“I’m sorry, sir,” she said at last, putting as much contrition into her tone as she could manage. “I was sleeping…as you told me to do.”
One golden brow crooked in what she decided was a very irritating affectation. “Imagine that, Connie,” the captain said, though his eyes never left her. “He was only doing what I told him to do. Of course, as I recall, I told him to sleep here, in that bed yonder.”
Georgina winced. “I know, and I tried, really I did. I was just too uncomfortable in…What I mean is…Devil take it, your bed was too soft.” There, better that lie than admitting the only reason she couldn’t sleep there was because it washisbed.
“So you don’t like my bed?”
The first mate was laughing, though she couldn’t imagine why. And the captain’s irritating brow actually rose up a bit higher. And was that amusement in his eyes now? She should be relieved. Instead she felt she was the butt of some joke that had no punchline, and she was really getting tired of being a source of entertainment without knowing why.
Patience, Georgina. Indifference. You’re the only Anderson besides Thomas who doesn’t have a temper. Everyone says so.
“I’m sure your bed is nice, sir, the best there is, if you like things soft and cushiony to sleep on. I prefer firmer stuff myself, so—”
She broke off, frowning, as the first mate burst into another round of hearty laughter. James Malory had apparently choked on something, for he was bent over in his chair, coughing. She almost demanded to know what Sharpe found so funny this time, but the tray was getting heavier to hold up. And since they were thoughtlessly forcing her to stand there with it while she explained her late arrival, she would rather get it over with.
“So,” she continued, throwing the word out sharply to regain their attention, “I thought to collect my hammock, as you also told me to do. But on the way to the fo’c’sle, I…well, I saw my brother, who wanted a word with me. So I followed him below for just a minute, but then…well, my stomach acted up again suddenly. I was only going to lie down for a second or two, until it passed. But the next thing I knew, Mac was waking me up and giving me a blistering scolding for falling asleep and neglecting my duties.”
“A blistering scolding, eh? Is that all?”
What did he want, blood? “Actually, I got my ears boxed. They’re likely twice as big now.”
“Are they? Saves me the trouble, then, don’t it?” But then he added in a softer tone. “Did it hurt, Georgie?”
“Well, of course it hurt,” she retorted. “Do you want to see the damage?”
“You’d show me your pointy ears, lad? I’m flattered, indeed I am.”
She was glowering by now. “Well, don’t be, because I won’t. You’ll just have to take my word for it. And I know you think this is highly amusing, Captain, but you wouldn’t if you’d ever had your own ears boxed.”
“Oh, but I have, innumerable times…until I began boxing back. I’d be pleased to show you how.”
“How what?”
“To defend yourself, dear boy.”
“Defend…against my own brother?” Her tone implied she wouldn’t even consider it.
“Your brother, or anyone else who bothers you.”
Her eyes narrowed then, suspiciously. “You saw what happened, didn’t you?”
“I haven’t the faintest notion what you seem to be accusing me of. Now, d’you want lessons at fisticuffs or not?”
She almost laughed at the absurdity of it. She almost said yes, for it might be a useful thing to know, at least while she was on this ship. But lessons from him would only mean more time spent with him.
“No, thank you, sir. I’ll manage on my own.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself. But, Georgie, the next time I tell you to do something, see that you do it as I tell you, not as you might prefer. And if I ever find myself put to the inconvenience of worrying again that you might have fallen overboard, I’ll bloody well confine you to this cabin.”
She blinked at him. He said it without the slightest raised inflection, but that was a dire warning if she’d ever heard one, and she didn’t doubt for a moment that he meant it. But it was ridiculous. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him she likely knew her way around a ship better than half his crew, that the chances of her falling overboard were nil. But she couldn’t say that when she’d pretended ignorance of ships previously. Of course, his having worried over her she didn’t believe at all. Inconvenience said it all, no worry but an empty belly, which he meant to see never happened again. He was a blasted autocrat, was all, but she’d already known that.
Into the silence came Mr. Sharpe’s dry inquiry, “If we’re not going to have the cat-o’-nine sent for, James, d’you mind terribly if we have our dinner instead?”
“You always were ruled by your gut, Connie,” the captain retorted dryly.
“So some of us are easy to please. Well, what are you waiting for, brat?”
Georgina thought how nice the tray of food would look dumped in the first mate’s lap. She wondered if she dared pretend to trip. No, better not, or he’d fetch that cat-o’-nine-tails himself.
