Page 4 of The Lord who Seduced Me
He had gotten tan, and he was larger. His muscles hard from all of his work.
He knew it was time to go to London. So, he rode his horse there so he could check on his other ships and to see about his house.
He had given up his seat in Parliament when he had bought his commission and was glad for it. He always hated politics. Preferred to be free to move about and not tied to one place was happy to him.
He missed the freedom that being the second son had afforded him. His brother wasn’t built to be the Earl. He couldn’t handle the responsibilities.
As obvious by his brother losing most of their inheritance because of his bad investment and his gambling addiction. He had become a wastrel of the worst sort.
Cabe had been ashamed of his brother then. Knowing how Case had done a great many embarrassing things that had given their mother fits and caused Cabe to be ashamed of his family for the first time ever.
He knew that their father would be ashamed as well. And that was the hardest part for Cabe. Knowing that. He wished Case could see it, but he didn’t want to.
It took some time, but Case finally realized what he had done. How shameful he acted.
When Case got married, he was ashamed of his behavior even more.
His wife was not what Cabe expected of his brother. Especially since he had seen some of the women Case had brought home when he was a rake of the worst sort.
She was a seamstress and came from a good family. Had lived a happy, albeit poor life.
But Case said that the second he saw her; he knew she was meant to be his. He said when he got home, he took a long look in the mirror and was disgusted with the man he saw.
He cut his hair almost all the way off, changed the way he looked and begged forgiveness from his brother. Which Cabe gave.
Case and Emily got married in a small ceremony in the office in their house, and Case signed over the Earldom and their fortune to Cabe.
He didn’t want it, and Emily didn’t want it. All they wanted was passage to the America’s, some money to help them establish their life there, and for Cabe to live the life he wanted, not the one expected of him.
Cabe made certain his good friend, and one of his best captains, Blake Burtell, took good care of them. Case, Emily and their mother, got on the ship with their small bags and didn’t look back.
Cabe was happy for them and took on the mantle of Earl better than he thought. Some days he hated it. Didn’t relish the responsibility now placed on his shoulders. But he did what he needed to. For his father, their family and their good name.
When the war loomed, he bought his commission, wrote a will. Making sure to pass the title onto the next man who deserved it.
He didn’t die, and was still the Earl, and as such had responsibilities pertaining to the title.
Back in London, Cabe settled into his townhouse, and ignored each and every invitation to the Season, and the balls that were held.
He didn’t care about the season, the ton, the debutantes and the people. Hated all the lavish affairs that were thrown, and he refused to entertain any of them.
He just wanted to get through his time in London with the least amount of drama and people as possible.
But that all changed in one day. A letter came from Blake, telling Cabe that his ship had been overtaken by a woman, with a large, but inept crew.
The woman had taken Blake’s wife and daughter as hostages. Guaranteeing that Blake would do anything she asked to assure his wife and daughter’s safety. He let Cabe know that.
He also let him know that it was a struggle to let them take the ship, because he didn’t want his wife and daughter to be in harm's way. He also told him about the three women that had also been smuggled aboard.
Cabe felt his stomach take a dive. He could not just let this go. Blake was going to do everything in his power to keep the women and his family safe, but Cabe needed to help. So Cabe went to the only people who could help him.
First, he saw Nathaniel, who got together most of their old crew, and some new men to add to their family onboard. And then he went to see Cole.
As fate would have it, it was Cole’s fiancé and sister who had been taken. But at that moment the only person Cabe was thinking of was Rose.
The minute she stood from her seat and declared that she was going with them, Cabe knew she was the one for him. Deep down in his soul, he knew.
But he also knew that with his leg, and the terrors he had when he slept, that he knew that he would never be good enough for her.
