Victory would be sailing a lot more slowly. But he knew the right thing to do was help the women find Lady Trenton. He did not want her to be abandoned and abused like he was as a child. She did not deserve that. No one deserved that.
"Yes, I will gladly assist you. Where were they heading for?" His merchant work would be requiring him to sail to the Caribbean sometime soon anyway. He might as well help the women while he did so.
"Thank you so, so much, Captain Emery!" Lady Dawson cried, nearly leaping up and down. It looked like she was about to give him a hug so he stepped away quickly. Matthew remembered when he had first attended the church and seen Lady Dawson, her golden hair in braids. He distinctly recalled an occurrence where she had selfishly ripped her doll out of another child’s hands, refusing to share. Matthew had always been mesmerized by her beauty and yet appalled at how spoiled the young woman was.
"They were going to Port Royal, Captain Emery. We must set sail immediately; I heard Lord Rutger started off on the voyage last night. We need to hurry if we wish to find Eden before he does." Lady Shaw pushed a tendril of hair behind her ear.
"We?" Matthew questioned. He had not agreed on the women accompanying him. It could be dangerous, and they could be a distraction to his sailors.
"Yes, Aimee and I must join you, of course," Lady Shaw explained patiently, glancing over at Lady Dawson.
"I will not have it." Matthew crossed his arms across his chest. A merchant ship was no place for two lovely ladies.
"Please! We must be there for Eden." Lady Dawson’s pretty pink lips formed to make both an adorable yet ridiculous-looking pout.
Mathew rolled his eyes.
"I will not put you women in danger aboard my ship." A deep, sudden sadness weighed on Matthew’s chest. It upset him to refuse to take these ladies with him, but he did not want them hurt.
"Please, sir, we will pay for our way. You truly can't refuse us.” Ivy held out her reticule and cocked her eyebrow.
"No, it is not about the money, Lady Shaw. Besides, I own a merchant ship, not a passenger ship. You ladies—“ he truly meant Lady Trenton and Lady Shaw; he did not know Lady Dawson besides what he had seen from her while he stood in the background, “—are practically my family, you have helped me so much. I have none of my own." Lady Dawson was never one to help or care about anyone other than herself.
How could Matthew refuse to try to help save Lady Trenton from Lord Rutger? She had befriended him far more times than he could count. He knew the right thing to do was help, and the ladies were not going to take no for an answer. Surely nothing dangerous would happen if they went on his ship just this once. Besides, they would be helpful in assisting him to search for her. Well, Lady Shaw might. So far, he was not yet convinced of Lady Dawson. Nonetheless, he knew his answer, whether he liked it or not. "You women are welcome any day onboard my ship."
****
Caspian sat in the armchair he had pulled up next to Lady Trenton's bedside, elbow planted on his knees, chin resting on his palms. His late wife’s Bible was perched on his lap. He had uncharacteristically taken to praying for Lady Trenton days ago. The little lady was always so certain her God was with her constantly that Caspian thought he had better check in with her heavenly Father, just to make sure He was remembering her. Caspian glanced over at the angel sleeping on his bed. Umber curls cascaded down her back. She groaned and rolled over in her sleep. Her dark, thick lashes fluttered.
He dropped his arms and raised his head, depositing the Bible on his desk. Her pretty brown doe eyes opened and then soon grew wide with fear and shock.
Thank you, God, if this was truly Your doing.
"Where-where—“ she stammered, struggling to rise. “Are you going to… to…” She gave up and finally sank back down onto the bed.
"Shush, sweetheart, it's all right.”
She was either
"Yes, I will gladly assist you. Where were they heading for?" His merchant work would be requiring him to sail to the Caribbean sometime soon anyway. He might as well help the women while he did so.
"Thank you so, so much, Captain Emery!" Lady Dawson cried, nearly leaping up and down. It looked like she was about to give him a hug so he stepped away quickly. Matthew remembered when he had first attended the church and seen Lady Dawson, her golden hair in braids. He distinctly recalled an occurrence where she had selfishly ripped her doll out of another child’s hands, refusing to share. Matthew had always been mesmerized by her beauty and yet appalled at how spoiled the young woman was.
"They were going to Port Royal, Captain Emery. We must set sail immediately; I heard Lord Rutger started off on the voyage last night. We need to hurry if we wish to find Eden before he does." Lady Shaw pushed a tendril of hair behind her ear.
"We?" Matthew questioned. He had not agreed on the women accompanying him. It could be dangerous, and they could be a distraction to his sailors.
"Yes, Aimee and I must join you, of course," Lady Shaw explained patiently, glancing over at Lady Dawson.
"I will not have it." Matthew crossed his arms across his chest. A merchant ship was no place for two lovely ladies.
"Please! We must be there for Eden." Lady Dawson’s pretty pink lips formed to make both an adorable yet ridiculous-looking pout.
Mathew rolled his eyes.
"I will not put you women in danger aboard my ship." A deep, sudden sadness weighed on Matthew’s chest. It upset him to refuse to take these ladies with him, but he did not want them hurt.
"Please, sir, we will pay for our way. You truly can't refuse us.” Ivy held out her reticule and cocked her eyebrow.
"No, it is not about the money, Lady Shaw. Besides, I own a merchant ship, not a passenger ship. You ladies—“ he truly meant Lady Trenton and Lady Shaw; he did not know Lady Dawson besides what he had seen from her while he stood in the background, “—are practically my family, you have helped me so much. I have none of my own." Lady Dawson was never one to help or care about anyone other than herself.
How could Matthew refuse to try to help save Lady Trenton from Lord Rutger? She had befriended him far more times than he could count. He knew the right thing to do was help, and the ladies were not going to take no for an answer. Surely nothing dangerous would happen if they went on his ship just this once. Besides, they would be helpful in assisting him to search for her. Well, Lady Shaw might. So far, he was not yet convinced of Lady Dawson. Nonetheless, he knew his answer, whether he liked it or not. "You women are welcome any day onboard my ship."
****
Caspian sat in the armchair he had pulled up next to Lady Trenton's bedside, elbow planted on his knees, chin resting on his palms. His late wife’s Bible was perched on his lap. He had uncharacteristically taken to praying for Lady Trenton days ago. The little lady was always so certain her God was with her constantly that Caspian thought he had better check in with her heavenly Father, just to make sure He was remembering her. Caspian glanced over at the angel sleeping on his bed. Umber curls cascaded down her back. She groaned and rolled over in her sleep. Her dark, thick lashes fluttered.
He dropped his arms and raised his head, depositing the Bible on his desk. Her pretty brown doe eyes opened and then soon grew wide with fear and shock.
Thank you, God, if this was truly Your doing.
"Where-where—“ she stammered, struggling to rise. “Are you going to… to…” She gave up and finally sank back down onto the bed.
"Shush, sweetheart, it's all right.”
She was either
Similar Books
