Authors: Heart of the Storm
Rexanne Becnel (15 page)
“Never fear, I shall be careful not to topple you over. But you must be exhausted. Do you want to sit down? Xavier can help you up—”
“No. I can do it myself.” So saying he pursed his lips in concentration, then lifted his crippled foot over the threshold. His fingers tightened on the door frame; his knuckles whitened from his efforts. Then he heaved upward with a grunt, and in less than a heartbeat, he stood on the deck. And all by his own effort.
Eliza couldn’t help herself. This time she did throw her arms around him, though she was careful not to unbalance him.
“Well done, my boy,” Xavier said, grinning.
From up above there wafted, “Ahoy, mate! Good job!” Oliver waved down and Aubrey, squinting up into
the brilliant autumn sky, waved an enthusiastic response with one hand while leaning on Eliza with the other.
the brilliant autumn sky, waved an enthusiastic response with one hand while leaning on Eliza with the other.
Just beyond them on the poop deck Cyprian stood looking down at them. Had he seen how hard Aubrey had worked to get up those steps? Eliza wondered. She hoped so. When his eyes met hers, however, she deliberately turned back to Aubrey.
“My goodness,” she exclaimed. “Where would you like to go now that you’re topside?”
With a grin Aubrey glanced hopefully up at Oliver’s distant figure, so high above them, swaying crazily in the tiny crow’s nest.
Eliza gasped in dismay. “Don’t even toy with such an idea, Aubrey Haberton.”
“If I were you, I’d turn a deaf ear to her warnings,” Cyprian said, drawing her attention again, and everyone else’s too. As they watched, he descended the short run of steps, looking far too … too elemental, Eliza decided on a flight of fancy. He was every inch the daring sea captain. Call him a smuggler or even a pirate. Whatever, he was the most purely masculine creature Eliza had ever laid eyes upon. And he scared her to death.
She felt Aubrey stiffen and she automatically edged nearer him. Oh, please, not another conflict between the two of them. But to her surprise, Aubrey’s expression was more cautious than antagonistic. And curious.
“So you mean you think I
should
climb up there?” the boy addressed Cyprian directly. Belligerently, even.
should
climb up there?” the boy addressed Cyprian directly. Belligerently, even.
“I don’t see why not, once you’re strong enough. Besides, all sailors have to know how to climb the riggings.”
Eliza wanted to tell Aubrey no, but the slow smile that spread across his childish face was too excited, too wondrous. She couldn’t dash his hopes just yet. Not now when he’d just begun to walk again.
Besides, she realized, it was not likely her word would carry any weight with Aubrey, not if both Oliver and
Cyprian were urging him to more and more reckless feats. As she stared at Cyprian, puzzled and yet pleased by this first glimmer of interest he’d shown in Aubrey’s improving health, Cyprian turned his enigmatic gaze on her. “It appears that life at sea suits your cousin far better than either of you could have guessed.”
Cyprian were urging him to more and more reckless feats. As she stared at Cyprian, puzzled and yet pleased by this first glimmer of interest he’d shown in Aubrey’s improving health, Cyprian turned his enigmatic gaze on her. “It appears that life at sea suits your cousin far better than either of you could have guessed.”
The relative harmony between Aubrey and Cyprian put Eliza in much too good a humor for her to argue that Aubrey’s improving health did not exonerate Cyprian for his crimes. “The change of scenery has been very good for him,” she conceded. “And so has Oliver. Oliver has worked with him quite faithfully of late and deserves much of the credit.”
“So he does,” Cyprian responded, though noncommittally.
“Perhaps Aubrey would benefit from pulling up along the riggings,” Xavier put in. “What do you say, lad? Shall we give it a go?”
Aubrey’s face was an almost comical reflection of his disparate feelings. How he wished to go along with Xavier, Eliza realized. To test his growing strength against a new adversary. But his suspicion of Cyprian and the man’s intentions toward Eliza held him back.
Still, Cyprian’s encouragement had clearly made inroads against the boy’s defenses. After a long moment of indecision, when Aubrey’s eyes flitted from Cyprian to Eliza, and back to Cyprian again, he turned finally to Xavier, a grin on his eager face. “How high might I climb today?”
“Not high at all!” Eliza exclaimed.
But Cyprian interrupted. “Xavier is the best one to judge the boy’s strength. He’s trained many a fine sailor. Including Oliver. Oliver started as a cabin boy too,” he added.
A hopeful expression crept onto Aubrey’s young face. “Am I to be a cabin boy as well?”
Eliza felt a pang of worry. Please don’t let Cyprian
rebuff the boy now, she prayed. But she had no need to worry, for Cyprian had clearly rethought his animosity towards his young captive. “Everyone on a ship must work. Since we’ve had no cabin boy since Oliver outgrew the job, you appear the likeliest choice for it.”
rebuff the boy now, she prayed. But she had no need to worry, for Cyprian had clearly rethought his animosity towards his young captive. “Everyone on a ship must work. Since we’ve had no cabin boy since Oliver outgrew the job, you appear the likeliest choice for it.”
How cagey he was, Eliza realized as Xavier and Aubrey made halting progress across the deck. Cyprian had but to hold Oliver as an example before Aubrey and the boy was hooked, as surely as her brothers hooked pike in the Colne River at home. She bit her lip in worry as she watched the incongruous pair that the African giant and limping child made. Aubrey
was
getting stronger … .
was
getting stronger … .
“Come stroll with me, Eliza?”
Just that brief request from Cyprian and Eliza’s heart began a painful thudding. She met his polite, almost bland expression with one she feared was far less composed, then decided to be forthright. “Why are you suddenly being nice to Aubrey?”
Their gazes met and held, but they did not clash for a change. He even grinned, though faintly. “Shall I give you the complete truth, I wonder? Or just a portion of it?”
“The complete truth,” she answered at once, though a part of her knew that his reply would somehow unnerve her. She swallowed convulsively and repeated, “The complete truth.”
This time his grin was not nearly so hidden. With just that tilt of his lips, that slight show of white even teeth and the relaxation of his stern expression, he became more approachable. Almost boyish, she imagined, though nothing would ever be able to quell that tautly masculine aura that surrounded him. Boyish smile notwithstanding, he was the most intensely male being she’d ever encountered.
“All right. The truth.” He took her elbow and subtly steered her toward the starboard rail. “The truth is, I
handled that scene at breakfast with, shall we say, an unaccustomed lack of diplomacy.”
handled that scene at breakfast with, shall we say, an unaccustomed lack of diplomacy.”
“I would not have supposed you were used to being diplomatic,” she replied, not bothering to be diplomatic herself.
He chuckled. She could feel the faint vibration of it even in his light touch on her arm. It made her tremble. “Your barbs are showing, Eliza. But nevertheless, it may be only that I have of late become accustomed to having everyone jump at my command. Besides, despite my comments to the contrary, I would not see the boy become a crippled beggar on the streets.”
That gave her considerable relief. “The boy has a name, you know,” she suggested in a softer tone.
They stopped and he turned to face her. But he kept his hand on her arm and took her other arm in his hold as well. “So he does. Aubrey Haberton. But I would rather speak of his cousin, Miss Eliza Thoroughgood.”
Had she thought her heart pounding before? This time it fairly beat its way right out of her chest.
“But … you … that is—” She took a sharp breath. “You haven’t answered my question yet.”
“What was the question again?” he replied, drawing her closer. Or did she lean into him of her own accord?
Indeed. What
was
the question?
was
the question?
“Why … why are you being nice to him now? The truth,” she added breathlessly.
“The truth.” His eyes held hers as if with a force not defined by earthly means. “I want you to like me, Eliza. If I must improve my behavior, polish my manners, then so be it. I have not treated the boy very well, but I mean to do better.”
His admission was enough to make her heart cease altogether. He wanted her to like him! Could Xavier be more right than she’d imagined?
Only belatedly did she remember her duties as Aubrey’s
guardian. “And … and shall you set Aubrey free, then?”
guardian. “And … and shall you set Aubrey free, then?”
His gaze shifted away then, and for a long moment he stared at the horizon. “In time I will set him free.”
His tone was so even, so devoid of any emotional inflection that Eliza would have pressed him further. But then he turned back to face her and his eyes dropped to her lips. Eliza was certain her knees began to shake.
But I will not free you
, his possessive gaze seemed to say.
You I shall keep
. And in that moment Eliza had no desire to be set free.
, his possessive gaze seemed to say.
You I shall keep
. And in that moment Eliza had no desire to be set free.
“He … he is getting better. Perhaps his father will be … grateful,” she stammered, unable to think straight for the sensual aura he created around them.
“And you?”
“I … I am getting better too,” she whispered.
He pulled her closer. “No, Eliza. I meant, will you be grateful too?”
“Oh.” She nodded, fearful of what her admission might reveal, but unable to disguise it.
“How grateful?”
Where were her defenses? Where had her sense of self-preservation fled to? But her heart beat at such a dizzying pace Eliza was quite unable to think straight. Even when she put her hands up to hold him off, her two palms pressed against the solid wall of his stomach, and all she was aware of was the firm, warm flesh beneath that thin layer of linen. It made her fingertips burn and the most disconcerting sensations curl up in her stomach.
The ship pitched in its endless rolling rhythm, but Cyprian’s strong hands held her steady before him. Then his head descended, slowly, giving her more than sufficient time to protest. But the words she could have said—wait; no; don’t you dare—died unsaid against his lips.
The man was hard in every way. His body. His heart too, she feared. But his lips … His lips were firm and yet incredibly soft as well. Molding to hers. Enticing hers.
The wind gusted, lifting her hair in waves around both their faces, hiding the rest of the world from view. Somehow her hands slid up the warm expanse of ridged stomach muscles and contoured chest. Somehow she was pressed fully to him so that her thighs brushed his and her head tilted back as he kissed her insensate.
But none of it was forced. Indeed, there was a sort of restraint and caution in his manner which quite perversely provoked the most unseemly response from her. For it was she who parted her lips so their kiss could deepen. It was she who, tentatively at first, then more urgently, wound her arms around his neck. It was she who would willingly have kissed him forever had he not drawn slightly away.
But though their lips no longer clung, their gazes now did, and in his heavy-lidded study of her, Eliza experienced even more intimacy than in their kiss. Confused by her own perversity, she averted her eyes, bowing her head in an effort to avoid his now painful scrutiny. When his lips moved against the crown of her head, however, kissing the part in her heavy hair, she only grew more confused.
“That grateful?” He murmured the words against her tangled hair. “If I’m not careful, Eliza, I shall find myself performing all sorts of gallantries, just so you will show me more of this sweet gratitude of yours.” Then cupping the side of her face with one hand, he tilted her head back up, planted a kiss on her trembling lips, and pushed her away.
For one dazed moment Eliza just stood there, staring at him. Then Aubrey’s jubilant cry pierced the edges of her consciousness—as well as the other sounds of a ship under full sail—and reality struck her with all its humiliating
truth. She had stood here, practically in full view of the entire crew, and kissed him.
truth. She had stood here, practically in full view of the entire crew, and kissed him.
And wanted not to stop either.
She turned sharply and clutched the thick rail in complete dismay.
“Look, Eliza! Look at me!”
She stared toward the voice, seeing Aubrey waving at her from two knots up on the rigging, but with Xavier safely at his side. Raising her arm she waved back, but she was more conscious of Cyprian’s presence, still so near her, than anyone else’s.
“It appears he shall heal well aboard the
Chameleon
,” Cyprian said, so noncommittal that it served to increase her discomfort even more.
Chameleon
,” Cyprian said, so noncommittal that it served to increase her discomfort even more.
She swallowed hard, for her mouth had gone as dry as cotton. Still it was better to speak of Aubrey than of her conflicting feelings about what was happening between her and this totally inappropriate man. She closed her eyes, trying to picture Michael, and though she was not entirely successful, she managed at least to recall how and why she’d ended up on a smuggler’s ship. And who was ultimately responsible.
“It seems odd that a man who would steal another’s child should then help heal that child,” she said, pursing her lips and staring straight out to sea.
He moved right up beside her again. She saw his strong brown hands on the rail just inches from hers and it took all her aplomb not to jerk her own hands away in fear. If he touched her again she could never maintain her distance from him.
“One of life’s little ironies, I suppose. But then, the boy—Aubrey, that is—came to Madeira to heal, did he not? And you as well, I take it.” He turned and leaned his hips against the rail so that he faced her, his legs casually crossed at the ankle, his arms braced behind him. But still Eliza stared at the endless gray-blue swells that rolled on until forever.
Other books
Save the Date by Susan Hatler
The Settlers by Jason Gurley
The Shortest Journey by Hazel Holt
Resistance by K Larsen
To The Lions - 02 by Chuck Driskell
Johnnie by Dorothy B. Hughes
Deception by Lee Nichols
Blast from the Past (A Mac Faraday Mystery) by Carr, Lauren
Fletcher's Woman by Linda Lael Miller