A Woman Made for Sin (26 page)

Reece faced her without expression, without moving a muscle. “That’s where you are
wrong, Lady Wentworth. As long as I am captain of this ship, I absolutely control
everything and everyone—
including
you.” He glanced at the closed door. “Hurlee!”

Within seconds the large, fair-haired man entered. He sent a quick look of remorse
to Aimee. The action only infuriated Reece more. “Take her next door.” Then he turned
to Aimee and said coldly, “You are to remain in the chief mate’s quarters until we
reach Savannah.”

October 26, 1816

“Mmm, this is very good, Jean-Pierre. You truly have a gift,” Aimee said, putting
the fork down.

“And you will not eat.”

Aimee bit her bottom lip. “I will. I promise. Just right now my stomach is somewhat
upset.”

JP made a scoffing sound and crossed his arms. “Never before ’ave you complained of
being seasick. Not when you were brought on board, not when we turned to ze open waters,
not even during a bad storm. And suddenly you want me to believe you are not well
enough to enjoy my food, mademoiselle—or am I supposed to call you somezing else?
Don’t you English say Your Grace to someone of your rank?”

Aimee shook her head. “My brother holds the title of marquess. I’m no one, really,
and certainly no one whom you need to address a certain way. In fact, it is you and
the men who get the titles out here on the sea. And those are the best kind, for you
earned them.”

JP rolled his eyes. “Well, you are special to us.”

“I doubt that I am to Mr. Collins. I think I have created quite a problem between
him and Mr. Hamilton.”

“Collins took a tongue-lashing, but if rumors are correct, ’e gave one as well. But
I doubt you will be seeing ’im anytime soon.”

Aimee bit her inner cheek at the thought of Collins being in trouble because of her.
“I am so glad you came to visit me. Seems that everyone is very busy since the storm.”

“Ha!” snorted JP. “Zey want to see you, my lady, but ze captain, ’e refuses to let
zem. ’Urlee let me in because I was bringing you food and I told ’im zat ’e would
only get ’ard tack if ’e did not open ze door.”

Aimee looked worried. “If Mr. Hamilton finds out, you will find yourself at the mercy
of his wrath.”

JP shrugged. “Ze captain likes my cooking and knows zere are few wiz my skills willing
to live on ze sea. And if I am wrong, zen I ’ave little doubt I would ’ave issues
finding anozer position somewhere else.”

“What about the Poulsen brothers? And Mr. Kyrk? How is he faring?”

A grimace overtook JP’s expression. “Lamont and Shiv will soon be fine. Mr. Kyrk’s
injury was far more serious, but it looks like ’is leg is going to ’eal. But it will
take time before ’e can work like ’e did before. ’E is actually much more worried
about you, considering what ’appened. All ze men are.”

Aimee’s eyes widened in shock. “Mr. Hamilton surely told them that I am fine.”

JP shook his head. “Not exactly. ’E just said zat you woke up. Nozing more, which
is one of ze reasons I insisted upon seeing you today. Ze men are anxious to learn
if you are truly recovered.”

Aimee frowned at him in concern. “Don’t they realize the danger I’ve put them all
in? That in less than a few weeks they could all find themselves unemployed?”

JP leaned in close and whispered, “I cannot say for certain, but I doubt ze captain
will cut anyone for being nice to you.”

“You did not see him, Jean-Pierre. The anger . . . the coldness.” Aimee shivered at
the recollection. “I’ve known Mr. Hamilton for many years and I’ve never known him
to be so hostile to not just me, but everyone. He truly believes I’ve turned his crew
against him, and if he is right, then his fury with me is justified. But he is
wrong
, isn’t he? The crew are not more loyal to me than to him?”

JP took in a deep breath and then exhaled. “
Oui
, ’e is wrong. Ze crew is loyal to ’im, but zat is not what ’e is fighting against.
Zere is somezing about a woman men will always rally to, my lady, especially when
she appears to be in need or unhappy. Loyalty is not a factor, and zerefore it doesn’t
factor in our decisions.”

“So then, Mr. Hamilton was at least partially correct. My being around the men is
disruptive and I should stay away.”

JP shrugged. “We all know you are ’ere and alone. It’ll eat away at ze men, wondering
’ow you are. I’ll tell zem of zis meeting, but unless zey can see for zemselves zat
you are well and unhappy, zey will slowly grow agitated. What would be best is for
ze crew to know ze captain was seeing to your needs.”

“I’m not sure there is anything I can do. Mr. Hamilton has made it clear that I must
stay away from the crew and from him.”

JP sighed again. “Then let’s just ’ope the men can last two weeks until we reach Savannah.”
He pulled open the door to let himself out. “I’ll be back, my lady. Take ’eart. Maybe
something or
someone
will convince ’im to change ’is mind.”

Reece watched through the crack in the door as Aimee slowly tucked a lock of her hair
behind her ear to reveal the delicate nape of her neck. The sight was both sensual
and provocative. His body stirred and Reece grew annoyed. His reaction smacked of
possessiveness. But she was not his and everyone on board now knew it, which left
a man’s mind to wander. And while Reece refused to claim Aimee, he detested the idea
that he was at the same time giving up the right to challenge any man who desired
her for his own.

JP turned to leave and Reece quickly took a step back from the door to avoid being
seen. He did not doubt for a second that the crotchety old cook knew that he was in
his cabin and able to overhear everything that was said next door. JP had made his
point. Maybe the men’s reaction to Aimee was not a question of loyalty, but rather
human nature. And that nature made the men need to know Aimee was not just alive,
but well. But what JP also proved was that Aimee was not just any woman.

The men had brought women aboard the
Sea Emerald
before, and though several of the crew had become smitten, a few never had. JP was
one of them. So were Shiv Poulsen, Kyrk, Carr, and Afton Acker, an able-bodied seamen
who didn’t much care for women even on land. All five men were nearly hostile to women
aboard the ship, JP and Kyrk being the most hostile of them all. And yet it was JP
who risked all to check on Aimee and Kyrk who was more worried about her than himself.

Aimee was more powerful and addicting than opium, which meant one thing. He absolutely
was correct in keeping her completely away from his men.

“Lord Aldon!” Chase called out, glad to have finally found where his wife was. The
staff at the main house had been surprised, almost flustered to see him there at Abileen

Rose, asking about his wife. Finally, the housekeeper came and told him that he might
not want to wait in the parlor, but go out to the stables.

Lord Aldon looked up from where he was crouched down, examining one of the legs of
a prize horse. Getting to his feet, he said in a tone that matched his surprise, “Chaselton!
What brings you here?”

Chase paused just inside the stable doors, trying to interpret his father-in-law’s
genuine shock to see him. He had left midmorning and had been riding nearly nonstop
to get there by nightfall, and had not sent word ahead of his visit. Chase’s letter
would not have been delivered until the day after his arrival, and he had hoped to
surprise his wife. “Well, Aldon, I suppose I came here for the reason you would expect—to
see my wife and then bring her home.”

Lord Aldon raised a single brow. Then he stripped off his gloves and pointed to the
stable doors. Once they were outside and out of earshot of any stable hands, he said,
“I consider myself a lucky man when some fathers would not. I love my daughter immensely
and enjoy her company, as her interests and mine thankfully overlap to a large degree.
And while I will always welcome her home, even for unplanned visits like this past
one, can I assume that whatever unhappy circumstances led to my daughter spontaneously
needing to spend time with me, will not be repeated?”

Chase inhaled. It had been a number of years since his father’s death, but he knew
he was being given a fatherly lecture. Lord Aldon was not a man of Town, preferring
the country and his horses as company, but that did not make him any less sharp to
the ways of men and women. Chase understood his meaning clearly, and while a part
of him bristled at being lectured, he did appreciate its subtle and brief nature.

“I can assure you, Aldon, that the
unhappy
situation leading Millie to stay here with you was unique and shall not be repeated.”
Chase wanted to add,
if your daughter would just behave.
But he did not.

“That is good,” Aldon nodded, clapping Chase on the back. The older man was of average
height, but his wide shoulders and solid physique diminished the appearance of a difference
in their heights. “Let’s go back to the house and I will have Millie’s things brought
down.”

Chase shook his head. “I did not come by coach, to save time. I just came to see my
wife and if possible, borrow your coach to take us down to Dorset. Her things can
join us whenever her maids can get them ready.”

Aldon stopped in midstride. “You came
here
to see Millie?” he asked, clearly perplexed. Millie had left for her friend Jennelle’s
a week ago, and in all that time she had not informed her husband? Whatever had happened
between them was far more serious than he had originally believed, for it was quite
unlike Millie to hold a grudge for so long.

“This
is
where I have been sending my letters. They have not been returned,” Chase said crisply.
His father-in-law’s question filled him with dread, for there was only one reason
he would ask it—Millie was no longer at Abileen Rose.

Lord Aldon resumed walking, increasing the pace and length of his stride. “Millie
must have given instructions to the housekeeper.”

“And why would she need to give such instructions?” Chase pressed.

Not intimidated in the least by the bite in Chase’s question, Lord Aldon answered
him. “Most likely because you hurt her greatly and she did not want to tell you herself
just where she went.”

Chase scowled. Lord Aldon had shifted from intimations to actual accusations, and
damn the man for being right. “We had a . . . misunderstanding concerning one of her
bolder pastimes.”

Aldon nodded in complete understanding. He was well aware that his daughter was considered
“undisciplined” in comparison to most well-bred young ladies. And for a nobleman’s
daughter she was positively wild. But he did not care. In his opinion, too many women
were overly compliant and boring. It was his wife who had shown him that life was
much better lived and enjoyed unreservedly and with passion. His wife was no longer
with him, but she lived on through Millie. In her youth, he had refused to let anyone
suggest her love for life and adventure be suppressed. But he had not always been
so understanding. It took some painful lessons for him to learn to appreciate just
why he loved his wife so and that if he tried to change her, subdue her inclinations,
he was destroying the very essence of her that filled him with joy and love.

Regrettably, it was not a lesson that could be shared. One had to learn it firsthand.
As he had come to learn it, so would Chase. A personality like Millie’s required acceptance—not
taming. In time, she would learn when to control her tendencies, but it would not
be through instruction—and certainly not by sending her away.

Lord Aldon stepped up to the house and the door opened for him and Chase to enter.
Handing his gloves to the doorman, he headed back to the library, his favorite room.
He poured himself a small glass of port and then one for Chase, deciding the man needed
one whether he realized it or not.

“I knew when Millie came that she was unhappy and that something had happened between
you two.” Aldon put up a hand to keep Chase from interrupting. “It happens to every
couple, especially those who actually are attached to each other. I did not ask because
I did not—
and still do not—
want to get involved. However, it did pain me to see her so unhappy day after day.”

Chase swallowed. He had thought sending Millie away to Abileen Rose and her father
would lighten her spirits, not further dampen them.

“So while I did not ask the cause of her depression,” Aldon continued, “I did encourage
her to take action. Eventually, she would have done so anyway, for Millie has never
been the type to sit by and watch others tackle difficulties she considers to be hers.
So I encouraged her, thinking it best to give her a little guidance and support, for
as you know
, when thwarted, she will take action anyway, and it always takes a far more precarious
form.”

Chase felt his body grow cold. “Specifically, just what guidance did you give your
daughter?”

“Nothing specific. Just hinted that she should not wait for you but take the initiative
to fix whatever issues are between you. In other words, I believed I had persuaded
her to return to you in London.”

“When did she leave for London?” Chase asked far too calmly. Most men would have begun
to quiver in the face of Chase’s ire, but not Aldon. The man had a phlegmatic air
about him, but he was made of iron. There was no bend. And he had made it clear that
he believed Chase, not he, was at fault for Millie’s decision not to return home.