Page 26 of A Rake's Revenge


Font Size:

Caroline smiled weakly. She didn’t want two men vying for her hand. Not that Stephan was any more serious than the Midnight Marauder had been. However, she certainly did not want Lord Tisdale vying for any part of her person.

She wanted… Good Lord. Did she know what she really wanted? Maybe if she could put herself in the infamous marauder’s path once more, he would spirit her away from this mess.

Then she sighed. That wasn’t going to happen any more than Stephan actually following through with his “intentions.”


By midmorning of the next day, the wooden boardwalk lining the shore was filled with ladies wearing an assortment of bonnets and carrying dainty parasols, all of which flapped in the stiff breeze coming off the ocean. Caroline turned her face to the wind, so she could feel the warmth of the sun, and inhaled the salt air.

The boats taking part of the regatta had left shortly after dawn for the first sea trials, and while Caroline was fairly certain most of the ladies would rather be enjoying the shade of the pavilion’s gardens or, better yet, still in their bedchambers sipping chocolate and nibbling on biscuits, none of them wanted to miss out on the excitement of these first endeavors, even if they didn’t give a flying fig about sailing.

“My father says no one can beat his boat,” Ann said from beside Caroline.

“I am sure that is true,” Sir Reginald said from Caroline’s other side. “She is the latest design model from the Bristol shipyard and built for speed.”

“How can anyone say a sailboat is fast?” Ann giggled. “They are slower than snails.”

Caroline bit back a comment. The earl’s daughter obviously had no appreciation for the graceful, stately motion of the boats when the wind filled the sails and moved them along like skaters gliding over ice.

“Have you been out on your father’s boat?” she asked.

“Not yet,” Ann replied and then slanted a look at Caroline. “My father intends for you to be the first lady on board.”

“Yes, yes!” Sir Reginald said before Caroline could respond. “Tisdale told me as much last night. Said it would be considered good luck to have his betrothed christen his ship, so to speak.”

Caroline gave her father an annoyed look. “I am currently not betrothed to anyone.”

Her father waved away her words. “The earl was adamant his proposal should stand.”

Caroline frowned. What direction had the conversation gone at the dinner table after the ladies left? Had the earl and her father actually discussed this in front of Stephan? If they had, how had he taken it? And what had the prince’s reaction been? “I would really prefer not to be the object of public discussion, Father.”

He looked as though he wanted to argue, but perhaps the mulishness she was feeling showed on her face because he shook his head. “Tisdale and I had a private conversation after dinner.”

At least that was a relief. Caroline hadn’t seen Stephan last night, since several tables of whist had been arranged and the men had not chosen to join the ladies. This morning, Stephan had left early to get to his boat.

As if she had conjured him, the first sail appeared around the head of Newhaven. Even though they were some distance out, Caroline recognized the brownish-colored tanbark sails, and soon she could make out the sleek black hull slicing through the water, sending frothy white spray up from its bow. A moment later, another boat appeared, hard on the windward side ofLady of Fortune. From as low as the other boat sat in the water and its narrow beam, Caroline assumed it wasSea Master.

For several minutes both yachts stayed side-by-side, while other ships started popping up on the horizon behind them. As they drew nearer, Caroline could hear the earl barking orders to his captain and crew while aboardLady of Fortune, Stephan stood, feet braced against the heeling of the deck, his hand steady on the helm while his men silently and efficiently trimmed the sails to use every bit of wind.

As they approached the finish line, a number of young boys in small rowboats had ventured out to meet them. Most kept quite close to shore, but one pair who looked no older than eight or ten kept paddling. Caroline gasped as she realized they were in the direct path of Stephan’s boat and perhaps not even able to be seen under the bow, especially with the sails billowing. Caroline waved her arms and started running toward the water and prayed she would not be too late.

Stephan must have seen her for she heard a shout and then, as if some giant hand had waved a magic wand, all three sails luffed at once, flapping noisily as the boat went dead in the water. The small skiff bounced againstLady of Fortune’s hull, the young boys grinning and waving, not realizing they’d nearly been killed. Seconds later, crew members hauled the two urchins aboard.

Caroline stopped running and bent over, hands on her knees as she gasped for air. Her bonnet had flown off, her hair had come undone, the hem of her skirt was gritty with sand and her half boots were soaked, but she didn’t care. The boys were safe.

Her father and Ann joined her as Caroline slowly straightened. Stephan gave her a two-fingered salute as theLady of Fortunedrifted past, but she could see his face was pale beneath its usual tan. If those boys had drowned…

Ann watched also as Stephan’s boat went by. She held her skirts daintily in one hand so they wouldn’t get soiled and held her bonnet in place with her other hand.

“I believe the Marquis of Kendrick is my hero,” she said.


If those boys had drowned…. Stephan shuddered.

Even now in late afternoon, as he and Brice entered the pavilion where they were expected to put in an appearance at a garden party, the image of those two small lads was as clear in his mind as though they were standing right in front of him.

If Caroline had not caught his attention with her arm waving and wild run, he would never have seen that little rowboat or taken evasive action. He closed his eyes for a moment. How would he have borne the responsibility for another drowning? He hadn’t been able to save his brother.