Page 67 of His Wicked Secret
At last the ship cast off and sailed out to sea. Most ships left Dover to make a hasty trip to Calais, but for some reason Avery was taking Audrey through London. It would add hours, possibly even a day to their journey if the winds weren’t fair.
He started to drift off. The sound of the waves lapping against the wooden hull and the shouts of men on the rigging preparing the sails were oddly comforting. He wasn’t sure how much later it was when he woke to the sound of two voices in the hall.
“Pretty little bird, that one,” a gruff voice said with a laugh. “I’d give anything to ruffle her feathers.”
Another man laughed. “I’d do a bit more, eh?”
“Maybe we can…if we can get her alone in her cabin when those other gents are gone.” The first man’s voice lowered to a gruff whisper.
“You’re not worried about them?”
“Eh, she wouldn’t say nuffin if she knew what was good for her.”
They were talking about Audrey, they had to be. Jonathan shoved the curtain back from his bunk and stood, listening at the door, but their voices grew more distant. He cracked the door open and focused on the two sailors, both burly fellows who had no doubt lived their whole lives on the sea. He needed to keep an eye on those two. He closed the door again as new voices came down the hall.
Audrey’s voice came through the crack he’d left in the door. “Avery, I don’t know if I feel comfortable posing as Mr. Sheffield’s wife.”
What the devil?
“I understand.” Avery’s voice was gentle, but it didn’t offer Jonathan any reassurance. “But we must go forward with this. There is no turning back. Sheffield is a decent fellow, I assure you. You have a separate room, and he won’t do anything untoward.”
“Do you vouch for him?”
“As a professional, yes. I’ve never known him to act outside his orders.”
“Very well. I think I’ll retire to my cabin,” Audrey said. “The waves are a bit…” The boat rolled and dipped as it hit a swell. “A bit much for my constitution.”
“Get some rest. We’ll likely be on board for at least several hours, possibly a day if the winds aren’t fair.”
Audrey made a noise as though she were ill. Jonathan heard her booted feet as she ran past his room, and then a door slammed down the hall.
His poor little sprite, the would-be spy, was seasick. He wanted to go to her, to render some form of comfort, but he restrained himself. He had made a promise to be her shadow. He wouldn’t go barging in when she needed to stand alone. She was proving something, not to him or her brother, but to herself.
I will let her face this task alone, at least the parts that do not put her in mortal danger.
He slumped against the door with an inward curse as the boat dipped again. It was going to be a long day for both of them.
* * *
Godric St. Laurententered his home after having had a pleasant walk with his wife. Emily was a few feet ahead of him and had already removed her bonnet, handing it to a footman. Godric removed his hat and did the same.
“An urgent letter for you, Your Grace.” The footman slipped a letter into his hand. Godric broke the wax seal and read.
“What is it?” Emily leaned against his body, placing one hand on his arm.
“A letter from Sean Hartley.”
“The Sheridans’ first footman?”
Godric nodded and read the letter aloud.
Your Grace,
A thousand pardons for the directness of this letter, but I am sending it to you at Mr. St. Laurent’s urgent request. He is sailing aboard the packet ship theLady’s Splendorout from London. He is following Miss Sheridan, who I fear may be in peril. Mr. St. Laurent has requested that you and Lord Lennox pursue him posthaste. He expects to arrive in Calais by nightfall, weather permitting. He says Lucien, Charles, and Cedric are all in London and must come as well.
Your humble servant,
Mr. Hartley
