detached sort of person. Claire had never felt more foolish or fanciful in her life!
Before Ewan could further imply that she was a sentimental fool for keeping the
Marlet
in service, she swung about to face him. “Have you eaten breakfast yet?”
“I wasn’t hungry.”
Hard as she tried, Claire could not let it pass. “How curious. You were not hungry last night, either. I thought sea air was supposed to whet the appetite.”
He scowled, yet still managed to look far too handsome for his own good … and hers.
Claire tamped down her exasperation. She had so little time. If the two of them kept antagonizing one another like this, the
Marlet
could sail around the world before she’d entice Ewan Geddes into wooing her.
“Seasick?” She tried to sound solicitous.
“From this, ye mean?” He gave a snort of contempt and gestured toward the gently undulating waves. “I’ve eaten like a horse on far worse seas.”
It was her company, then, that took his appetite away? Had he been tempted by her wealth, as she’d intended, but shrank from what he must do to get it?
She made a stiff little bow, then turned to go. “As you wish. I could do with some breakfast.”
In fact, it would be a miracle if she choked down more than a mouthful. But that was the most convenient excuse to get her away from Ewan Geddes before she burst into tears or pitched him overboard.
She had almost reached the galley way when Ewan called out, “What’s yer grand cook serving up this morning? Poached peacocks’ eggs and broiled goose liver?”
Vexing man! He had forced her into a humiliating retreat. Could he not be satisfied with that?
“Plain hens’ eggs, I’m afraid.” She tossed the retort back over her shoulder. “Fried ham and perhaps some kippered herring. Oh, and I instructed Monsieur Anton to prepare oatmeal porridge in case you hankered after it.”
She had not gotten halfway down the stairs when she heard his voice behind her again. “Porridge, ye say?”
Would he plague her with his company at the moment she could not abide it? “I expect you would only find some fault with Monsieur Anton’s preparation of the dish, Mr. Geddes. So it is probably just as well if you don’t bother with breakfast, after all.”
“Waste good oatmeal?” His footsteps followed her. “Granny Cameron would rise up from her grave and denounce me for a Sassenach.”
That made her turn and confront him. “I know what that word means, sir. No doubt it is what all of you called me and my family.”
She half expected him to acknowledge it with pride. Instead he cried, “Hang on to the railing, will ye? I’m not close enough to catch ye if ye take a fall.”
“You heard Captain MacLeod. The sea is calm.” All the same, she reached for the railing.
The last thing she wanted at that moment was for Ewan Geddes to lay hands on her, whatever the reason.
“Come or don’t then, as you wish.” She turned and headed for the dining room, taking care to watch her step. “I will not try to persuade you either way, for you will be bound to do quite the opposite, no doubt.”
“Are ye saying I’m contrary, Miss Talbot?”
“If the shoe fits, Mr. Geddes …”
Claire thought she heard him chuckle. If she needed any further proof of his contrariness, there it was. When she tried to get close to him, he went out of his way to avoid her. When she tried to avoid him, he pursued her. Flatter him and he took offense. Insult him and he laughed. Perhaps if she tried to drown the man, he would take a violent fancy to her!
“Ye know, this oatmeal isn’t bad,” said Ewan a short while later, after he had eaten rather a large bowl of it. He sounded surprised, as though he’d expected it to be laced with poison. “This may be just what I needed after all that rich food last night.”
“And the whiskey,” Claire muttered under her breath.
“Aye, that, too,” he admitted with irritating good cheer.
Then he glanced at her plate.
Before Ewan could further imply that she was a sentimental fool for keeping the
Marlet
in service, she swung about to face him. “Have you eaten breakfast yet?”
“I wasn’t hungry.”
Hard as she tried, Claire could not let it pass. “How curious. You were not hungry last night, either. I thought sea air was supposed to whet the appetite.”
He scowled, yet still managed to look far too handsome for his own good … and hers.
Claire tamped down her exasperation. She had so little time. If the two of them kept antagonizing one another like this, the
Marlet
could sail around the world before she’d entice Ewan Geddes into wooing her.
“Seasick?” She tried to sound solicitous.
“From this, ye mean?” He gave a snort of contempt and gestured toward the gently undulating waves. “I’ve eaten like a horse on far worse seas.”
It was her company, then, that took his appetite away? Had he been tempted by her wealth, as she’d intended, but shrank from what he must do to get it?
She made a stiff little bow, then turned to go. “As you wish. I could do with some breakfast.”
In fact, it would be a miracle if she choked down more than a mouthful. But that was the most convenient excuse to get her away from Ewan Geddes before she burst into tears or pitched him overboard.
She had almost reached the galley way when Ewan called out, “What’s yer grand cook serving up this morning? Poached peacocks’ eggs and broiled goose liver?”
Vexing man! He had forced her into a humiliating retreat. Could he not be satisfied with that?
“Plain hens’ eggs, I’m afraid.” She tossed the retort back over her shoulder. “Fried ham and perhaps some kippered herring. Oh, and I instructed Monsieur Anton to prepare oatmeal porridge in case you hankered after it.”
She had not gotten halfway down the stairs when she heard his voice behind her again. “Porridge, ye say?”
Would he plague her with his company at the moment she could not abide it? “I expect you would only find some fault with Monsieur Anton’s preparation of the dish, Mr. Geddes. So it is probably just as well if you don’t bother with breakfast, after all.”
“Waste good oatmeal?” His footsteps followed her. “Granny Cameron would rise up from her grave and denounce me for a Sassenach.”
That made her turn and confront him. “I know what that word means, sir. No doubt it is what all of you called me and my family.”
She half expected him to acknowledge it with pride. Instead he cried, “Hang on to the railing, will ye? I’m not close enough to catch ye if ye take a fall.”
“You heard Captain MacLeod. The sea is calm.” All the same, she reached for the railing.
The last thing she wanted at that moment was for Ewan Geddes to lay hands on her, whatever the reason.
“Come or don’t then, as you wish.” She turned and headed for the dining room, taking care to watch her step. “I will not try to persuade you either way, for you will be bound to do quite the opposite, no doubt.”
“Are ye saying I’m contrary, Miss Talbot?”
“If the shoe fits, Mr. Geddes …”
Claire thought she heard him chuckle. If she needed any further proof of his contrariness, there it was. When she tried to get close to him, he went out of his way to avoid her. When she tried to avoid him, he pursued her. Flatter him and he took offense. Insult him and he laughed. Perhaps if she tried to drown the man, he would take a violent fancy to her!
“Ye know, this oatmeal isn’t bad,” said Ewan a short while later, after he had eaten rather a large bowl of it. He sounded surprised, as though he’d expected it to be laced with poison. “This may be just what I needed after all that rich food last night.”
“And the whiskey,” Claire muttered under her breath.
“Aye, that, too,” he admitted with irritating good cheer.
Then he glanced at her plate.
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