Hannah spoke so quietly to Mrs.Turner, Michael couldn’t make out what she was saying.He held tightly to the ratlines, watching both of them.Endless minutes passed, and his grip tightened while he watched.
Then Mrs.Turner slowly began to descend, with Hannah beside her.Michael kept his hands poised on the lines, prepared to break their fall, if either slipped.
Several of the deck hands had gathered around, and Michael ordered them away.The bo’sun tried to apologize, but Michael cut him off, shielding the women from his gaze.“I will escort them back to their state rooms,” he said firmly.
Relief filled him up inside that both women were safely on deck.Lady Hannah held Mrs.Turner’s hand and was speaking quietly to her.
What Hannah had just done was completely unheard of.Women didn’t climb twenty feet in the air to rescue a stranger.It was scandalous, dangerous, and right now he wanted to hold her tightly.Thank God neither of them had been hurt.
She shouldn’t have taken such a bold risk.His anger and fear built up to the point where he gritted his teeth to keep from lashing out at her.
Though his rational mind pointed out that both of them were all right, it might have been a very different outcome.He couldn’t let Hannah take such chances again.
The air was frigid, and Hannah’s teeth chattered from the cold.Mrs.Turner’s hands were icy, and Michael led them all back to Hannah’s state room, where she found Estelle waiting.
The maid’s eyes widened at the sight of Hannah and her windblown, disheveled appearance.
“Lady Hannah, whatever happened to you?”Estelle looked appalled, but Hannah had no desire to explain herself.Nor did she want a word of this spoken to her mother.
Ignoring the question, she said, “I ordered you to look after Mrs.Turner, but you neglected your duty, it seems.”
Excuses stammered from Estelle’s lips, but Hannah had endured her fill of them.“Enough.Go and help Mrs.Turner prepare for bed.”
The maid cast a glance at Michael, and he stared back at Estelle, until she returned her attentions to Mrs.Turner.
Hannah was about to help them, but the lieutenant refused to surrender her wrist.Instead, he led her into the dimly lit hallway, forcing her to follow him around the corner to a spot hidden from view.
Keeping his voice in a whisper, he leaned down to her ear.“Whatever possessed you to do something so dangerous?”
Her teeth started chattering, his words breaking apart the false confidence that was holding her together.She knew it had been perilous, but standing below on the decking hadn’t been useful, either.
“I don’t know.I just thought...you needed help,” she whispered, thankful when he rubbed her hands to warm them.
“I didn’t need you breaking your neck.”He pulled her body close to his, letting his body heat warm her freezing skin.The actions were in opposition to his words.“You could have been killed.”
“So could you.”She pulled back, trying to calm the chattering of her teeth.“You asked me to help look after Mrs.Turner.And you were frightening her.It seemed like the only way to get her down.”
He said nothing but stroked her hair.His wide hands moved over her scalp, down her back.“Don’t ever do something like that again.”Right now, he was holding her like he didn’t want to let go.He fitted his body to hers as though he wanted to shield her from all harm.
Against her better judgment, Hannah embraced him back.In their fleeting solitude, his mouth brushed against her temple.She closed her eyes, wishing to God there weren’t so many obstacles between them.
He’d made no promises to her, nor could he.She knew that.All they had was a few stolen moments together.Tomorrow evening, they would arrive in Bremerhaven.And the day after that, she would be left behind at her cousins’ house.
He framed her face with his hands.“Thank you for what you did.”
She braved a smile, startled by his unexpected offering.“You’re welcome.I hope Mrs.Turner feels better in the morning.”
“Get some sleep,” he ordered.
“I doubt it.”Her insides were still churning, after everything that had happened, and most especially after the way he’d touched her.
“Michael,” she murmured.“About what happened between us earlier—”
“It won’t happen again,” he swore.He jerked his hands back, as though he couldn’t get away from her fast enough.The deep embarrassment returned, for she’d given so much of herself to him.Like a wanton woman, she had laid herself bare before him, seeking the mindless pleasure he’d offered.
“Good,” she echoed.“That’s good, then.”Without another word, she turned back to her room so he would not see the tears.
Lady Hannah was absent from breakfast that morning.Her maid said she’d taken a tray in her state room, and Michael supposed she needed the extra sleep after the night they’d endured.
