by Merry Farmer
“You said Lord William was a criminal,” she said, turning back to Lady Patterson. “What kind of criminal?”
“He’s swindler.” Lady Patterson shrugged. “He cheats at cards. Although he’s not very good, from what I understand.”
Alarm bells began to sound in Domenica’s mind. She sent a quick, urgent glance in Albert’s direction before asking, “How? What do you know?”
Lady Patterson blinked rapidly, seemingly startled by the sudden force of Domenica’s question. “Just that. He cheats at cards, but he wasn’t clever enough not to lose a great deal of money the other night.”
“Yes, he lost to Mr. Sands after Albert and I left the game.”
Lady Patterson’s eyes suddenly went wide, and the color drained from her face. “Oh, dear.”
“What is it?” Domenica let go of her friend’s arm and held her hands instead.
Lady Patterson sighed. “I take back what I said about wisdom. I am as big a fool now as I ever was.”
“I’m sure you’re not,” Domenica said, itching for Lady Patterson to get to the point.
“With old age comes hubris,” Lady Patterson said, shaking her head. “I should have seen the connection before, but I was too caught up in my own, petty machinations.”
“What? What should you have seen?”
Lady Patterson lifted her eyes slowly to meet Domenica’s. “Lord William lost a great deal of money in your card game, as you said. The next day, he and Polly were talking about ways to dispose of the debt. They thought I was asleep, you see, but I wasn’t. And now that I think about it, they weren’t discussing how to dispose of the debt, they were discussing ways to dispose of the man to whom the debt was owed.”
Domenica sucked in a breath, squeezing Lady Patterson’s hands harder. Lord William was guilty after all, although it still didn’t explain how she and Albert could have heard him in his cabin at the same time as Mr. Sands had gone missing. Unless Mr. Sands knew he was a marked man from the moment he left the card table.
“When did you overhear them?” she asked, walking Lady Patterson away from a group of fellow passengers who had strayed too close. “What exactly did they say?”
“That they needed to find him—and by ‘him’ I’m now assuming they meant Mr. Sands—and dispose of him.” Lady Patterson cocked her head to the side. “Polly had tried to find him shortly after the card game, but failed for some reason.”
Polly. Polly was the person Lord William had been talking to in his cabin after the card game. It was possible that Domenica and Albert hadn’t heard her replies because her voice was softer than Lord William’s. And if Lord William had sent Polly out to do his dirty work, that would explain why he had an alibi for the time when Mr. Sands had disappeared. And if Mr. Sands had been killed during that time, Lord William would have been eliminated as a suspect. It was likely Polly would have been overlooked as well, seeing as she was apparently a weak and mousy woman.
“I have to find Albert. He needs to know all of this,” she said, breaking away from Lady Patterson.
“Tell him I’m sorry, my dear,” Lady Patterson called after her.
“I will,” Domenica called over her shoulder before breaking into a run.
She picked up her skirts and dodged the other passengers out on the deck. She needed to find a way up to the crew deck, where Albert had still been standing when Lady Patterson helped her put the pieces together.
It was her luck that she located the narrow, metal stairway leading up to the crew deck without much problem, and that Albert was in the corridor near the top of the stairs.
“Mi capitán.” Domenica rushed to him, taking the hands he stretched out to greet her. “Lord William is responsible for Mr. Sands’s disappearance,” she rushed out. “Lady Patterson overheard him plotting with her maid.”
“Tell me everything,” Albert said.
He walked her to an empty cabin where no one would overhear them, and Domenica spilled out everything Lady Patterson had just told her.
“The nerve of that bastard,” Albert growled when she was finished. “Whatever he or that…woman working with him said or did, it must have been serious enough for Lewis to go into hiding. It galls me to think that he wouldn’t come to me for help too.”
“Could that be because he thinks, as your friend’s nephew, you would take Lord William’s side over his?” Domenica asked.
Albert grimaced. “I want to believe he wouldn’t think that, but anything is possible.” He blew out a breath, rubbing a hand over his face.
Her heart bled for him. “We will get to the bottom of this, mi capitán,” she said, placing her hands flat on his chest. Unlike her previous, flirty gestures, this one was meant to give him strength.
“If I could just speak to Lewis, explain the truth. If I could get to him to let him know I do not support William in any way, we could get to the bottom of things.”
A surge of purpose filled Domenica. “We must find a way to make him feel safe.”
“How?” He lay his hands over hers on his chest, looking at her with a combination of frustration and faith in her that had Domenica’s insides melting.
She wracked her brain, loathe to let him down. “Is there a way to gather everyone, passengers and crew, in one place at one time? If Mr. Sands knew that no one else would see him, he might leave his hiding place.”
Albert’s face pinched. “Meals are the only time people come together, but even then, first-class and steerage eat separately.”
“But what if they didn’t? What if everyone came together, just once?”
“It couldn’t be for a meal,” Albert said, forehead creased in thought. “The logistics would be too complicated. But some other sort of event, something that would excite and interest everyone….”
“A ball?” Domenica suggested.
Albert’s eyes lit up. “Yes. A ball would be just the thing. And a masquerade ball would make first-class passengers less squeamish about socializing with steerage.”
“It would also mean we would need some time for preparations.” Domenica took up the thread of his idea and ran with it. “How much longer will our journey be?”
Albert shrugged. “We’re making good time, all things considered. It could be as little as five days.”
“Then we’ll announce that the ball will be held in three days,” Domenica said, determination surging through her. “We’ll advertise all over the ship, make certain that everyone knows and everyone will be there.”
“And Lewis will see that and be aware of the time when all but part of the ship will be virtually abandoned.”
“It will work, mi capitán, you’ll see.” Domenica burst into a smile. “We will find Mr. Sands, keep him safe, and foil whatever plans Lord William has.”
“We will.” Albert smiled, then bent to slant his mouth over hers in a kiss.
It was unexpected, sweet, and fiery all at once. Domenica instantly gave in to him, sliding her tongue against his and kissing him back for all she was worth. Maybe Lady Patterson was right. Maybe she could change her plans for a new life and embrace this life instead, embrace Albert.
“Tonight,” he whispered, voice gruff with desire, cradling the side of her face. “Be with me tonight. I’ve been too long without you.”
“Yes,” she sighed, sliding her arms around him and lowering her hands to his backside. “I would let you take me right here and now if you wanted to.” She flickered an eyebrow.
Albert’s responding, low laughter was like thunder across the ocean. “If I didn’t have a ship to steer and a ball to plan, I’d take you up against that wall right now. Would you like that?”
Ripples of insatiable desire swirled through Domenica, making every inch of her skin tingle. “You would hear just how much I liked it in the way I sighed and cried out your name, mi capitán.”
Heat poured off of him. He stole another, powerful kiss, his hands stroking her sides and squeezing her breasts. Domenica wanted to tear off his clothes, o
r at the very least, spread open the front of his trousers and swallow him until he came apart. The only thing that kept her from doing just that was Albert breaking their kiss and separating from her. He held her at arm’s length, panting and chuckling.
“I love the way you make me lose my head,” he rumbled, meeting her gaze with fiery intensity. “You make me wish I didn’t have so many responsibilities waiting for me.”
“And you make me wish the sea had no ending.” She lifted to her toes and kissed him lightly, full of genuine emotion, before stepping away. “But for now, we both have things to see to.”
“You’re right,” he agreed, walking with her to the door of the cabin. “But later….”
He let the sentence, and the promise it carried, hang like magic in the air.
“Later,” Domenica repeated, longing for time to fly.
CHAPTER 7
A lbert was certain that, in many ways, it was unconscionable for him to be so happy and energized while a member of his crew’s life was in danger. Especially since the would-be murderer was wandering the decks freely. If William had half an inkling that they were on to his diabolical scheme, he didn’t show it. It was a testament to the character and cleverness of Domenica and the few other people they’d needed to involve in the plot to draw Lewis out—Lady Patterson, for one, Renshaw and Milton for others—that they managed to make arrangements for a grand ball and to advertise the event throughout the ship without William looking the least bit nonplussed.
What made Albert prickle with guilt was that, as dedicated as he was to ensuring Lewis’s safety, the only person he wanted to give his time and attention to was Domenica.
“I should get up,” he murmured to her in the dark hours of the morning on the day of the ball. “There’s much to do.”
They lay entwined with each other and the bedsheets. Domenica stretched, running her hand up his arm to cradle his face. “I should get down to the kitchens,” she said. “Although letting them fend for themselves today would help with our plans.”
“This afternoon,” Albert agreed, kissing her hand, then dipping down to brush his lips across hers. “But not for breakfast.”
She hummed. “Who can think about breakfast when there are much more tempting things?” She lifted her knee and ran her toes along his leg.
Blood and desire surged to Albert’s groin. In the past few days, he’d discovered that age had done nothing to calm the fire that had lay dormant within him. Although he doubted just any woman would have been able to awake such need. Domenica was the only woman he’d wanted for years, the only woman he would want for the rest of his life. But as potent as the passion had been between them during the voyage, he still couldn’t work up the nerve to ask her to stay with him. He wasn’t sure he could bear it if she said no.
Even considering the question sent a bolt of anxiety through him, so he kissed her once more, then rolled reluctantly out of bed. “With any luck, this whole mess will be taken care of tonight,” he said, striding to his washstand as Domenica eyed his naked body with appreciation. “And if the weather holds, we’ll be in London in two days.”
“Are we that close?” Domenica asked, shifting to her side and gazing openly at him.
It was ridiculous of him to feel such satisfaction in being studied by a woman, his woman, but he grinned over it all the same. “We’ve reached the Celtic Sea already,” he explained as he dipped a washcloth in the water basin and ran it over his torso. “We should pass the Isles of Scilly later this afternoon. From there, we’ll be in the English Channel in no time.”
Domenica climbed out of bed with a hum, moving to close her arms around him from behind and to smile at him through the small mirror on the wall. “You must know these waters like your lover’s body.”
He chuckled, not so much at her comment, but at the way he reacted to it with a flare of tender emotion, and reached back to close a hand over her hip. “That I do.”
If there weren’t so many urgent matters pressing on them, he would have taken her straight back to bed. But as it was, he finished washing, shaved, then dressed while Domenica made herself presentable enough to sneak down the hall to her room. Not that they should have had to sneak, but gossip among his crew was already more than what he wanted it to be.
He followed shortly after her, and as soon as he crossed through the door that separated the passenger cabins from the deck leading up to the bridge, he straightened his posture and walked more like the commander of the vessel and less like a mischievous lover up to no good.
He glanced out over the dark form of his ship as he mounted the final set of stairs, and a shimmer of movement caught his eye. There was barely enough light to make it out, but Albert was certain he saw the flash of a lantern shining from underneath the tarp that covered one of the lifeboats near the ship’s stern. He paused and squinted in an attempt to make out the shape of the lifeboat, but whatever he’d seen was gone. Or so it seemed.
His pulse quickened as he continued up the stairs. Renshaw had directed the crew to search everywhere aboard the ship for Lewis—the holds, the engine room, every unused cabin. But they hadn’t thought to check the lifeboats.
A grin spread across Albert’s face. He had him. Lewis was hiding in a lifeboat. He debated changing course and rushing down to talk to the man right away, but dragging Lewis out of hiding with William still posing a threat wouldn’t do anyone a lick of good. They needed to go forward with their plan and make sure William was out of the way and that his plot was foiled.
Two days until London. Domenica hadn’t let the worry those words instilled in her show as Albert explained where they were. It worried her that they were so close to the end of their voyage, worried her that it could be the end of much more. Every time she lay in Albert’s arms or sent him flirty glances from across the ship’s kitchen, she was filled with the need to say something, to find the courage to ask to stay with him forever. And every time, something stopped her.
“Something wrong?” Bourne asked as they toiled away cleaning up from breakfast, preparing lunch, and setting things into motion for the ball.
Domenica shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled at the young man who had been such a help in the past few days. “No, mi amigo. I’m just overwhelmed by all the work we have to do for tonight.”
“The captain set us all quite a task, didn’t he,” Bourne agreed with a frown. “I wonder what Mr. Sands would say about it all.” He glanced across the kitchen with a frown. But there was something else in his expression that set the hair on the back of Domenica’s neck on end.
“Do you know where he is?” she asked outright, wondering if a direct approach would get the truth out of him.
“What?” Bourne snapped, glancing to her with wide eyes. “Uh, no. Of course I don’t. I’d better help Justice with the soup stock.”
He marched away so fast that Domenica was certain he was lying. Rather than upset her, her suspicions put a smile on her face. She returned to her work mixing pastry dough for the treats that would be served at the ball, but kept an eye on Bourne as he whispered something to Justice. She hadn’t been able to be in the kitchen every moment of the day and night. It hadn’t occurred to her that Mr. Sands might have come out of hiding now and then to give his staff orders. That would have explained why things had run more smoothly for the past few days than they had the first day Mr. Sands had gone missing.
There wasn’t much time to think about it or to worry whether Mr. Sands was exposing himself too much and if Lord William would catch on. Lunch came and went, then everyone in the kitchen turned their attention to treats for the ball. By the time things were in hand, the dining room had already been converted into a ballroom, and guests were beginning to arrive.
“We can handle the rest of this,” Justice told her as she arranged a plate of éclairs. “If you’re going to dress up for the ball, you’d better go do it now, since the captain wants everyone in the dining room by eight o’clock.”
; “You’re right.” Domenica sighed, abandoning her platter and untying her apron. “I’ll be quick.”
She didn’t have much in the way of fancy dresses fit for a ball, but Lady Patterson had arranged to let her borrow some of her jewels. As Domenica strode back through the corridors to her cabin, she mentally planned the outfit she would put together and wondered what the other female passengers would wear. She was lost in thought as she unlocked her cabin and stepped inside.
The sight that met her made her gasp. Lying on the bed was the most beautiful gown she’d ever seen. It was bright gold and crafted of silk and lace. Domenica went to it, lifting it and holding it at arm’s length, her mouth dropped open in shocked delight. The neckline was cut low enough that her chest would be on tantalizing display. The fill skirt was gathered in flounces, and she could just imagine the effect it would produce as she swirled around the dance floor. She could also imagine what Albert would think when he saw her looking like a queen.
As she put the dress back on the bed and began to take off her soiled work clothes, she spotted a small, folded note. She left what she was doing to snatch it up and read it.
“Every man likes to see his lover dressed like the belle of the ball. Our good captain won’t be able to take his eyes off you in this old rag of mine. Just be sure you don’t let him damage it too much when he tears it from your body later tonight.” It was sighed, “Lady Cecilia Patterson.”
Domenica laughed out loud. Her mischievous friend had a way with words. Domenica dove back into undressing, washed up, and put the borrowed gown on, reveling in the way the silk caressed her skin. Lady Patterson was part of the plan to keep Lord William and Polly in the ballroom for the duration of the evening. She should have known better than to give Domenica any encouragement to leave early with Albert. But then, the woman did have more of a sense of scandal than was probably healthy.