“I’ve just hidden my agreeable side from you,” he said, reaching for the door.“Rest.We’ll be home soon.”
Elizabeth’s eyelids drifted downward, but she forced them up.“Go,” she whispered.“See to Tiffany and Dawson.I’ll be fine.”
Jonathan foundJean giving Dominic orders.“After you have taken Tiffany to Derek’s ship, sail Lee’s ship back home,” Jean commanded.“I’ve already given the orders.The men are preparing the ship as we speak.”
“Jonathan,” a feminine voice called from behind him.
Jonathan spun around.He had walked past Tiffany and Dawson without even noticing them.His mind had been on Jean, and he hadn’t seen them standing to the side.
“How are you, Tiffany?”Jonathan asked, more pleased to see them than he could have imagined.They looked at each other and smiled in earnest.“Did Lee hurt you?”
“I’m doing well under the circumstances, and much better since you’ve gotten us away from Lee,” she told him.“I’ll be going home soon, but I want to tell Elizabeth goodbye.Where is she?I haven’t seen her.”
Jonathan started to say something, but was stopped when Dawson tugged on his hand.
“What’s your name?”Dawson asked as he looked up at Jonathan.His head tilted to the side in a familiar gesture.
For the first time, Jonathan really had a chance to look at the boy.He stooped down so he’d be at eye level with him.Dawson had long black hair that curled under his ears.His eyes were dark like Elizabeth’s and Adam’s.The child favored Elizabeth, he could see that plainly.But Lord help him if he had his mother’s stubborn streak!Lord help them all.
Elizabeth hadn’t introduced him to Dawson when they were onboard Lee’s ship, so Jonathan introduced himself, “My name is Jonathan,” he said and straightened back up.“You look very much like your mother.”
“My name is Dawson, and I’m two years old,” he said in his childish voice, holding up two fingers.Then he gave Jonathan a brilliant smile.He noticed the child’s dimples.Where had he seen them before?Dawson held up his arms, so Jonathan picked him up.
“You’re tall,” Dawson said.
“And you are very small,” Jonathan replied for lack of anything else to say.He wasn’t used to talking to children, but he was finding Dawson hard to resist.
“One day you’ll be just as big as Jonathan,” Tiffany told the child.She looked at Jonathan.“Do you know where Elizabeth is?Why isn’t she up here looking for Dawson?”
“Elizabeth is down below in her cabin,” Jonathan said, not wanting to frighten Tiffany with the news that her friend had been wounded.“Follow me.”
Once they were in the cabin, Tiffany hurried over to Elizabeth’s bed.“You’re hurt!”Tiffany looked at Jonathan for an explanation.
Elizabeth reached and took Tiffany’s hand, demanding her attention.“I’m so sorry I got you into this situation.Can you ever forgive me?”
Tiffany gave her an incredulous look.“Forget about me, Elizabeth.You’re bleeding.”
“Mummy.”Dawson squirmed to get down out of Jonathan’s firm grasp.He placed Dawson on the floor, and the boy ran to his mother, climbing up on the bed and lying down beside Elizabeth on the side that wasn’t hurt.He hugged her with gentle, chubby hands.
She smiled at her son, then looked back at her friend.“I’ll be fine, Tiffany.We are going to Four Oaks, and a doctor will care for my shoulder.Are you returning home?”she asked weakly.
Tiffany nodded.
Elizabeth had to fight the pain in her shoulder, but she knew if she let Tiffany know of her pain, her friend would stay and never get home.“I want to thank you for all you’ve done for Dawson.”Elizabeth swallowed hard and bit back the tears.She would miss her friend when Tiffany left.“And when I return to London, I will visit you and your baby, I promise.”
Tiffany’s eyes filled with tears.“I don’t want to leave you like this.”
“Go.You have your own child to think about.”
Tiffany brushed away her tears.“What about Dawson?”
“I’ll take care of Dawson,” Jonathan said.“He will be well cared for.”
Elizabeth looked at him and smiled.She was too startled by his suggestion to offer any objections.She’d never seen Jonathan around children before, and she’d wondered how he would manage.
Jonathan realized how much Elizabeth looked like a mother with Dawson curled up next to her.It seemed so natural.Dawson didn’t even realize that his mother was hurt, and that was probably for the best.It would be quite a long time before she’d be able to take care of her son.
“All right,” Tiffany finally agreed.“I can see that you’re in capable hands.”She squeezed Elizabeth’s hand and then gave Dawson a hug.“You be a good boy for your mother.”
