flawless skin, and lips set in an uncertain smile. With her face, the ruse couldn’t have been easy to pull off.
Except she had, which either meant she had exceptional skill or he was the biggest dolt in America. That his men hadn’t figured it out either provided little consolation.
He forced himself to look into those sea-green eyes. “Although you are not his brother, is Neil really yours?”
“Yes, sir. Well…no, sir,” Amanda’s eyelids fluttered. “Yes, sir,” she finished, with a decided nod of her head.
“What she means, sir, is that we aren’t related by blood,” explained Neil with an exasperated sigh. “Her father took me in and raised me until he left for the fight. For the last couple of years, it’s been just Mandy and me. She’s every bit a sister to me even though we aren’t related. I’m sure the confusion in her response is because she couldn’t figure out which answer would seem less like a lie.” He laughed. “She’s not very good at deception.”
“Like hell she isn’t!”
Both Amanda and Neil jumped at his outburst. Will ran a hand through his hair while he fought to regain control. He centered his gaze on her face because every time he let his attention slip to her narrow waist and long shapely limbs, his concentration crumbled. If he could barely hold a thought with her in the room, his ship would be in chaos if he let her run loose among his men.
But what to do with her? He grimaced, recalling his conversation with Doctor Miller. He could hardly just drop her off at their next port of call and leave her to fend for herself. She couldn’t be more than, what? Seventeen? Eighteen?
“I suppose you’re not as young as you claimed, either?” He held his breath, waiting to see if she would reveal her true age.
“No, I’m twenty-one.” Defiance flashed in her eyes, and he couldn’t blame her. It had been a rather ill mannered question.
But twenty-one? He would never have guessed she could be past her teens. However, it had taken spirit and courage to do what she did, face what she faced in her short time aboard ship. The rebel in him admired her pluck, despite her deception. He sat back in his chair, staring at his two charges, not sure what course to take. He had never been so flummoxed in his life.
“Captain, lone ship off the port bow,” Buck said from the doorway.
Will stood, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. The English merchants were something he could handle, and he didn’t think he had ever been so grateful for their appearance. “I’m needed on deck,” he said to no one in particular. To Neil he added, “Get to your station.”
Neil flew out the door in a shot.
Amanda turned to follow, but Will grabbed her arm. “Not you.”
“Excuse me?” she asked, bewilderment reflected in her wide eyes. “The doctor won’t need me for awhile, but I should at least get out of these wet clothes.”
“I want you to stay in my quarters where it’s safe,” Will said, his voice making it clear it was a command not a request. “You can dry off with one of my towels and wrap yourself in a blanket until your clothes dry.” He tried to ignore the image of her lithe, naked body wrapped in his bed sheets.
“Safe? Why?” A red flush crept up from the base of Amanda’s neck to her temple. Had she been holding a similar image?
Amanda tugged at her arm, but Will didn’t let go. Her stormy green eyes were only inches from his. Her blonde hair, curled about her cheeks and forehead, invited him to brush it back. How had this delicate creature survived on his ship for so long?
“Because women don’t belong in a fight,” he said without thinking, noting with some surprise that he didn’t say they didn’t belong on a ship . “It may be some time before we return to Baltimore. I will return you to your family, but in the meantime, it’s my duty to protect you.”
“Protect me? It’s your duty to protect all your crew. Why should I be any different?” She
Except she had, which either meant she had exceptional skill or he was the biggest dolt in America. That his men hadn’t figured it out either provided little consolation.
He forced himself to look into those sea-green eyes. “Although you are not his brother, is Neil really yours?”
“Yes, sir. Well…no, sir,” Amanda’s eyelids fluttered. “Yes, sir,” she finished, with a decided nod of her head.
“What she means, sir, is that we aren’t related by blood,” explained Neil with an exasperated sigh. “Her father took me in and raised me until he left for the fight. For the last couple of years, it’s been just Mandy and me. She’s every bit a sister to me even though we aren’t related. I’m sure the confusion in her response is because she couldn’t figure out which answer would seem less like a lie.” He laughed. “She’s not very good at deception.”
“Like hell she isn’t!”
Both Amanda and Neil jumped at his outburst. Will ran a hand through his hair while he fought to regain control. He centered his gaze on her face because every time he let his attention slip to her narrow waist and long shapely limbs, his concentration crumbled. If he could barely hold a thought with her in the room, his ship would be in chaos if he let her run loose among his men.
But what to do with her? He grimaced, recalling his conversation with Doctor Miller. He could hardly just drop her off at their next port of call and leave her to fend for herself. She couldn’t be more than, what? Seventeen? Eighteen?
“I suppose you’re not as young as you claimed, either?” He held his breath, waiting to see if she would reveal her true age.
“No, I’m twenty-one.” Defiance flashed in her eyes, and he couldn’t blame her. It had been a rather ill mannered question.
But twenty-one? He would never have guessed she could be past her teens. However, it had taken spirit and courage to do what she did, face what she faced in her short time aboard ship. The rebel in him admired her pluck, despite her deception. He sat back in his chair, staring at his two charges, not sure what course to take. He had never been so flummoxed in his life.
“Captain, lone ship off the port bow,” Buck said from the doorway.
Will stood, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. The English merchants were something he could handle, and he didn’t think he had ever been so grateful for their appearance. “I’m needed on deck,” he said to no one in particular. To Neil he added, “Get to your station.”
Neil flew out the door in a shot.
Amanda turned to follow, but Will grabbed her arm. “Not you.”
“Excuse me?” she asked, bewilderment reflected in her wide eyes. “The doctor won’t need me for awhile, but I should at least get out of these wet clothes.”
“I want you to stay in my quarters where it’s safe,” Will said, his voice making it clear it was a command not a request. “You can dry off with one of my towels and wrap yourself in a blanket until your clothes dry.” He tried to ignore the image of her lithe, naked body wrapped in his bed sheets.
“Safe? Why?” A red flush crept up from the base of Amanda’s neck to her temple. Had she been holding a similar image?
Amanda tugged at her arm, but Will didn’t let go. Her stormy green eyes were only inches from his. Her blonde hair, curled about her cheeks and forehead, invited him to brush it back. How had this delicate creature survived on his ship for so long?
“Because women don’t belong in a fight,” he said without thinking, noting with some surprise that he didn’t say they didn’t belong on a ship . “It may be some time before we return to Baltimore. I will return you to your family, but in the meantime, it’s my duty to protect you.”
“Protect me? It’s your duty to protect all your crew. Why should I be any different?” She
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