Her Seafaring Scoundrel

by Sophie Barnes

  “Oh!” Penelope clapped her hands. “That’s the southernmost part of Africa.” Her eyes widened. “Will we disembark there? Will I be able to tell my friends that I’ve set foot on Table Mountain?”

  “Yes and no,” Devlin said. He offered Cassandra his arm. “I don’t recall her being so inquisitive before.”

  “She’s very excited.” And Penelope’s excitement was infectious. Within the last fifteen minutes, Cassandra had begun looking forward to sailing across the world and exploring new places in a way she hadn’t before. Standing on board The Condor made it real, and her daughter’s questions encouraged her own desire to learn more as well.

  “Go ahead and descend the ladder to your left,” Devlin told Penelope, whose rapid footsteps had taken her on ahead. He nodded toward a crewman, who tipped his cap politely toward Cassandra before resuming his duties. “I’ll introduce you to everyone once you’ve gotten settled. Tonight, we’ll dine with my first mate, Mr. Montgomery Quinn, and my quartermaster, who’s also the ship’s physician, Mr. Lionel Bronswick. They’ll be the ones you’ll turn to for help if I’m not available, so getting acquainted with them before we sail in the morning is important. Now watch your head.”

  Cassandra grabbed the railing and bowed her head to avoid the lintel as she clambered down the almost vertical steps. Darkness swallowed most of the light, and a warm smell of dry pine filled the air. It was quieter below deck, allowing Cassandra to hear the soft creaks and moans the ship made.

  “This way.” Devlin directed Penelope and Cassandra through a narrow passageway straight ahead. He stopped at the second door on the right and opened it. “This is where you will be sleeping, Penny. It’s not as big as what you’re used to but—”

  “I love it,” Penelope cried, almost stumbling over her own feet in her haste to enter the space she’d been given. Cassandra watched as she rushed to the porthole and looked out before giving the rest of the cabin her attention. “There’s a desk and a bed, which is more than I’d ever expected, to be honest.”

  “You didn’t think you’d have a bed to sleep in?” Devlin asked with one raised brow.

  “I don’t know.” Penelope frowned and twisted her lips. “I suppose I thought only the captain would have such luxury and that everyone else slept in hammocks.”

  Devlin laughed. “I can get you a hammock if you wish it and hang it up overhead.”

  “I…er… Do you think that’s a good idea?” Cassandra asked.

  He glanced her way, paused for a second, then said, “Maybe we’ll stick to the bed for now, Penny. There’s a bar on the side, which should answer your earlier question about falling out.”

  “How clever!”

  “I’ll let the craftsman who fashioned it know you said so,” Devlin said in a conspiratorial way that made Penelope beam with pleasure. Cassandra’s heart filled with warmth and appreciation. “But first I must show your mother to her quarters. Will you be all right here by yourself or would you like to come with us?”

  “I’d rather stay here and wait for my things to arrive so I can start unpacking.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Devlin said. “We’ll see you in a bit.”

  “Are you sure we should leave her alone right away?” Cassandra asked when Devlin gave her arm a tug. “I mean, she doesn’t know anyone here yet. What if she wanders off and gets lost? What if—”

  “This isn’t the Louvre, Cass, and we’re just one door away.”

  “We?” Cassandra dug in her heels without even thinking and pulled back against him. “What do you mean, Dev?”

  He gave her a toothy grin and halted. They’d only gone ten paces but they’d already arrived at the door at the end of the passageway, and he was presently reaching for the handle. “You’ve never called me that before.”

  “I…um…” Heavens. Why was he making her feel so flustered? Her face felt hot and her belly swirled around like a whirlpool. “I must have picked it up from Penny.”

  “Well, I like it.” He opened the door and ushered her into an elegantly furnished cabin much larger than the one Penelope had been given.

  The door closed with a click and Cassandra started. “These are your quarters.”

  “Undeniably,” he murmured, so close she could feel his breath tickling her ear.

  A shiver washed over her skin, and she took a step sideways, deliberately adding distance between them. “But you agreed to not sharing a bed, and after our wedding night I assumed and—” She tried to calm her frantic heartbeats only to fail. “You cannot go back on your word now, that wouldn’t be fair. You—”

  “Shh…” Devlin strode forward and pulled aside two opposing curtains to reveal the sleeping spaces behind them. “I had an extra bed installed so I would be able to keep my promise. You’re free to choose whichever you prefer, Cass.”

  “I can’t have my own cabin?”

  “There isn’t enough space to allow for that and—”

  “I could sleep with Penelope.” Dear God, just the thought of having him so close by at all hours of the day was cause for panic. Not to mention possibly seeing him in a state of undress, as she would no doubt do if they shared a cabin. “Yes. Penelope and I will be fine together.”

  “Cass.” Her name, or more to the point the way he said it – with a bluntness she’d never heard in his voice before – forced her to look straight at him. “I would rather not be embarrassed in front of my men.” His gaze was intense and unyielding.

  In a strange sort of way, he made her feel like a young girl who’d just been scolded for being naughty. She blew out a breath and considered the space in greater detail. Devlin was doing his best to adhere to her wishes, but he also had his pride and did not wish for anyone to know his wife didn’t want him.

  “Of course,” she told him. There was nothing for her to feel guilty about. She’d explained things clearly to him before they’d married. Yet somehow she still felt like the villain in some horrendous tale with a tragic ending. “I appreciate your taking the trouble to make another bed. It was very thoughtful of you.”

  He didn’t smile. He just sighed and offered a nod. “I’ll go check on your luggage, make sure it doesn’t wind up in the cargo hold by mistake.”

  It was an excuse to escape, she knew, and for some peculiar reason this hurt in a way she would not have expected. Not that she blamed him for wanting to be elsewhere. Somehow the easygoing friendship they’d shared on their wedding night and the morning after had vanished. In its place was a strained relationship balancing on the awareness that theirs would not be a simple marriage. And Cassandra knew she was to blame.

  She waited until he’d left the cabin before dropping into a chair and burying her face in her hands. If he didn’t resent her already, he eventually would. With time, the resentment would turn to hatred, and he’d finally wish he’d never saddled himself with a woman who would never be able to love him as he deserved.

  And she dreaded the day that happened, more than she’d ever dreaded any other.

  Seated at the head of the table in the small dining room adjoining his cabin, Devlin stabbed at a piece of meat and stuck it into his mouth. Monty and Bronswick were busy regaling Cass and Penny with tales of their travels, from an abandoned vessel they’d once discovered in the Pacific to a treasure chest they’d managed to haul on board after one of the sailors had spotted it during a swim. Devlin never had learned what happened to the crew of El Duque, but he was fairly sure the treasure chest hadn’t been anything more than a discarded cargo box.

  Deciding to keep silent so as not to ruin the stories, he concentrated on his food and wine. He realized he’d won a small victory today. Getting Cassandra to share his cabin was an essential part of the plan he’d made to seduce her. He’d known she’d resist, but he hadn’t thought her reluctance to room with him would feel like a stab to his heart. In every scenario he’d imagined, he envisioned himself laughing it off while she wasn’t looking. Instead, he’d spent the rest of the day in a mood, sn
apping at people who’d done nothing wrong and feeling rotten to the core.

  “Perhaps the captain will let you help steer the ship one day,” Bronswick said when they’d finished the meal.

  “Do you think so,” Penelope asked.

  “Of course I will,” Devlin told her. “I’ll even let you help keep a lookout for pirates.”

  Penelope’s eyes widened. “Have you ever met a real pirate, Dev? Have you killed one?”

  “Goodness, Penny,” Cassandra exclaimed. “That really isn’t the sort of question a young lady ought to be asking.”

  Devlin couldn’t quite hide his smile when Penelope rolled her eyes and sighed in response to her mother’s censure. He was immensely fond of the girl and looked forward to playing a larger role in her life. “Thankfully, I cannot claim to have met or killed one.”

  What he refrained from mentioning was the time pirates attacked his ship, but his gunners were a talented bunch who’d sunk the other vessel before a single crewmember managed to board. He gave Monty and Bronswick the sort of look he knew would keep them silent. No sense in worrying Cass or Penny without good reason. “But that doesn’t mean it isn’t wise to keep an eye out.”

  “If you will excuse us, gentlemen,” Cassandra said when the conversation trickled to a halt. “Penny and I should probably retire for the night so we can get some rest.” She rose to her feet and gestured for Penelope to do the same. Devlin and his friends followed suit. “It has been a pleasure.”

  “The pleasure has been entirely ours,” Monty said.

  “I’ll be along shortly,” Devlin assured her, in response to which Cass turned such a bright shade of red, Devlin’s temperament instantly shifted toward a more positive one.

  With a nod, she turned away and made her exit. He stared at the closed door for a second before resuming his seat and turning his attention back to his friends. Both were smiling like a pair of idiots.

  “What?” Devlin asked.

  “You’re a lucky man,” Monty said. “I know I told you so at your wedding, but now that I’ve spent more time with your wife, I can understand your reluctance to leave her behind.”

  “You’ll be the envy of every man on this ship, Crawford.” Bronswick grabbed three glasses and poured them each a measure of brandy. “Having a woman like that to keep you warm at night is a bloody luxury.”

  “God help us,” Monty muttered. “My cabin’s right next to yours, so I do hope you’ll keep the noise down.”

  “You needn’t worry,” Devlin said. He tossed back his drink and gestured for Bronswick to pour him another. “We’ll be completely silent.”

  Both men burst out laughing. “I’ve always loved your dry humor, Dev, but this… Oh Christ,” Monty said as he wiped his eyes with the palm of his hand.

  “I’m so glad I’m able to amuse you,” Devlin said. “Now if you’re finished, perhaps we can take a quick look at the charts? With Cass and Penny on board, I’d like to avoid some of the rougher waters we’ve sailed through before.”

  “Does that mean you no longer plan to cross the Indian Ocean?” Bronswick asked.

  “It’ll double the length of our voyage if we don’t,” Monty said. “Reaching Australia will take forever.”

  “I’m not deciding anything yet, just trying to figure out what our options are.”

  “Well, we probably won’t know in advance. Storms can come out of nowhere and they can even occur in the most unexpected places. Although, if we follow the coast of Africa back up toward India, it shouldn’t delay us by more than a month. I shouldn’t think.”

  “And a half,” Monty said. He went to collect the relevant charts and began spreading them out on the table. “You know, it’s not too late to leave them here where you know they’ll be safe.”

  As if Devlin hadn’t considered the option a thousand times already. But his relationship with Cass could only improve if they were together. Apart, she’d never make room for him in her heart. And besides, sailing wasn’t so dangerous. He’d been doing it half his life and just wanted to make the experience as pleasant for her as possible. Although…

  Oh dear God, what if she couldn’t swim?

  “Of course I can swim,” Cassandra told him when he returned to his quarters and asked about her aquatic abilities. She’d selected the bed on the right and was sitting half propped up against a pillow. A book rested in her lap, but what got Devlin’s blood rushing was the fact that she appeared to be wearing the same damn nightgown she’d worn at Mivart’s. Or at least one like it. Which meant the moment she got out of bed or the covers slipped slightly lower, he’d be doomed to another restless night.

  “What about Penelope?” he asked, deliberately wrestling his brain back to the subject of conversation.

  “She can swim as well, but...” She gasped and sat up straight, which caused the blanket, which had thus far been protecting her modesty, to slide down to her waist and in so doing, reveal the most perfect outline of well-rounded breasts he’d ever seen.

  His fingers moved, involuntarily gauging the shape and fullness and how they would fit in the palms of his hands. His mouth had gone dry three seconds ago, and his throat felt like sandpaper.

  Still, by some miracle, he managed to ask, “But what?”

  Cassandra stared at him. She tilted her head to one side and frowned. “Is something the matter?”

  “No.” He shook his head and went to sit on the edge of his bed. “Why do you ask?”

  “You look slightly ill all of a sudden.”

  “I feel fine.” He yanked on his boot, taking his frustration out on the fine leather. Once it was off, he dropped it onto the floor and started on the other. “What were you going to say before? When you gasped?” He dared a hesitant glance in her direction and was relieved to see she’d pulled the blanket back up.

  “I wondered why you would worry over whether or not Penny and I can swim, and it occurred to me that the only reason you’d do so was if you feared we might find ourselves in a situation where we’d have no choice but to swim. And the only scenarios that came to mind where something like that might be the case were if we fell overboard or if the ship started sinking. Both possibilities are rather frightening.”

  He’d removed his hose during her talk and now unbuttoned his breeches. Standing, he pushed them over his hips, folded them neatly, and placed them on the chair behind his desk. “I’m sorry to have worried you, Cass. It was thoughtless of me to do so when you’re not in any danger. As long as neither you nor Penny decides to climb the rigging, there’s no chance of either of you falling overboard. And as for The Condor taking on water and sinking, something would have to cause a hole for that to happen, and since I’ve no intention of taking you through any treacherous water with sharp rocks hidden beneath the surface, I don’t see how that would happen.”

  “A cannonball from an enemy ship could do it.”

  Devlin couldn’t help but laugh. Cassandra raised her gaze from her lap, which she had been studying since he’d started removing his hose. Her eyes widened a fraction and color rose to her cheeks. She opened her mouth as if intending to speak, then promptly shut it again and dropped her gaze.

  Devlin allowed himself a smirk. More so when he turned his back and saw her reflection in the mirror that hung on the wall. She was watching him discreetly out of the corner of her eye.

  Well then...

  “You’ve a vivid imagination, Cass.” He swept his shirt up over his head so the only remaining clothes he wore were his smalls. “But The Condor is fast and agile.” Another look in the mirror confirmed her eyes were still on him. The awareness was deliciously thrilling and immensely satisfying. Knowing he’d piqued her curiosity also made him hopeful. He cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and turned. “If another ship looks like trouble, we’ll steer clear of it, and that way they’ll never be able to catch us.”

  “Sounds like a solid plan.”

  He had to applaud her for looking as innocent as she did. With both eye
s fixed firmly on the wall now, nothing about her suggested she’d just been ogling him. It was quite impressive and useful, he supposed, for it stopped her from seeing precisely how much he wanted to ravish her right now.

  Climbing into bed, he pulled the covers over himself. “May I turn down the light?”

  “Yes.” She set her book aside and he reached for the oil lamp.

  “Sleep well,” he told her as darkness settled around them.

  “You too.”

  Silence crept in, filling the space. He closed his eyes and attempted to clear his head. A low whisper caught his attention, and he realized Cassandra was saying something. What, he had no idea. But for some peculiar reason, he knew the words weren’t directed at him. They also weren’t repeated, so he decided to let them go without comment.

  She was entitled to privacy. And if she found comfort in prayer, he certainly wouldn’t intrude.

  Chapter 8

  It was one of those mornings where awareness took its sweet time to rise to the surface. With a yawn, Cassandra snuggled further into her pillow and pulled her blanket up around her neck. The warm cocoon she’d created for herself was so comfy it almost lulled her back to sleep. She yawned again and opened one eye. The room she was in was bright, flooded by sunlight, and not the one she usually occupied at Camberly House or at Clearview.

  Pushing herself up onto her elbow, she swiped a hand across her face and blinked the sleep from her eyes. When she opened them properly, her gaze immediately landed on a pair of men’s trousers which were laid out on the opposite bed. She blinked as all the events from the previous day and the weeks before came tumbling back.

  She was on board Devlin’s ship and judging from the brightness of the cabin, it had to be at least ten o’clock. She’d overslept – something she’d never done before – but it was because…because…