bottom of the steps, his eyes narrowed grimly. “Julie, go to your cabin and stay there. I told you: we don’t know what kind of ship it is. We may be fired on. Federal steamers are in these waters, and if they demand to board, we’d have a hell of a lot of questions to answer. If they find out the Ariane is a blockade runner, then we’re all in danger. Now do as I say. I’ll let you know when it’s safe.”
He saw her mother for the first time. “You too. Get in your cabin and stay there. If you hear any firing, lie down on the floor.”
Then he disappeared up the steps. Julie turned and hurried back to her cabin, looking about for something to put on. She had no intention of being caught in her nightgown if the Yankees did board.
Her mother followed her. Instead of being frightened about the possibility that their ship might be attacked, she was overcome with rage because of the implication of Captain Arnhardt being in her daughter’s cabin, especially the way the two had been dressed, and at such an early hour.
“I demand to know what has been going on here,” she cried. Then she saw Derek’s boots, carelessly tossed on the floor beside the bed, and his shirt lying nearby. In anguish she whispered, “Julie, no. Don’t tell me you and the captain were…” She could not bring herself to speak the actual words.
Julie felt herself reddening as she groped in her trunk for a dress. What could she say? Denial was futile. Finally she croaked out an apology. “I’m sorry you had to know.”
“I…I thought you loathed him,” was all her mother could think of to say. “I never dreamed this was going on.”
Julie finished dressing, then went to where her mother had sunk down on the edge of the bed. Kneeling before her, Julie reached up and clasped her mother’s trembling hands. She attempted to explain herself. “Mother, I did loathe him at first, but he’s so tender and loving. Oh, how can I tell you what’s happened to me? I don’t even understand it myself. I can’t describe it. I know it’s wrong, but I’m helpless.”
“Dear Lord.” Her mother swayed. “Julie, you aren’t falling in love with him, are you? Oh, please say that you aren’t.”
It was a long time before Julie could answer. “I haven’t thought about it.” And it was true. She hadn’t, not till now, when her heart began to pound tremulously at the idea. Did she love him? Was that the reason her body could not deny him and came awake so easily beneath his touch?
No. It wasn’t possible. Especially when he’d made it clear she was merely a woman to take his pleasure with whenever he felt the need. He would never offer her more than the degrading status of being his mistress. He’d certainly given her no hint that she could ever possess his heart. What they shared was passion, lust, pleasure—nothing more. It would be foolish to think their coupling meant anything else.
Not wanting to discuss it further, Julie got to her feet. “I have to know what’s going on out there.” She ran out of the cabin, down the hall, and scurried up the steps. Her mother called to her frantically to return, warning her there might be danger, but she paid no heed. For not only was she running to find out whether there was going to be an attack, she was also running away from something she was not ready to face or think about.
The upper deck was in a state of confusion as crewmen scurried about loading guns and stacking ammunition. The air was tense, strained, and no one so much as glanced her way as she moved to where Derek and his three officers stood on the bridge. Derek peered through a long, cylindrical instrument with one eye; his other was squeezed shut. Julie assumed it must be a telescope, though she’d never seen one before.
He barked with authority to no one in particular, “Tell the firemen to keep stoking the furnaces. We’ve got to move faster. That’s a Yankee ship, and she’s gaining on us. Hell, why didn’t
He saw her mother for the first time. “You too. Get in your cabin and stay there. If you hear any firing, lie down on the floor.”
Then he disappeared up the steps. Julie turned and hurried back to her cabin, looking about for something to put on. She had no intention of being caught in her nightgown if the Yankees did board.
Her mother followed her. Instead of being frightened about the possibility that their ship might be attacked, she was overcome with rage because of the implication of Captain Arnhardt being in her daughter’s cabin, especially the way the two had been dressed, and at such an early hour.
“I demand to know what has been going on here,” she cried. Then she saw Derek’s boots, carelessly tossed on the floor beside the bed, and his shirt lying nearby. In anguish she whispered, “Julie, no. Don’t tell me you and the captain were…” She could not bring herself to speak the actual words.
Julie felt herself reddening as she groped in her trunk for a dress. What could she say? Denial was futile. Finally she croaked out an apology. “I’m sorry you had to know.”
“I…I thought you loathed him,” was all her mother could think of to say. “I never dreamed this was going on.”
Julie finished dressing, then went to where her mother had sunk down on the edge of the bed. Kneeling before her, Julie reached up and clasped her mother’s trembling hands. She attempted to explain herself. “Mother, I did loathe him at first, but he’s so tender and loving. Oh, how can I tell you what’s happened to me? I don’t even understand it myself. I can’t describe it. I know it’s wrong, but I’m helpless.”
“Dear Lord.” Her mother swayed. “Julie, you aren’t falling in love with him, are you? Oh, please say that you aren’t.”
It was a long time before Julie could answer. “I haven’t thought about it.” And it was true. She hadn’t, not till now, when her heart began to pound tremulously at the idea. Did she love him? Was that the reason her body could not deny him and came awake so easily beneath his touch?
No. It wasn’t possible. Especially when he’d made it clear she was merely a woman to take his pleasure with whenever he felt the need. He would never offer her more than the degrading status of being his mistress. He’d certainly given her no hint that she could ever possess his heart. What they shared was passion, lust, pleasure—nothing more. It would be foolish to think their coupling meant anything else.
Not wanting to discuss it further, Julie got to her feet. “I have to know what’s going on out there.” She ran out of the cabin, down the hall, and scurried up the steps. Her mother called to her frantically to return, warning her there might be danger, but she paid no heed. For not only was she running to find out whether there was going to be an attack, she was also running away from something she was not ready to face or think about.
The upper deck was in a state of confusion as crewmen scurried about loading guns and stacking ammunition. The air was tense, strained, and no one so much as glanced her way as she moved to where Derek and his three officers stood on the bridge. Derek peered through a long, cylindrical instrument with one eye; his other was squeezed shut. Julie assumed it must be a telescope, though she’d never seen one before.
He barked with authority to no one in particular, “Tell the firemen to keep stoking the furnaces. We’ve got to move faster. That’s a Yankee ship, and she’s gaining on us. Hell, why didn’t
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