What time was it? She glanced out the window and discovered the sun high in the sky. She gasped. She had slept longer than four hours. Why hadn’t he wakened her?
Because he didn’t want her working on his ship.
She found her skirt and bodice lying across a chair and frowned. That wasn’t where she left them. She had left them…crumpled in a ball on the floor. Where they never would have dried. Captain Danvers must have placed them there. For that, she silently thanked him. He could have forced her to stay in the cabin for another day.
The hinges on the door creaked. Her heart beating a racing rhythm, she spun to face Captain Danvers. But instead, a friendly Mark peeked around the corner.
“You are finally awake.” Mark swung the door wide open and dragged in a hip bath. “The cap’n says you’re to have a bath.”
A bath. She would love one. She ran her hands though her wiry hair, and her short nails drudged up dirt stuck to her scalp. Salt coated her stiff face and arms. It would feel heavenly to be clean again. Then a wayward thought crept forward. The crew was not experiencing this luxury. And she wouldn’t either.
Longing filled her eyes as Mark poured hot, steaming water into the hip bath. Her itchy body pleaded with her not to do what her mind rationalized was necessary, but she ignored it. She laid her hand on Mark’s arm. “There is no need to continue.”
Mark glanced at the scant liquid that lined the bottom. “You are small, but you need more than this.”
“I am not taking a bath.” She jerked her yearning gaze away from the delicious water calling to her.
“The cap’n—”
“I don’t care what Captain Danvers said.”
Mark’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh, but you must. You have to obey his commands.”
Unfortunately, he was right. Wasn’t that part of a seaman’s job? To follow orders?
But she didn’t like special favors.
“He is in a bad mood today. You don’t want to cross him. And if you make him angrier, he will take it out on us.”
She bit her lower lip. She couldn’t let that happen. Reluctant anticipation filled her. “Then continue. I don’t want you to suffer because of something I did.”
Mark donned a big smile and resumed his efforts. When he finished, he exited and returned again with towels and soap. He pointed to the garments spread across the chair. “The cap’n had me wash your clothes. The wind and sun on deck dried them quickly.”
Arianna was grateful for their pristine condition. She had cringed at the thought of putting on the filthy garments. “Thank you, Mark.”
A huge grin wreathed his eager face. “Let me know when you’re finished, and I’ll bring you something to eat. Breakfast ended long ago, but I’m sure I can find something.” He scampered from the room.
She stared at the water, suspicion filling her. Why did Captain Danvers offer her a hot bath and a clean outfit?
At this moment, she was too grateful to care. She threw off her clothes and dashed to the hip bath. Reclining in the luxurious depths, she belatedly thought of the unlocked door and glanced over her shoulder. Nothing could be done—she had seen to that—except pray Captain Danvers didn’t enter.
She should hurry, but she couldn’t find the will to do so and soaked her aching muscles in the relaxing water until it started to cool. Then she scrubbed her skin and hair with the lavender soap until it felt silky once again and the curls twined around her fingers. Refreshed, she stepped from the bath. Drying herself in record time with the huge, white towel, she donned the skirt and bodice before the captain returned. The cabin was his after all. Feeling in control of the situation, she hummed as she combed and braided her hair.
Energetic and once more like herself, she started to exit the cabin until the incident with Briggs last night popped into her brain. She frowned. He was a dangerous man and didn’t forget anyone who slighted him. And apparently, she was his target. Her five brothers had taught her a few ways to defend herself and how to use a knife. Thomas suggested she strap it to her thigh under her skirt when she thought she might need it.
Now, if she only had one.
She scanned the cabin. Maybe the captain had a knife hidden among his possessions. She rifled though his desk again, this time taking care to replace his papers in the order he had left them. Finding nothing, she rummaged through the drawers under his bed and discovered exactly what she needed tucked under his pants at the bottom. The blade being only four inches, it was smaller than she would have liked, but it would have to do. Grabbing a neckcloth, she hiked up her skirt and tied the scabbard with the weapon inside on her thigh.
Confident of her ability to fend off an attacker, she exited the cabin and hurried to the main deck to begin her duties for the day. Arianna spotted the captain at the bow of the ship, giving lessons to the younger members of his crew on how to navigate with a sextant. Wary to approach after what happened last night, she followed his movements as he taught. His instructions were clear and precise, and as they practiced, he adjusted the instrument or a hand and answered questions. Patient, he never lost his temper when a particularly unskilled student repeated the same mistake.
He must have felt her reluctant stare because he raised his head and scoured the deck until his gaze landed on her. The kiss, the tenderness, and the sensations he inspired erupted within her as if his passionate lips once again glided over hers and his tongue seductively explored her mouth. Heat scorched her face that wasn’t from the sun. Almost as if an invisible thread strung them together and he pulled it with unseen hands, she drifted toward him, oblivious of the working crew.
****
“Captain Danvers. Captain Danvers. Sir?”
John’s repeated query yanked Morgan from the daze that enveloped him as soon as he spotted Arianna. She looked refreshed and livelier today. The blue of her eyes glowed. Her drawn face and the unhealthy purple beneath her eyes had vanished. He didn’t have the heart to inflict on her the same amount of work as yesterday. Besides, his plan hadn’t worked.
“Yes, Mr. Perkins,” he answered the boy. He forced his mind to remain focused as John asked his question and he answered it.
Then the heat of her body slid into him, and he couldn’t help but tilt his head down to her. An attractive shade of pink colored her face. Apparently, she also remembered their amorous encounter last night. He could never forget it. Or her. “Arianna, would you like to join our navigation lessons?”
“Thank you, Captain Danvers, but I already know how to navigate. My papa taught me.”
He should have realized she’d be capable in this aspect as she was in all areas of sailing. “Then you can help those who need it.”
A smile lit her expressive face. “Is that one of my duties for today?”
He hadn’t thought about it, but acting as his assistant was safe, not strenuous, and would keep her under his watchful eye. “Yes.”
“Then, I would be happy to.”
He peered at her, unable to turn away, as she moved from one boy to the next. Her graceful hands with their long fingers captured his attention as she helped his students. When she patted a shoulder, touched them in a reassuring manner, or laid her fingers on a hand or arm, he imagined their softness caressing his yearning flesh. Her regard drifted to him from time to time but darted away when her gaze met his.
The patter of running feet heralded Mark’s appearance. “Arianna, you didn’t tell me you finished your bath. I was going to bring you something to eat.”
“I’m sorry, Mark. It is so late in the day I wanted to begin my duties. No one woke me this morning.” Disapproval flashed across her face as she glanced at Morgan.
“No member of my crew begins his or her shift without food in his or her stomach. Mark, bring a full plate to the quarterdeck along with a table and two chairs,” Morgan commanded.
Mark dashed off.
“We are finished here. Men, you are dismissed.” He turned to Arianna. “Follow me.”
“But, Captain—”
“That is an order.”
She frowned. “Aye, Captain.”
A slight smile slipped onto his face before he squashed it as he headed toward the quarterdeck, expecting her compliance. She owned such an expressive face. Her every feeling crossed it.
He relayed orders to the helmsman and then turned to find her directly behind him. Apparently, she finally realized who ran this ship.
“Why didn’t you wake me this morning?”
He clasped his hands behind his back. “Because you needed your sleep. You were exhausted.”
“But every seaman is on watch for four hours with four hours off. I don’t want special treatment because I am a woman. I should be expected—”
“My seamen are seasoned men who are used to hard work.” She started to speak, but he held up his hand and she miraculously halted. “When was the last time you worked on one of your father’s ship?”
She lowered her eyes. “When I was twelve…nine years ago.”
He lifted his brows in satisfaction that he was right. “And you think to match them?”
She stepped toward him. “I felt caged for every one of those nine years, but now I am free. I can do it. I am strong, young, and healthy.”
He backed up. He couldn’t allow her to touch him or he’d lose his concentration and resolve. “And a female.”
She plunked her elegant hands on her rounded hips. “That should not stop you from assigning me the same tasks.”
“Unfortunately, it does.”
Mark scurried back and forth as he set an area for her to dine.
“I must work on this ship.”
His gut clenched at the need in her voice, and he remembered the story she told him of a mother and her children begging in the streets. Fear for the future motivated her. He had experienced the same anxiety when caring for the family he loved and not knowing where the next meal would come from.
He gestured to one of the chairs. “Sit.”
Her probing gaze assessed him as the wind ruffled wisps of hair that had escaped from her braid and now framed her face. He stared back, determined she would obey his command. She finally plopped onto the seat of the chair with a huff, and he eased onto the one next to her.
Mark laid a wooden tray carrying slices of bread, hard cheese, an orange, and tea before her. “If you’d rather have something else, I’m sure I can find it.”
A wide smile lifted her lips. “No, Mark. This is fine.” The grin fell from her face as she turned back to him. “Will you allow me to work among the crew?”
“Eat.”
“But—”
“Eat,” he commanded.
Impatient anger marked her face as she glared at him, but then realizing he wouldn’t relent, she obeyed.
He wanted to imprison her in his cabin where she would remain safe, but he knew that was no longer an option. She had a dream she longed to fulfill and would not stop until she did so. If not on his ship, then on another where the captain might see her as sport for his men when they discovered her true identity.
“You can work on the
Sea Dragon
but only jobs I assign you. Not on the first, middle, or morning watches.” Too many things could happen to her while concealed in the dark, and he did not trust Briggs wouldn’t confront her again.
Her hand, lifting a piece of bread to her mouth, halted. “Is that my only option?”
Did she ever stop bargaining to get what she wanted? He believed her a spoiled child at first, but now he understood why she acted as she did. She was a determined, beautiful woman who wanted what she thought was best, which didn’t conform to society’s standards. Only she refused to recognize the dangers she faced and her limitations as a female. She needed a protector.
He appointed himself. Not that he hadn’t been keeping her safe.
Realizing he hadn’t answered her, Morgan nodded in response to her question.
Arianna’s face lit with pleasure.
He couldn’t contain the rare smile that broke the stern line of his lips, and then he smelled lavender. “You used the soap. I like the smell.” He stretched his legs out in front of him.
She shyly lowered her regard to her food. “Where did you get it?”
“It was a present for another one of my sisters.”
She jerked her head up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to use all the presents you bought. I will make it up to you.”
He could think of a few ways.
“And them.”
“I’ve brought them a number of gifts over the years. They won’t miss a few, especially when they learn it was for a good cause.”
“How many sisters do you have?”
“Three. Elizabeth is nineteen, Ann eighteen, and Sarah sixteen. I also have a brother, Harry, who is twenty-four.” He frowned. “He tends to get himself into fixes he can’t get out of.”
“I know the trials and tribulations of a large family. I have five older brothers who try to boss me around.” She scrunched her face. “I’ve always wished for a sister, but my parents never obliged me.”
“Are any of your siblings married?” She placed her elbows on the table and leaned toward him.
“No. My sisters live at home, and my brother…” Should he tell her? Her open face and eagerness to know without the pretentiousness of most women inspired him. Stuck on the ship there was no one she could reveal it to, except his crew, and they already knew about the mission. Also, he should warn her of the dangers they might face in the days and weeks ahead.