…
As Caroline walked down to the pier accompanied by Tisdale that afternoon, she realized this was how condemned prisoners being escorted to the gallows must feel. All around her people were free to walk in whatever direction they chose. She, on the other hand, had no options but to follow her henchman.
Caroline gave herself an inward shake for the self-pity and lifted her chin. She was not going to be hanged. She wasn’t even going to drown. TheSea Masterwas a well-built boat, and Captain Flannery knew what he was doing. Stephan had respect for the man. All she had to do was tolerate the earl’s company for an hour-and-a-half. How hard could that be?
Still, she looked up at the sky. Only a few wisps of cloud floated overhead, certainly nothing threatening-looking. She had prayed for rain. Why couldn’t the heavens cooperate?
“Here we are,” Tisdale said as they reached his boat. “Welcome aboard.”
As they stepped on deck, the boat suddenly seemed smaller than she remembered. The cockpit area seemed tighter thanLady of Fortune, but perhaps that was becauseSea Masterhad a narrower hull. More probably it was because the close quarters made her sit nearer to the earl than she wanted to.
A stranger came up the ladder from the companionway and gave Caroline an assessing look that felt like a leer, but then she was probably overreacting. The man turned to Tisdale. “Ready to cast off, my lord?”
“Quite ready. The sooner the better.”
As the man busied himself undoing lines, Caroline frowned. “Where is Captain Flannery?”
“I gave him two days’ leave to visit his wife,” Tisdale said. “Why do you ask?”
Caroline squelched the panic that threatened to rise. She was going to spend an afternoon at sea with two men she didn’t trust, but she could hardly say that. “I…had just become accustomed to seeing Captain Flannery about.”
“Do not worry your pretty little head about the captain. You are in safe hands,” Tisdale said.
It wasn’t the captain her little head was worried about. And she didn’t want to think abouthands. Neither the present captain’s who had already given her several side glances, nor Tisdale’s.
As the captain unfurled the mainsail and eased them out of the slip, Tisdale plopped down beside Caroline, his leg brushing her cycling skirt deliberately. At least the material was thick and weighed down with leather stripping in the hem. She edged marginally away on the narrow bench.
“Should we not be sitting on opposite sides to balance the boat?”
Tisdale smiled. “No, my dear. We both need to sit on the windward side for balance.”
She started to protest the idea but snapped her mouth closed as the big sail caught the air and the boat heeled over, putting the far rail close to the water. Sitting on the low side would definitely not have been comfortable. Blast it. She clutched one of the stanchions that supported the lifeline.
Tisdale smirked. “You can hold on to me.”
She curled her fingers around the wooden post, not about to let go, even though she had to twist her body to hang on. “I…am fine.”
“Suit yourself,” Tisdale replied. “The wind is picking up and you are going to get tired sitting in that position.”
“I am fine,” Caroline said again. If she had to turn herself into a pretzel, she would.
Tisdale’s smirk grew. “We will see.”
As they sailed toward the open sea, Caroline could see Stephan aboard theLady of Fortune. As if he knew she’d be watching, he lifted his hand in salute as they passed and then began throwing off dock lines. Caroline felt her eyes widen in surprise. Stephan was taking theLadyout. Did he intend to follow them like he did the day of the carriage ride?
Tisdale noticed, too, and scowled. “That bloody bastard. He is going to stay right behind us.”
Caroline gave him an innocent look. “This close to the regatta, he probably is doing a final sea trial. A lot of boats went out this morning.”
“But not him. He waited for us.” Tisdale’s expression turned grim. “He had better enjoy that race.”
Caroline was about to retort that she was sure Stephan would when something in the earl’s tone made her pause. “Why do you say that?”
“I have it on good authority that a warrant is being prepared for his arrest.” Tisdale smiled menacingly. “Saturday’s race will be his last.”
…
Stephan brought in the jib sheet on theLadyand adjusted his heading a few degrees to port so he would be able to see what was happening in the cockpit ofSea Master. Caroline was braced against a starboard stanchion with Tisdale seated next to her. Much too close. Stephan frowned. Why wasn’t the fool helping to trim the sails? Letting the main out a bit and easing both jibs would go a long to righting the boat and making for a more comfortable sail.