splash of brandy into a glass, handing it to Alexa. She took a sip, coughed, then drank again, this time more deeply. “I want to go with you, Mac,” she blurted out.
“I don’t know when or even if I’ll return to England again, Alexa,” he said hesitantly. He wasn’t sure what she was asking.
“I don’t care if I never see England again,” she was quick to respond. “I intend to make a new life for myself. You can put me ashore anywhere, France, America, even one of the islands.” She sounded desperate and Mac wondered what had happened to cause her such anguish.
“What happened to Charles? Wasn’t your father happy to see you? My God, Alexa, what took place during the past week?”
The pain visible in Alexa’s huge violet eyes was nearly more than Mac could bear. “Charles no longer wanted me. Adam ruined me for marriage and his peculiar method of revenge made a scandal of the Ashley name, just exactly like he planned.”
“What of your father? Surely he loved you enough to …”
Alexa’s harsh laugh cut off his words in the middle of a sentence. “I learned a cruel lesson. I never really knew my father. He could no longer stand the sight of me. In his eyes I had been corrupted by a Foxworth and no longer deserved his love and protection. He … he was forcing me into marriage to a man old enough to be my grandfather. When Sir Henry tried to force me in my own home I decided to leave.”
“That bastard!” gritted out Mac. “Where was your father when all this took place?”
“Sir Henry obviously had my father’s blessing. My father decided that under the circumstances I could do no better than Sir Henry. So I left. Please don’t turn me away, Mac. I’ve no one else to turn to, no place to go.”
“I’ll always be here for you, milady,” Mac assured her. “If you’re serious about leaving England I’ll take you with me. I’m going to Virginia and … and I’ll take care of you if you’ll let me.” It wasn’t exactly a marriage proposal but Mac felt it was too soon to declare his feelings. Perhaps by the time the voyage ended …
All that Alexa heard was that Mac would take her away and she would have a chance at a new life. The rest was quickly forgotten in a rush of gratitude so profound that Alexa immediately threw herself into Mac’s arms, completely unaware of his tender feelings for her. “Thank you, Mac, you’re the best friend anyone could have. And I’ll try not to be a burden to you.”
“You could never be that, milady,” Mac assured her, his blue eyes twinkling merrily. “I’ll show you to your cabin. Did you bring any luggage?”
Alexa nodded, her eyes swimming with tears of gratitude. She started to protest when he showed her to the captain’s cabin, but he would hear none of it. “I insist, Alexa. I’ll bunk in with the first mate.” He grinned jauntily. “I’ll see that your bags are brought to you so you can get settled.” He would gladly give all he possessed to share the cabin with her.
At high tide the
Lady
A slipped her moorings and quietly sailed from London Harbor, her journey down the Thames uneventful. In the darkness she easily slid past several warships in the English Channel unchallenged and finally into the endless Atlantic. Once they were well out of sight of English shores the Union Jack was hauled down from the mast amid much cheering and clapping by the crew members whose hatred for English oppression was well-known.
Alexa felt nothing but immense relief when the last sliver of English soil slipped beneath the horizon. No matter what the future held it was better than what she left behind.
Though the weather was cold and brisk, often laced with driving snow or sleet, Alexa spent a good part of each day on deck. Often, fearing for her health, Mac was forced to send her to her cabin. But despite of, or perhaps because of, the harsh weather, Alexa’s health prospered. Each day Mac became more and more enchanted by her sparkling
“I don’t know when or even if I’ll return to England again, Alexa,” he said hesitantly. He wasn’t sure what she was asking.
“I don’t care if I never see England again,” she was quick to respond. “I intend to make a new life for myself. You can put me ashore anywhere, France, America, even one of the islands.” She sounded desperate and Mac wondered what had happened to cause her such anguish.
“What happened to Charles? Wasn’t your father happy to see you? My God, Alexa, what took place during the past week?”
The pain visible in Alexa’s huge violet eyes was nearly more than Mac could bear. “Charles no longer wanted me. Adam ruined me for marriage and his peculiar method of revenge made a scandal of the Ashley name, just exactly like he planned.”
“What of your father? Surely he loved you enough to …”
Alexa’s harsh laugh cut off his words in the middle of a sentence. “I learned a cruel lesson. I never really knew my father. He could no longer stand the sight of me. In his eyes I had been corrupted by a Foxworth and no longer deserved his love and protection. He … he was forcing me into marriage to a man old enough to be my grandfather. When Sir Henry tried to force me in my own home I decided to leave.”
“That bastard!” gritted out Mac. “Where was your father when all this took place?”
“Sir Henry obviously had my father’s blessing. My father decided that under the circumstances I could do no better than Sir Henry. So I left. Please don’t turn me away, Mac. I’ve no one else to turn to, no place to go.”
“I’ll always be here for you, milady,” Mac assured her. “If you’re serious about leaving England I’ll take you with me. I’m going to Virginia and … and I’ll take care of you if you’ll let me.” It wasn’t exactly a marriage proposal but Mac felt it was too soon to declare his feelings. Perhaps by the time the voyage ended …
All that Alexa heard was that Mac would take her away and she would have a chance at a new life. The rest was quickly forgotten in a rush of gratitude so profound that Alexa immediately threw herself into Mac’s arms, completely unaware of his tender feelings for her. “Thank you, Mac, you’re the best friend anyone could have. And I’ll try not to be a burden to you.”
“You could never be that, milady,” Mac assured her, his blue eyes twinkling merrily. “I’ll show you to your cabin. Did you bring any luggage?”
Alexa nodded, her eyes swimming with tears of gratitude. She started to protest when he showed her to the captain’s cabin, but he would hear none of it. “I insist, Alexa. I’ll bunk in with the first mate.” He grinned jauntily. “I’ll see that your bags are brought to you so you can get settled.” He would gladly give all he possessed to share the cabin with her.
At high tide the
Lady
A slipped her moorings and quietly sailed from London Harbor, her journey down the Thames uneventful. In the darkness she easily slid past several warships in the English Channel unchallenged and finally into the endless Atlantic. Once they were well out of sight of English shores the Union Jack was hauled down from the mast amid much cheering and clapping by the crew members whose hatred for English oppression was well-known.
Alexa felt nothing but immense relief when the last sliver of English soil slipped beneath the horizon. No matter what the future held it was better than what she left behind.
Though the weather was cold and brisk, often laced with driving snow or sleet, Alexa spent a good part of each day on deck. Often, fearing for her health, Mac was forced to send her to her cabin. But despite of, or perhaps because of, the harsh weather, Alexa’s health prospered. Each day Mac became more and more enchanted by her sparkling
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