allowed. “What’s this all about, Noah? It is not like you t’ be so cruel and selfish.”
Noah studied the man who had been more of a father to him than his own. “Trust me, Matthew, I am not proud of my behavior. But it serves a higher purpose.”
“If yer talkin’ about God, I doubt He has much t’ do wit’ it.”
God again
. “No. I’m referring to a plan which will free both Miss Denton and me from a marriage neither of us desires.”
“So.” Matthew folded his beefy arms across his belly. “You’re being cruel to her for her own good, eh?”
“Precisely.” Noah buttoned his waistcoat and snapped the hair from his face. It was true after all. Along with aiding his plan to break free from his father’s control.
A ray of sunlight stroked Matthew’s bald head, making him look almost angelic, despite his formidable frame. His dark eyes narrowed into pinpoints of judgment. “I’ve known you for many years, Noah. And you’re a good man deep down in there.” He pointed at Noah’s chest. “‘Bout time you figure that out for yourself and did the right thing.”
Still steaming over Matthew’s rebuke, Noah strode toward the man’s cabin where Agnes rested. He shouldn’t allow his boatswain suchliberties with his opinion. Noah was captain after all. But the old man had been there countless times when Noah needed fatherly advice. How could he turn him away simply because his advice was not what Noah wished to hear?
He knocked on the door. A female voice bade him enter, and he opened it to see Agnes lying in bed, her glazed eyes peering at him from within a puffy face, flush with fever. At her feet, Seafoam lay curled in a ball. Beside her, Miss Denton sat dabbing a cloth over her forehead. Marianne’s eyes swept over him before she quickly returned to her ministrations. No greeting? He could hardly blame her after his behavior the night before.
“Noah.” Agnes smiled. “What brings you here?”
“To inquire after your health, of course.” Noah took a step inside and was assailed with the stale smell of infirmity. “I heard you were not feeling well.”
Miss Denton wrung the cloth out in a basin of water.
“Oh, I suppose I’ll live.” Agnes tried to laugh, but it came out as a cough. She tugged at the lace of her nightdress that appeared to have a stranglehold on her neck. “Just a wee bit hot and me stomach’s twistin’ and turnin’.”
“Is there something I can get you?” Noah wove around the bed and drew a chair on the other side from where Miss Denton sat. Seafoam pried open her sleepy eyes to look his way.
“No thank you, my boy. Marianne has been an angel, takin’ care o’ me all through the night.”
Through the night? Noah gazed at Miss Denton as she laid a cloth over Agnes’s forehead.
“I apologize, Noah, for not makin’ yer breakfast,” Agnes said.
Noah took her hand. “Madam, you think that concerns me? The crew will make do. All that matters is that you get well.” Her hand felt warm, but not too warm. He brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek. Hot, but he’d felt worse. His alarm dissipated.
Only then did Miss Denton look at him with the most peculiar stare before she quickly averted her eyes.
The ship pitched and her eyes widened a moment. A sail snapped above.
Rising, Seafoam stretched and made her way to Noah, jumping into his lap. The old cat had been a gift from their father to both Noah and Jacob on their first crossing to England nearly fourteen years ago. A kitten at the time, she had grown up on this ship, knew every crevice and cranny, and had feasted on her fair share of rats. Noah scratched beneath her chin, and Seafoam stretched her neck upward and purred in response. This old cat and the handkerchief in his pocket were the last things Noah had that had belonged to Jacob.
Agnes squeezed his hand, jarring him from his thoughts. “Order
Noah studied the man who had been more of a father to him than his own. “Trust me, Matthew, I am not proud of my behavior. But it serves a higher purpose.”
“If yer talkin’ about God, I doubt He has much t’ do wit’ it.”
God again
. “No. I’m referring to a plan which will free both Miss Denton and me from a marriage neither of us desires.”
“So.” Matthew folded his beefy arms across his belly. “You’re being cruel to her for her own good, eh?”
“Precisely.” Noah buttoned his waistcoat and snapped the hair from his face. It was true after all. Along with aiding his plan to break free from his father’s control.
A ray of sunlight stroked Matthew’s bald head, making him look almost angelic, despite his formidable frame. His dark eyes narrowed into pinpoints of judgment. “I’ve known you for many years, Noah. And you’re a good man deep down in there.” He pointed at Noah’s chest. “‘Bout time you figure that out for yourself and did the right thing.”
Still steaming over Matthew’s rebuke, Noah strode toward the man’s cabin where Agnes rested. He shouldn’t allow his boatswain suchliberties with his opinion. Noah was captain after all. But the old man had been there countless times when Noah needed fatherly advice. How could he turn him away simply because his advice was not what Noah wished to hear?
He knocked on the door. A female voice bade him enter, and he opened it to see Agnes lying in bed, her glazed eyes peering at him from within a puffy face, flush with fever. At her feet, Seafoam lay curled in a ball. Beside her, Miss Denton sat dabbing a cloth over her forehead. Marianne’s eyes swept over him before she quickly returned to her ministrations. No greeting? He could hardly blame her after his behavior the night before.
“Noah.” Agnes smiled. “What brings you here?”
“To inquire after your health, of course.” Noah took a step inside and was assailed with the stale smell of infirmity. “I heard you were not feeling well.”
Miss Denton wrung the cloth out in a basin of water.
“Oh, I suppose I’ll live.” Agnes tried to laugh, but it came out as a cough. She tugged at the lace of her nightdress that appeared to have a stranglehold on her neck. “Just a wee bit hot and me stomach’s twistin’ and turnin’.”
“Is there something I can get you?” Noah wove around the bed and drew a chair on the other side from where Miss Denton sat. Seafoam pried open her sleepy eyes to look his way.
“No thank you, my boy. Marianne has been an angel, takin’ care o’ me all through the night.”
Through the night? Noah gazed at Miss Denton as she laid a cloth over Agnes’s forehead.
“I apologize, Noah, for not makin’ yer breakfast,” Agnes said.
Noah took her hand. “Madam, you think that concerns me? The crew will make do. All that matters is that you get well.” Her hand felt warm, but not too warm. He brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek. Hot, but he’d felt worse. His alarm dissipated.
Only then did Miss Denton look at him with the most peculiar stare before she quickly averted her eyes.
The ship pitched and her eyes widened a moment. A sail snapped above.
Rising, Seafoam stretched and made her way to Noah, jumping into his lap. The old cat had been a gift from their father to both Noah and Jacob on their first crossing to England nearly fourteen years ago. A kitten at the time, she had grown up on this ship, knew every crevice and cranny, and had feasted on her fair share of rats. Noah scratched beneath her chin, and Seafoam stretched her neck upward and purred in response. This old cat and the handkerchief in his pocket were the last things Noah had that had belonged to Jacob.
Agnes squeezed his hand, jarring him from his thoughts. “Order
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