a woman did he think she was?
He nodded and released a mirthless chuckle. "Then I suggest you get to your cabin while you still have one." With that, he slammed the door behind him, and she listened as he made his way forward until the thud of his boots gave way to the howl of the wind.
The night was spent in abject misery. The storm didn't abate until well after dawn, and though the Seabravery seemed to have survived with no great damage, Aurora suspected there wasn't a soul on board ship who had slept through the turbulent night.
She most certainly had not. In fact she was up and dressed by the time Vashon returned from the decks. Amid the now gentle rocking of the ship, she heard his weary footfalls as he made his way past her door. She'd almost been tempted to speak to him, to open her door and say something about their encounter the night before. But she quickly stopped herself. There were no appropriate words. After all, she admonished herself, what was there to say? Nothing had happened, really, and the worst was not what he had done at all. The worst was what she had wanted to happen. She'd spent the night wondering if deep down she hadn't truly wanted him to kiss her, wanted that exotic, dangerous man to put his lips on her own and show her just what she would have missed if she had married John. But, as she told herself now, that certainly required no comment or apology from him.
When he was secluded in his cabin, she collected herself, then ventured forth to see to Mrs. Lindstrom's welfare. The widow's maid was prostrate with seasickness when she arrived, but Aurora was happy to find Flossie up and making herself tea on the porcelain stove with no apparent ill effects herself.
They had just sat down to take some refreshment when Captain Corbeil knocked on the cabin door. He seemed pleased to see them both so well, though he did take note of the moans of Mrs. Lindstrom's maid from her tiny bed in the corner. The captain, looking spent and aged from his ordeal with the weather, didn't stay long, but before he left, he gave them some news at which Aurora didn't know whether to be happy or horrified.
It seemed that the storm had purchased them some luck and driven them farther west than they thought. They were now only two days away from St. George's.
Chapter Seven
Their early arrival at St. George's caused some confusion. Messengers had to be sent all through the island to notify the relatives of passengers that the Seabravery had docked. Though it took most of the day, Aurora watched as one by one the passengers left for their homes. The Wainwrights with their three-month-old baby were the first to depart in a curricle. The Magoun brothers, practically falling over each other, said a lingering, wistful farewell to Aurora until their phaeton arrived from their father's plantation near Hamilton.
The best farewell, however, came inadvertently from Miss Gideon. From the weather deck Aurora watched as the carriage pulled up to the dock for the governess and her charge. Aurora was loath to see little Hester go, until she saw a man spring from the carriage and eagerly assist his wife's descent. When they finally caught sight of Hester, the couple paused as if they weren't sure how to proceed, but before another moment passed, the man bent down and scooped Hester into his arms while his wife laughed and wiped the tears from her eyes. Suddenly Aurora knew Hester was going to be all right; she would indeed be one of the lucky ones. She was even more convinced of it when the carriage made ready to depart and Miss Gideon was hoisted up top to sit with the driver. After the voyage, the woman was now put back in the position of servant, and her influence on Hester's life would be lessened. And this didn't seem to suit the woman at all. She looked as disagreeable as ever when she was forced to hold on for dear life while the driver sped away to parts unknown.
With amusement dancing in her eyes, Aurora turned to see Mrs.
He nodded and released a mirthless chuckle. "Then I suggest you get to your cabin while you still have one." With that, he slammed the door behind him, and she listened as he made his way forward until the thud of his boots gave way to the howl of the wind.
The night was spent in abject misery. The storm didn't abate until well after dawn, and though the Seabravery seemed to have survived with no great damage, Aurora suspected there wasn't a soul on board ship who had slept through the turbulent night.
She most certainly had not. In fact she was up and dressed by the time Vashon returned from the decks. Amid the now gentle rocking of the ship, she heard his weary footfalls as he made his way past her door. She'd almost been tempted to speak to him, to open her door and say something about their encounter the night before. But she quickly stopped herself. There were no appropriate words. After all, she admonished herself, what was there to say? Nothing had happened, really, and the worst was not what he had done at all. The worst was what she had wanted to happen. She'd spent the night wondering if deep down she hadn't truly wanted him to kiss her, wanted that exotic, dangerous man to put his lips on her own and show her just what she would have missed if she had married John. But, as she told herself now, that certainly required no comment or apology from him.
When he was secluded in his cabin, she collected herself, then ventured forth to see to Mrs. Lindstrom's welfare. The widow's maid was prostrate with seasickness when she arrived, but Aurora was happy to find Flossie up and making herself tea on the porcelain stove with no apparent ill effects herself.
They had just sat down to take some refreshment when Captain Corbeil knocked on the cabin door. He seemed pleased to see them both so well, though he did take note of the moans of Mrs. Lindstrom's maid from her tiny bed in the corner. The captain, looking spent and aged from his ordeal with the weather, didn't stay long, but before he left, he gave them some news at which Aurora didn't know whether to be happy or horrified.
It seemed that the storm had purchased them some luck and driven them farther west than they thought. They were now only two days away from St. George's.
Chapter Seven
Their early arrival at St. George's caused some confusion. Messengers had to be sent all through the island to notify the relatives of passengers that the Seabravery had docked. Though it took most of the day, Aurora watched as one by one the passengers left for their homes. The Wainwrights with their three-month-old baby were the first to depart in a curricle. The Magoun brothers, practically falling over each other, said a lingering, wistful farewell to Aurora until their phaeton arrived from their father's plantation near Hamilton.
The best farewell, however, came inadvertently from Miss Gideon. From the weather deck Aurora watched as the carriage pulled up to the dock for the governess and her charge. Aurora was loath to see little Hester go, until she saw a man spring from the carriage and eagerly assist his wife's descent. When they finally caught sight of Hester, the couple paused as if they weren't sure how to proceed, but before another moment passed, the man bent down and scooped Hester into his arms while his wife laughed and wiped the tears from her eyes. Suddenly Aurora knew Hester was going to be all right; she would indeed be one of the lucky ones. She was even more convinced of it when the carriage made ready to depart and Miss Gideon was hoisted up top to sit with the driver. After the voyage, the woman was now put back in the position of servant, and her influence on Hester's life would be lessened. And this didn't seem to suit the woman at all. She looked as disagreeable as ever when she was forced to hold on for dear life while the driver sped away to parts unknown.
With amusement dancing in her eyes, Aurora turned to see Mrs.
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