Page 23 of A Captain For Clarissa
“It’s magnificent, isn’t it?” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve seen some glorious sunsets in Italy, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite so beautiful as this.”
Rafael hummed in agreement. “Indeed, it is a sight to behold.”
Clarissa turned to him with a quick smile, and was startled to find him gazing not at the sky, but at her. Her heart stuttered at the intensity in his eyes. For a moment, she forgot how to breathe, lost in the depths of his stare.
But then, as quickly as it had come, the moment passed, and Rafael looked away, clearing his throat. “We should head inside,” he said, his voice gruff. “It’s getting late, and your aunt and uncle will be wondering what has become of you.”
Alex and Marianne did not seem in the least concerned about where she had been when she made her way below, however, and Clarissa found herself wondering just what exactly Alex and Rafael always found to talk about so seriously. Was it her? Surely, Alex could not possibly be considering… she cut off the thought before she allowed herself even to think it, laughing instead at the serious expression on little Edward’s face as he tried to grab hold of Fernando the cat, who was far too clever to allow himself to be captured by a toddler, but seemed to be amused by the game nevertheless.
A knock on the door a little later proved to be the ship’s boy, asking in broken English if he might lay the table for their dinner, and if they would permit the captain to join them for it.
“We should be delighted,” Alex said firmly, “since we have evicted the captain from his cabin, the least we can do is invite him to dine in it with us!”
Rafael entered with a broad smile; Clarissa flattered herself that it grew even warmer when his eyes rested on her. She stepped forward to greet him, thanking him again for the comforts the Santa Dorotéia provided them.
The conversation flowed as smoothly as the wine Rafael poured, their words dancing between topics with the same effortless grace as the ship cutting through the waves. The laughter and warmth around the table made Clarissa feel at home, in a way she had not truly felt since Diana had returned to England.
As the meal progressed, Rafael introduced a new game, challenging Clarissa to craft a story using only a handful of seemingly unrelated words. She rose to the task, weaving a tale of adventure and intrigue that left them all hanging on her every word.
“You have a gift for storytelling,” Rafael praised, his eyes sparkling with admiration as Marianne applauded her niece.
Clarissa ducked her head, a pleased flush colouring her cheeks. “I’ve always loved the power of words,” she confessed. “The way they can transport you to another world, make you feel things you never thought possible.”
“You should be a writer, Clarissa,” Marianne suggested. “Truly, I have always thought so. The way you can recount a simple incident and have everyone fascinated, or laughing, is remarkable.”
Clarissa thought of her journal, of the pages of notes she had written during their travels and the half-formed ideas shehad to publish a travel journal when they arrived home. Her expression darkened slightly as the spectre of her father’s certain disapproval hovered. Perhaps Marianne and Alex might agree to publish them on her behalf? She did not care about any monies she might earn – they could donate it to a charity for orphans – but to see her words in print would be wonderful, an achievement nobody could ever take away from her.
No matter who her father had picked out for her to marry.
Rafael was watching her, his expression thoughtful. “And yet, there are some things that words alone cannot capture,” he said quietly.
Clarissa’s breath caught in her throat at the intensity in his gaze, the unspoken emotions swirling between them.
But then, as quickly as it had come, the moment passed, and Rafael was rising from his seat, offering her his arm. “Shall we take a turn about the deck, Lady Clarissa?” he asked, his voice carefully neutral. “The sea is very calm tonight; I do not think we are making any headway, but I should like to check on things and thought you might like a breath of air before you retire.
Clarissa glanced at Alex for permission, glad to see his nod. Her heart was still racing as she placed her hand in the crook of Rafael’s elbow. As they stepped out into the cool night air, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between them, a subtle change that both thrilled and terrified her in equal measure.
As they strolled along the deck, the salty sea breeze whipping at Clarissa’s skirts, she couldn’t help but marvel at the easy companionship that had blossomed between them. It seemed strange to think that only a few short weeks ago, they had been perfect strangers, brought together by the most unlikely of circumstances.
“I must confess,” Rafael said, his voice low and intimate in the darkness, “I find myself quite envious of your adventures, Lady Clarissa. To have seen so much of the world, to have experienced such freedom...”
Clarissa glanced up at him, surprised by the wistful note in his tone. “But surely you have had your own share of adventures, Captain? The Navy must have taken you to all sorts of exotic locales, far more than I have seen.”
Rafael chuckled, but there was little humour in the sound. “Ah, but there is a difference between seeing the world through the lens of duty and seeing it through the lens of curiosity. I fear I have had far too much of the former and not nearly enough of the latter.”
Clarissa considered this for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought. “Perhaps,” she said slowly, “it is not too late to change that. After all, life is nothing if not an endless series of opportunities for reinvention.”
Rafael looked down at her. “You make it sound so simple.”
“Oh, but it is!” Clarissa exclaimed, her face alight with enthusiasm. “All it takes is a bit of courage and a willingnessto embrace the unknown. And from what I have seen of you, Captain Rafael de Silva, you possess both those qualities in spades.”
For a long moment, Rafael simply stared at her, his expression unreadable in the moonlight. “You are an extraordinary woman, Lady Clarissa,” he murmured, his voice rough with emotion. “I find myself quite in awe of you.”
Clarissa’s heart stuttered in her chest, her skin prickling with awareness as he reached out to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. The touch was fleeting, barely there, but it sent a shiver of longing through her entire body.
“Rafael,” she whispered, his name a plea and a prayer all at once.
But before he could respond, the moment was shattered by the sound of footsteps approaching, and they sprang apart like guilty children, their cheeks flushed and their breathing unsteady.
