Page 68 of The Rogue's Last Scandal
Chapter 19
Her heart beatcrazily against the layers of coats. The sun that had weathered his skin to tanned leather had turned his hair a dark bronze. Had it always been so? She had not seen him in two years, years during which she had grown to a woman. He was old, but not so old she saw now, and the thought made her shiver. He was not as old as some of the men who’d come calling on her and her money.
Older than Charley, older and harder as a sea captain must be. Virile, too, as a man must be when leading a crew of sea dogs.
The skin on her back crawled, as if Lord Kingsley’s switch had trailed across it, teasing her, and memories swarmed: looking up from a pallet into Llewellyn’s face…Consuela and Mama writhing with fever…Francisca and Juan hurrying a crying Reina away to safety.
She’d heard him talking to someone about taking her aboard his ship but then she’d passed out. And when she woke, Papa was there and Captain Llewellyn was gone.
And Mama and Consuela were gone.
“What is this about?” Captain Llewellyn’s voice shook her into the present, his tone as harsh as Lord Kingsley’s had been when addressing his troublesome ward.
“I am here on behalf of the Earl of Shaldon,” Charley said in his amiable way. “He wishes news of Captain Kingsley and his ship.”
“Kingsley? What is there to tell? Captain Kingsley is dead and the ship is lost. The report is in. Tell your master, I have nothing more to add.” He turned for the door.
His rude answer crashed on her like a great wave, taking her breath away. This was not the man who’d talked and laughed with her parents at table. Not the man who’d tenderly asked after her welfare.
She moved closer behind Charley and felt the tension rippling off him, stirring the air around her. His arm moved and she heard the whisk of his fingers brushing his coat.
“I say, then, I shall tell myfather, Lord Shaldon, and his friends at the Foreign Office that you do not wish to add anything to that worthless, sketchy bit of drivel you called a report.”
Captain Llewellyn jerked around, eyes glaring.
“Perhaps it will be better to compel your morethoroughtestimony in a moreformalsetting.”
The Captain’s whole body tensed. If he’d had a cutlass strapped on, it would have been drawn. “You. I know of you. You’re Shaldon’s young pup, the one dashing about with your ramrod in every piece of female—”
“Stop it.” Graciela stepped up next to Charley, gripping his arm.
The other man’s eyes narrowed on her and then widened.
“What the devil.” He took a step toward Charley.
She put her hand up as a barrier.
“What has he done to you?”
“So, you recognize me, Captain Llewellyn? You will cease to insult Mr. Everly. He has saved my life, is what he’s done. And I want to know what happened to my father.”
Captain Llewellyn stepped closer, and she watched his face. The eyes still glowed with a heat that signaled danger, but he pressed his lips and swept his gaze over her clothing. He did not stop at her breasts as Charley had done, but she saw the effort he made to avoid it.
“You should not be dressed like this.” He glared at Charley. “Let me get a cloak. I will take you home.”
“My disguise was Lord Shaldon’s idea. He is my guardian. And I have no home.”
“Your home is with us, for as long as you wish,” Charley said.
Captain Llewellyn opened his mouth as if to argue and closed it.
“Are you friends with Lord Kingsley, Captain? He tried tosellme to a dishonorable man. And when I objected, he tried to flog me into submission, as you would flog one of your seamen.”And if you are on friendly terms with him, you are no friend to me.
She bit her lip. She must find out first what happened to her father.
“Let me help you, Grace.” The Captain made his tone sound tender but she could feel his falseness. “I can arrange rooms for you, a chaperone—”
“Perhaps call in your wife from the country?” Charley interrupted.
