London.
He donned a shirt and made his way toward the great cabin to assist Lisette with the bucket. She had been struggling with caring for him long enough. It was time for him to take his rightful place again.
She came through the outer door with her heavy burden. Closing the distance with long strides, he took the bucket.
“Thank you, Lisette. You may return to your cabin to check on the welfare of your family.”
“Very well, and then I will return with nourishment.”
“I can manage on my own. You needn’t return.”
“It’s no trouble.” She started for the door. “I shan’t be long.”
“I don’t need a nursemaid.”
She stopped at the threshold and eyed him. “You are right, I’m sure, but it couldn’t hurt—”
“No, I don’t need you. Now, go see to your family.”
Her mouth fell open. The hurt pooling in her eyes caused a sharp pinch in his chest. She turned away, perhaps to hide her tears.
“Of course you don’t need me.”
Jerking the door open, she hurried from his quarters. Daniel started after her but stopped himself. Lisette might be upset with him now, but he would survive her anger. Cecily’s death was his alone to bear, and so was facing his wife’s parents in Port Albis. Lisette had enough to endure with her brother. Daniel couldn’t expect her to be his source of strength, too. No matter how tempting it was to share his burden with her.
Twelve
Lisette rolled her mourning gown into a bundle and shoved it into the sack that had become her luggage. Her new trunks, the ones she had purchased for her honeymoon trip before learning the truth about Reynaud, stayed behind at Passebon House.
Fury simmered inside her, unfurling in her belly. She had lost everything because of that blackguard—her exquisite gowns and her family home.
Serafine bustled around the dim cabin, gathering her belongings and interrupting Lisette’s self-pity. She sighed, silently chiding herself. She hadn’t lost everything, for Reynaud had been unable to take away the ones she loved. Rafe and Serafine held more value than any possession.
Serafine bumped into Lisette when she moved by her. “Cease your daydreaming.” Her cousin’s value depreciated a point. She ordered Lisette around worse than Daniel did, and Lisette was getting blasted tired of their imperious natures. “We’ll reach Port Albis soon. Hurry up.”
“I am moving fast enough. Captain Hillary won’t throw us from the ship when we dock.”
“I’m more concerned about him allowing us to leave. We must make our departure while he is otherwise occupied.”
Lisette rolled her eyes. They were not prisoners on the Cecily . “He’ll be glad to be rid of us.”
Some of her bravado slipped as the truth of her statement sank in, and she had that dreaded urge to cry. Daniel had been all too eager to toss her from his cabins.
Serafine wiggled past her with a pair of Rafe’s pants in hand, placed them on the cot, and turned. “We must search out another ship to carry us to England the moment we arrive.”
“Why so soon?” Lisette was tired of bland fare, never-ending waves, and hours of tedium. A few days on soil would be a welcome respite.
Her cousin pursed her lips. “We are leaving before you change your mind. It’s clear you have fallen in love with Captain Hillary.”
Lisette fumbled with the sack. “I have not.”
Serafine snatched the nightrail Amelia had given her from Lisette’s fingers. “Yes, you have.”
“You’re mad.” She turned her back to her cousin. “I’m grateful to Captain Hillary for helping us escape and for taking an interest in Rafe, but I have no love for the scoundrel.”
“Lisette.” Serafine spoke at her ear, causing her to jump.
“Sweet Mary! Keep to your side of the room.”
Serafine grabbed her shoulders and pushed her down to sit on the cot. “Banish these childish longings. The captain will never want anything more from you than a moment between the sheets.”
Lisette
He donned a shirt and made his way toward the great cabin to assist Lisette with the bucket. She had been struggling with caring for him long enough. It was time for him to take his rightful place again.
She came through the outer door with her heavy burden. Closing the distance with long strides, he took the bucket.
“Thank you, Lisette. You may return to your cabin to check on the welfare of your family.”
“Very well, and then I will return with nourishment.”
“I can manage on my own. You needn’t return.”
“It’s no trouble.” She started for the door. “I shan’t be long.”
“I don’t need a nursemaid.”
She stopped at the threshold and eyed him. “You are right, I’m sure, but it couldn’t hurt—”
“No, I don’t need you. Now, go see to your family.”
Her mouth fell open. The hurt pooling in her eyes caused a sharp pinch in his chest. She turned away, perhaps to hide her tears.
“Of course you don’t need me.”
Jerking the door open, she hurried from his quarters. Daniel started after her but stopped himself. Lisette might be upset with him now, but he would survive her anger. Cecily’s death was his alone to bear, and so was facing his wife’s parents in Port Albis. Lisette had enough to endure with her brother. Daniel couldn’t expect her to be his source of strength, too. No matter how tempting it was to share his burden with her.
Twelve
Lisette rolled her mourning gown into a bundle and shoved it into the sack that had become her luggage. Her new trunks, the ones she had purchased for her honeymoon trip before learning the truth about Reynaud, stayed behind at Passebon House.
Fury simmered inside her, unfurling in her belly. She had lost everything because of that blackguard—her exquisite gowns and her family home.
Serafine bustled around the dim cabin, gathering her belongings and interrupting Lisette’s self-pity. She sighed, silently chiding herself. She hadn’t lost everything, for Reynaud had been unable to take away the ones she loved. Rafe and Serafine held more value than any possession.
Serafine bumped into Lisette when she moved by her. “Cease your daydreaming.” Her cousin’s value depreciated a point. She ordered Lisette around worse than Daniel did, and Lisette was getting blasted tired of their imperious natures. “We’ll reach Port Albis soon. Hurry up.”
“I am moving fast enough. Captain Hillary won’t throw us from the ship when we dock.”
“I’m more concerned about him allowing us to leave. We must make our departure while he is otherwise occupied.”
Lisette rolled her eyes. They were not prisoners on the Cecily . “He’ll be glad to be rid of us.”
Some of her bravado slipped as the truth of her statement sank in, and she had that dreaded urge to cry. Daniel had been all too eager to toss her from his cabins.
Serafine wiggled past her with a pair of Rafe’s pants in hand, placed them on the cot, and turned. “We must search out another ship to carry us to England the moment we arrive.”
“Why so soon?” Lisette was tired of bland fare, never-ending waves, and hours of tedium. A few days on soil would be a welcome respite.
Her cousin pursed her lips. “We are leaving before you change your mind. It’s clear you have fallen in love with Captain Hillary.”
Lisette fumbled with the sack. “I have not.”
Serafine snatched the nightrail Amelia had given her from Lisette’s fingers. “Yes, you have.”
“You’re mad.” She turned her back to her cousin. “I’m grateful to Captain Hillary for helping us escape and for taking an interest in Rafe, but I have no love for the scoundrel.”
“Lisette.” Serafine spoke at her ear, causing her to jump.
“Sweet Mary! Keep to your side of the room.”
Serafine grabbed her shoulders and pushed her down to sit on the cot. “Banish these childish longings. The captain will never want anything more from you than a moment between the sheets.”
Lisette
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