only called her girl when he was working hard at being irritable. “I shall miss you so very much,” she said. “Dr. Stuart promises he will help me keep a journal and write letters. I will record every aspect of the voyage in such detail, you will think you've been part of it. I'm coming back to you with my eyes wide open, my brother in hand, and offering up your share of the treasure. You'll see, dear Stickle, it won't be long.” She stood on tiptoe. Her ebony cane brushed against his leg as she kissed him on the cheek.
He blustered a bit at this public display of affection, but Strickland's ice-blue eyes had taken on a watery edge.
Claire removed herself from the duke's embrace. She found Rand's elbow again.
"God's speed, Claire,” Strickland said. He turned and hurried down the gangboard. It was pulled up as soon as his feet touched the wharf.
"Is he going to his carriage?” Claire asked.
"Yes,” Rand told her.
She nodded. “I didn't think he could bear to just stand there and wave me off. Still, I'd like to stay here until we're away."
"Of course, as long as you like.” Rand watched Claire raise her face. Her smile held the kind of serenity he did not associate with her. He wondered whether Claire could sustain that rare calm if she knew what he was thinking.
Chapter Four
Cerberus was ten days out of London before Macauley Stuart acquired his sea legs. “Perhaps you would like to take a turn on deck,” Claire suggested as he escorted her into the companionway. It was really very encouraging that the doctor had not bolted from the captain's table during the meal as he had on the occasion of every other dinner.
"A turn on deck,” he repeated, assessing the steadiness of his legs and his stomach. “Just the thing. Shall we get your cane from your cabin?"
Claire shook her head. “As long as you stay at my side, I'll be fine."
"Very well. Lead on."
"I believe it's you who should lead on,” she reminded him. She squeezed his elbow lightly to show that she was in position a half step behind him.
"Quite right, Miss Bancroft. You make it so easy to forget."
Claire accepted that as a compliment. She was also of the opinion that she had managed a confident transition from land to sea. It was something of a feather in her cap that she had accomplished most of it without the aid of Dr. Stuart. When he was not leaning over the rail in the choppy Atlantic waters, he had confined himself to his quarters, and Claire was largely left to her own devices.
When they rose from the companionway onto the deck Claire lifted her face eagerly into the rush of wind. “It's like flying, Doctor."
"You'll forgive me if I don't share your enthusiasm."
Claire laughed. In short order she had her bearings and pointed Stuart to the starboard side. “I believe we'll start in the weather,” she said, “and finish in the calm."
Stuart wondered what she meant by calm. “It's been my experience that there is no calm on these seas, only less weather."
Claire smiled. “You may be right."
* * * *
From his position on the quarterdeck Cutch watched the doctor and Claire begin their turn. Moments later Rand appeared from the main companionway.
"Appears he survived his dinner this evening,” Cutch noted when Rand joined him. Out of the corner of his eye he watched his captain carefully. “Of course, the evening isn't over."
Rand's eyes followed the couple's progress. “Hmmm."
"That's what I thought. Why don't you send the good doctor off?"
"I can hardly make him walk the plank,” said Rand.
Cutch chuckled deeply. It occurred to him that Rand might not have realized he'd spoken aloud. Cutch seized the opportunity anyway. “I'll think of something.” He started off toward Claire and the doctor before Rand could call him back.
Watching him go, Rand shook his head. He had no choice but to follow. If Cutch succeeded in removing Stuart from Claire's side, then Claire would require some assistance. Not that she wouldn't
He blustered a bit at this public display of affection, but Strickland's ice-blue eyes had taken on a watery edge.
Claire removed herself from the duke's embrace. She found Rand's elbow again.
"God's speed, Claire,” Strickland said. He turned and hurried down the gangboard. It was pulled up as soon as his feet touched the wharf.
"Is he going to his carriage?” Claire asked.
"Yes,” Rand told her.
She nodded. “I didn't think he could bear to just stand there and wave me off. Still, I'd like to stay here until we're away."
"Of course, as long as you like.” Rand watched Claire raise her face. Her smile held the kind of serenity he did not associate with her. He wondered whether Claire could sustain that rare calm if she knew what he was thinking.
Chapter Four
Cerberus was ten days out of London before Macauley Stuart acquired his sea legs. “Perhaps you would like to take a turn on deck,” Claire suggested as he escorted her into the companionway. It was really very encouraging that the doctor had not bolted from the captain's table during the meal as he had on the occasion of every other dinner.
"A turn on deck,” he repeated, assessing the steadiness of his legs and his stomach. “Just the thing. Shall we get your cane from your cabin?"
Claire shook her head. “As long as you stay at my side, I'll be fine."
"Very well. Lead on."
"I believe it's you who should lead on,” she reminded him. She squeezed his elbow lightly to show that she was in position a half step behind him.
"Quite right, Miss Bancroft. You make it so easy to forget."
Claire accepted that as a compliment. She was also of the opinion that she had managed a confident transition from land to sea. It was something of a feather in her cap that she had accomplished most of it without the aid of Dr. Stuart. When he was not leaning over the rail in the choppy Atlantic waters, he had confined himself to his quarters, and Claire was largely left to her own devices.
When they rose from the companionway onto the deck Claire lifted her face eagerly into the rush of wind. “It's like flying, Doctor."
"You'll forgive me if I don't share your enthusiasm."
Claire laughed. In short order she had her bearings and pointed Stuart to the starboard side. “I believe we'll start in the weather,” she said, “and finish in the calm."
Stuart wondered what she meant by calm. “It's been my experience that there is no calm on these seas, only less weather."
Claire smiled. “You may be right."
* * * *
From his position on the quarterdeck Cutch watched the doctor and Claire begin their turn. Moments later Rand appeared from the main companionway.
"Appears he survived his dinner this evening,” Cutch noted when Rand joined him. Out of the corner of his eye he watched his captain carefully. “Of course, the evening isn't over."
Rand's eyes followed the couple's progress. “Hmmm."
"That's what I thought. Why don't you send the good doctor off?"
"I can hardly make him walk the plank,” said Rand.
Cutch chuckled deeply. It occurred to him that Rand might not have realized he'd spoken aloud. Cutch seized the opportunity anyway. “I'll think of something.” He started off toward Claire and the doctor before Rand could call him back.
Watching him go, Rand shook his head. He had no choice but to follow. If Cutch succeeded in removing Stuart from Claire's side, then Claire would require some assistance. Not that she wouldn't
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