sound as if you are speaking from experience.”

“I am. I left…I set out on my own when I was a little older than she is. I remember those days living hand to mouth, always worrying where to go, how to eat.” Alex turned away and watched the light dance on the water as she struggled to keep back the tears.

When she had herself under control, she continued, “I just don’t want to see anything happen to her. She has family in London. She can return to them and go on with her life. She won’t be able to do that if she’s under an obligation to you.”

His voice was quiet when he spoke, and Alex thought she detected traces of sympathy and understanding in his tone, “Fair enough.”

“Thank you.” Alex reached up around her neck and pulled out one of the gold necklaces she kept hidden there. She had pulled out the wrong one and went to tuck it back in, but he was too quick for her.

He ran his hand along the chain at her neck, moving slowly down and letting the pendant rest against his finger. Alex let her hand drop to her side. Even that brief touch of his fingers against her neck sent a shiver down her spine.

“This will do,” he said, and made to lift the chain over her head.

“Not that one.” She grasped the ruby dangling from the bottom of the heart pendant. Her fingers grazed his, and the contact sent a frisson of sensation along her skin, increasing the turmoil in her mind as she tried to come up with a suitable excuse for keeping the necklace. “That one…um…was my mother’s. I was named after her.” She stammered, and heat crept up her neck and along her cheeks.

She wasn’t a very good liar. But she relaxed when he didn’t question her. However, he didn’t let the necklace go either and proceeded to lift it over her head, his expression blank and unreadable.

“You want to pay for Evelyn? This is what I want. I have a lady friend that would like this.” He put the necklace in his pocket and looked at her, one eyebrow raised in question.

Alex felt sick to her stomach at the loss of the necklace, one of the few links to her family. She watched it disappear into his pocket and regretted its loss but knew it had bought Evelyn’s freedom, and that was more important. Besides, if all went well, she would find her sister and have a chance at a real family, the necklace didn’t matter. She would have to keep telling herself that.

“Fine.” She turned and left without a backward glance.

****

Nicholas watched her walk away, admiring the strength of character it had taken for her to approach him, as well as the firm backside he could see due to the trousers she wore. His flesh rose at the sight, and he wondered how he had ever mistaken her for a man.

He took her necklace out of his pocket. He wasn’t sure why he had insisted on that particular payment when he could see it meant a great deal to her. Or why he made up the ridiculous story about giving it to a mistress. He would enjoy placing it around Alex’s neck once more when his plan came to fruition. She would not be without it for long.

The beautiful piece was obviously very expensive. The flawless ruby was of good size, and the craftsmanship was superb. He could well imagine his mother having such a piece made for herself when his father had been alive to pamper her every whim. Alex could have easily used it to purchase passage to London, yet she obviously wasn’t aware of that. Strange to carry your wealth in jewels rather than coin, yet not know their value.

If not for the engraving of her name, he might have thought it stolen. That would explain her hurry to leave America though not her limited knowledge of the value of what she carried.

No. He could not picture her as a thief. He was an excellent judge of character, and the thief theory did not feel correct. Although, she had managed to fool him into thinking she was a man, so maybe he wasn’t as perceptive as he thought.

Grayson came up beside him. Nicholas tucked the necklace back in his pocket before turning to greet him.

His friend’s discomfort was palpable. Knowing his first mate as he did, he suspected Grayson was about to broach a subject he worried would be ill received by his captain and friend.

“What’s on your mind, Grayson?”

He cleared his throat. “It’s the girl—Miss Turner. What are we to do about her?”

“In what way?”

“In what way!” he squawked like a parrot. “I know you don’t wish to let anyone know about her.” He squinted at Nicholas and crossed his arms over his chest. “Although I don’t believe the crew would react as badly as you seem to think. But the issue is how we are going to keep her from working without letting on we know her secret.”

“Why would we keep her from working?”

“Why?” He spluttered. “Because she’s a woman! We can’t have her working! She should be knitting or…” He seemed to be casting about for other suitable woman’s work, but was at a loss as to what women actually did with their time. “She shouldn’t be swabbing decks or repairing sails. A woman can’t handle the work we need done.”

“She has done well. All reports say she is quite competent once a job has been explained. She seems capable of much I never would have thought possible for a woman. Fighting Duff for instance. I have never seen anything like it.”

“Well, yes, she does seem a bit out of the ordinary.” Grayson shook himself. “But she’s scheduled for the watch day after tomorrow. Are you seriously going to allow a woman up the rigging? I can understand letting her continue with her less arduous duties, but I can’t in good conscience set a woman to such a dangerous task.”

Nicholas frowned. The idea of Alex in danger made his blood run cold. “I’ll think of something to keep her from anything dangerous, maybe some new assignments…” his voice trailed off. This had some potential, something to keep her from danger and at the same time throw them together more often.

He hadn’t explained to Grayson the real reasons he wished to keep Alex’s gender a secret. He’d said she had earned the right to secrecy, and they should respect her wishes. He also said he wanted to avoid any more unpleasantness with the crew. They might make life very difficult for her if they knew the truth. Grayson had argued, but in the end agreed.

If his first mate had known Nicholas’s plan to get to know Alex better, without her being suspicious of his motives, he might not have given in so easily.

Chapter Nine

April 20 (39 Days Remaining)

Alex woke after a solid night’s sleep and threw off the covers, determined not to spend another day holed up inside. She needed the sun on her face and the wind at her back. The thought of lying around doing nothing made her skin crawl. She’d come back to this cabin immediately after securing Evelyn’s freedom and hadn’t left since.

Evelyn had insisted. She wouldn’t let Alex return to duty right away, even though the cut on her side had scabbed over nicely and only smarted a bit when she moved suddenly or tried to reach too far. She’d found that out the hard way when she reached for a book high up on the shelves.

Inspecting Nicholas’s room had lost its appeal in short order. She kept expecting him to walk in and catch her rooting through his things. She jumped a foot every time someone walked by the door. The stress wasn’t helping her heal any faster.

Browsing his books had seemed innocent enough. Who cared if he caught her in the act of reading? But she’d stopped when she realized going through his shelves, seeing his keeper books, and the knick-knacks he cherished, gave her a sense of him that disturbed her thoughts. Mostly because she liked it too much.

Evelyn tried to get her to return to bed but Alex refused, insisting instead she needed to leave Nicholas’s cabin before he kicked her out.

While Evelyn grumbled she should still be resting, they cleaned the cabin of all traces of her stay, and Alex gathered her meager pile of belongings to return to her own hammock with the crew.

Emerging from the cabin, she headed to the bow where she slung her hammock and ran into the Adonis. He jumped back as if stung. His gaze darted up and down the corridor, anywhere but at her. He mumbled something incoherent and moved to pass her. His gaze fell on the bag hanging from her shoulder, and he stopped. “What do you think you are doing?”

Startled at his belligerent tone, Alex clutched her belongings and answered warily, “Moving back to the crew quarters.”

“You can’t do that!” He swung his arms wide and blocked her way. His eyes bulged and she had to repress a giggle at his shocked expression. “It’s indecent!”

“Indecent? What do—” That’s why he had been acting so strange lately. She looked up and down the corridor before grabbing his arm and pulling him into Nicholas’s cabin, shutting the door quietly behind them. No one would disturb them since she had elected to move her things when the captain would be busy on other parts of the ship.

She spun around and glared at him. The strap of her bag caught on her shoulder as she planted her hands on her hips. The meager weight of her belongings settled with a soft thud against her lower back. “How did you find out?”

His face changed from ghost white to beet red in seconds. His head swiveled side to side as his gaze darted around the cabin.

She widened her stance before the door. No way was he getting out of here before she had a full confession.

He cast her one more glance before he dropped his chin and began a thorough inspection of his shoes, as if they were the most fascinating things he had ever seen. “Find out what?” He snuck a peek at her through lowered lashes.

Amusing really to watch this gorgeous ladies’ man act like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, thinking of a way to avoid punishment. She sighed, walked up to him and took one of his hands.

He flinched but didn’t move away. They stood like that until he slowly brought his eyes up to hers.

“I thought we were friends,” she said. “We’ve spent some time talking on this trip, and I have valued those conversations. I didn’t tell you the truth about who I am, but you must believe it was necessary. I never meant to hurt anyone.” Now that he was looking at her, she squeezed his fingers before letting go and stepping back a few paces.

“It’s difficult to come to terms with knowing you are a woman. And now that I know, I can’t allow our routine to go back as it was, but those are my orders.”

“Orders! So the captain knows?” She pressed her fingers to her temples. This was getting out of hand. “Since when?” Nicholas hadn’t acted any differently. Could he have known all along?

“Since the fight. Evelyn told us.” Her face must have shown how betrayed she felt because he hurried to add, “Don’t be upset with her. She’s a wonderful girl and very loyal to you. She was so alarmed when she saw you fighting Mr. Duff that the truth slipped. She tried to recover, but it was too late.”

“Of course, it was too much to ask of a young girl, particularly after what happened to her.” She lost her train of thought momentarily while a vivid picture of Mr. Duff striking Evelyn flitted through her memory.

Alex looked up when Mr. Grayson shifted and reached to take her bag out of her arms.

“What are you doing?”

“You won’t need to move.” He held up the bag and tossed it onto a chair. “Since the secret is out, you can stay here. Evelyn can stay with you while the captain takes over the cabin we gave to her. We’ll think of something to tell the crew.” He waved his arms in a vague sort of way. “Maybe we’ll say your wound was worse than it is. You should probably stay in here as much as possible. Evelyn can keep you company.” He smiled at her for the first time since the fight. “I’m glad that’s settled.” He started toward the door, mumbling something about delivering her meals, when she stopped him.