“Do you think it was my father?” Adeline stared down at her hands.
“Or Bellamy. I told Daniels he was in on it.” He took one of Adeline’s hands in his. “It looks like it’s time to go back. You can stay here if you like. But I must go back and report to whoever takes Daniels’s position. I need to ensure they know that Bellamy could be a suspect in Daniels’s death.”
Adeline shook her head. “No, I need to check that George and my mother are safe. I can’t hide here, and I don’t want to be separated from you.”
Malcolm kissed her fingers. “Together, we will figure it out. Trent, how did you get here?”
“I sailed. Your ship is docked in West Bay.”
“Excellent. We will leave in the morning.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
The sail toLondon had been fascinating. Adeline had never been on such a fine ship as theConstellation. Observing Malcolm in his role of Commander Iveson intrigued her to no end. He carried himself with such authority. It made her most womanly parts damp with desire. The trouble was that she had been assigned her own guest cabin in deference to damn propriety.
She glanced around her cabin with little interest. It reminded her of a wooden box, with only a small porthole for a window. The bunk was surprising spacious but besides a narrow ladderback chair it was the only furniture in the room. A chamber pot was tucked underneath it and a small wash basin sat on a ledge by the door. Adeline sighed at the depressing efficiency of the design.
She knew that Malcolm was still on duty, she hadn’t heard him return to his room next door. She whipped her woolen shawl around her shoulders and went in search of him. Propriety be damned, she would tell him she did not want to sleep in here alone.
As she emerged onto the deck she took a deep breath. The cold air slapped her in the face and whipped at her hair. From her exploration of the ship earlier in the day she knew that the helm was at the other end. She made her way carefully across the deck. The gentle rocking of the ship disrupted her balance and she wobbled a bit as she rounded one of the masts. There were very few men on deck at ten o’clock at night. Then she spotted Malcolm standing by the big wheel, talking with another officer. Lord, Malcolm was so handsome in his uniform.
Perhaps he could feel her regard because his gaze swung toward her. “Adeline?” he called out.
All the men around him also turned to look at her. She shyly raised a hand. Malcolm came down the stairs and crossed to where she stood. The ship pitched to the left and she did as well.
But Malcolm’s hands gripped her arms to steady her. “Darling, is something wrong? What are you doing out here?”
She jutted out her bottom lip. “I don’t want to sleep alone. I don’t give a damn about propriety.”
He chuckled and pulled her close. “I had no intention of leaving you alone tonight. But you should go back inside. You’ll freeze out here in this wind. I promise to come to you soon.”
Behind his head, she caught sight of the Pleiades star cluster. Tipping her head back, she took a proper look at the night sky and gasped. A blanket of stars spread out above them. Far more stars than she was able to see from her balcony in London.
“Look at the sky tonight,” she breathed out in a stream of white.
“I had a feeling you might get distracted by the stars.” He tugged her down the deck toward the ship’s railing. “Here, lean back, I will hold you steady.”
She leaned back within the circle of his arms and took in the multitude of stars. “Which way is north?”
“That way.” He pointed to their left.
Adeline twisted in his arms so that her back was against his chest and she faced north. Resting her head on his shoulder, she oriented herself. She found the three bright stars of Andromeda making a chain leading to Pegasus. And there were the five stars that formed the distinctiveWof Cassiopeia. In the clear sky that stretched above the sea, she could even see the soft red glow of Cepheus. Truly amazing.
Adeline pointed at Polaris. “There is our star.”
He nuzzled her neck; his warm breath welcome in the cold air. “My mother said it would always lead me home. That is you now, Adeline. You are my home.”
She turned her head so that her lips brushed his cheek. “And you are mine.”
*
They arrived inLondon late in the evening of the third day. Malcolm had her bundled into a carriage straight away, and they headed to Mayfair and Hartwick House. He had insisted no one else should know she was in town. No matter how uncomfortable her secret made Adeline feel, she knew she would be safe with Lucy and Lord Hartwick.
“Of course, you will be safe here,” Lucy exclaimed as she embraced Adeline. “Where have you been?”
Lucy ushered them into Hartwick’s study. A fire roared, and her husband stood from where he had been lounging on a long sofa. “Welcome. What brings you to our home at such an indecent hour?” His smile belied the wry snark of his tone.
Malcolm crossed and shook Hartwick’s hand. “Thank you for letting us in. I didn’t know where to take her where she would be safe. Adeline assured me this was the place.”
