“You are the boss. We follow you,” Eric said.
A chill slid through her veins, replacing warm blood with what felt like ice. There was no more conversation. Caroline listened as two pairs of footsteps moved across the deck and then onto the finger pier and past where she was hidden. Once the sounds faded away, she slowly lifted the lid and stepped out. Her legs were numb, but Caroline didn’t think it had to do with sitting crouched inside the box. She felt numb everywhere.
Stephan was a pirate.
Chapter Eighteen
By the time he’d finished showing Eric around the dock area and doing a very casual stroll past theSea Masterto check for activity, Stephan barely had time to get back to the Pavilion and get himself ready for dinner.
He half-expected to see Caroline seated between the two dukes again, but Prinny must have decided he didn’t want her leaving his table once more. Surprisingly, Stephan’s name card was placed next to Caroline. Maybe the prince had sympathized with Stephan for the botched dinner on board theLadythe night before. Then again, considering Tisdale was on Caroline’s left side, maybe not.
Stephan frowned. The damn earl had her fully engaged in conversation to the point she hadn’t even looked in his direction as he sat down. He’d wanted to ask her if things had gone all right for her last night, but at the moment, he didn’t have the opportunity. His frown deepened as he suddenly realized it was Caroline who was asking the earl questions and, it seemed, actually encouraging him to talk. What the hell had happened last night after her father had snatched her from theLady?
“Everything under control?”
Stephan started at the sound of Brice’s voice to his right. Damn, was he losing his aptitude for situational awareness? Maybe it was a good thing he’d decided to call off the piracy for a while if he hadn’t even heard Brice slide his chair. For an irritating moment, he thought Brice’s question was directed at the situation with Caroline, but then he realized his friend meant Eric.
“He is settled in,” Stephan answered and allowed himself a small smile, remembering the booby trap Eric had rigged when they’d returned to theLady. Anyone attempting to board would find his legs tangled in rope.
“Good,” Brice replied. “Just six more days and the race will be over.”
Over. By Saturday, the regatta would be finished. The prince would throw his grand ball that evening and the next day everyone would pack up to go home. Caroline would consider their charade through. Stephan had planned to tell her last night that this endeavor was no longer playacting on his part. That he was serious in his role of suitor. But he hadn’t had the chance.
Stephan cocked an ear toward Caroline. She was still talking to Tisdale, asking whether he’d had the time to take in the neighboring countryside, particularly Newhaven. Hellfire and damnation. Was she actually wanting the earl to take her for another carriage ride? Brice said something, and Stephan nodded absently.
“You did not hear a word I said, did you?” Brice asked.
Stephan turned to him reluctantly. He wanted to hear if Tisdale was going to suggest anything. “What did you say?”
“I asked if you would like to go jump off the pier.”
“You did not.”
“I did, but you were obviously distracted.” Brice peered around him and then grinned. “Is she still mad?”
“I have no idea,” Stephan muttered. “I have not had a chance to say anything.”
Brice sat back. “I would take that as a yes.”
Stephan frowned. “Ayes, what?”
“Yes, she is still angry. With you.”
The frown turned into a scowl. “Why would she be angry with me? You were there last night. I did not ask Caroline to leave.”
“You did not insist she stay, either.”
“Blast it.” Stephan lowered his voice as two ladies across from them ceased talking and looked their way. “We already talked about this.”
“Wedid.” Brice kept his voice down as he smiled affably at the ladies. “But the person you need to speak to is Caroline.”
“I would.” Stephan smiled pleasantly at the ladies as well and spoke between clenched teeth. “But all I have seen is her shoulder this evening.”
Brice raised a brow. “When has that ever stopped you?”
Stephan clenched his jaw. Brice was right. Neither of them had ever let a little bit or resistance get in the way of what—or whom—they were pursuing. But Stephan had never worried about rejection, either. At least not where women were concerned. If one did say no, another would say yes. It was simply a matter of moving on. But nothing was simple with Caroline. Shemattered. The feeling was completely new and completely unsettling.
He was about to break into the conversation—politeness be damned—when there was a commotion in the long gallery, and a moment later Eric burst into the dining room, holding a disheveled Lady Ann by the arm and followed by two cautious guards.
