“One-Eye!”
Ridge glanced up to see the captain looking down at him.
“Might I be havin’ a word wit’ ye afore we set sail?” With that, he headed back inside his cabin.
Ridge wiped his grimy hands on his breeches and strode to the upper deck with his usual commanding air. He walked into the captain’s quarters without knocking, Ridge being the only one of the crew allowed such an honor, and asked, “There a problem, Cap’n?”
Spalling leaned back in his chair. “Just thought ye’d like a drink afore we set out.” He placed two glasses on his desk and poured them both a draught of rum.
Ridge closely eyed the other man with his solitary gaze, but as he didn’t sense anything amiss, he took a seat. However, when the captain frowned, the action immediately put Ridge on the alert. “Actually, I do have somethin’ on me mind.” He paused before continuing, “Seems some agents from th’ Home Office are sniffin’ ’round our operations.”
Ridge carefully schooled his features, as he gave a careless shrug. “Don’t see how that’d be a problem for us. We’ve eluded th’ authorities thus far.”
The captain gave a snort. “Ledy luck doesn’t always hold out.”
Ridge gave an arrogant lift of his brow. “I thought ye said we made our own luck.”
“Aye, that we do. But we’ve got t’ cover our necks too.” Spalling’s somber tone caused Ridge to narrow his dark eye. “Got somethin’ I need t’ be showin’ ye in case things get messy. No matter wha’, me ship has t’ stay on th’ water.” He unlocked the middle drawer of his desk, and withdrew a leather bound journal, which he slapped on top of the other mess of papers he’d scattered around haphazardly. “Ever heard o’ the bilateral cipher?”
“You’re speakin’ o’ Sir Frances Bacon?” Ridge asked, and he quoted the scholar’s most famous saying,“‘Knowledge is power.’”
A smile spread across the captain’s face. “The very same.” He pushed the journal toward him and said, “I suggest ye start learnin’.”
The corners of Ridge’s mouth instantly curled upward, although if the captain knew why he was so pleased, he would no doubt shoot him square in the chest with his pistol.
Knowledge was power, indeed — now that he had full access to the codes.
Chapter Sixteen
It was no secret that Triana loved to explore. Ever since she was old enough to toddle around after Travell, she had searched for undiscovered treasures.
So it was no surprise, when Greta brought in her breakfast tray later that morning and told her that the duke had ridden out to take care of a few estate matters but had given her free reign of Chiltern Hall in his absence, Triana found the prospect held great appeal. While she was a bit disappointed to learn that Gabriel had left without a single word to her, at the same time, she was grateful for the reprieve.
After last night, she wasn’t quite sure how to face him in the bright lightof day, especially considering certain areas of her body were still humming with the reminder of all the glorious moments they had shared.
Her undergarments had been freshly washed and pressed, so Greta helped her into a mint green, muslin day dress that had been procured for her use. While it was a bit loose, it was perfect for a day of adventures.
She asked the maid where she might begin her discovery of the manor, and Greta suggested that she talk with Hannity as he’d been at Chiltern Hall the longest. She located the butler in the dining room, and he was pleasantly forthcoming. He mentioned that the west wing was an ideal location to start, not only because it housed the conservatory with its grand array of roses, but the music room and great hall were also on that side of the manor, the latter of which boasted generations of Chiltern family members along its walls.
Triana took his advice and set off in that direction. She walked slowly, taking her time to admire all the aspects of the stately manor, which Hannity had explained, with an obvious touch of pride, had been in the family for nearly three hundred years.
While everything was impressive at first sight — the centuries old artifacts and priceless, age old furnishings in every room she passed — Triana couldn’t help but feel that something was lacking within these walls, as if they carried a certain sense of… loneliness, yearning to be filled with love and laughter.
As she continued to make her way through the endless labyrinth of corridors with their tall ceilings and grand architecture, she was surprised that she found the conservatory with relative ease, and that it was just as lovely as Hannity had promised it would be, filled to the brim with roses of every color, shape, and size. She couldn’t help but think of Alyssa, knowing her friend would love it here, as she’d always had a special love of flowers.
Triana spied a small nook off to one side. It was a quaint area where one might sit and embroider, and she gave a small smile. She could almost picture herself working on her needlepoint while the babe in her belly kicked with delight…
With a startled gasp, she put a hand to her flat stomach, even though the image dared to linger. To even fantasize about having Gabriel’s child would be pure folly, for such a thing could never be.
And yet…
“You are truly mine, and nothing can take you away from me.”
His words from the night before struck a poignant chord in her heart. How she desperately wished it could be so, but she refused to disillusion herself into hoping for the impossible.
With a sigh, she lightly stroked the silky soft petal of a lilac rose, before moving on to the music room. It held a variety of instruments — a violin, cello, and even a harp. They were arranged as if they were waiting for the moment when the orchestra would return and they would be played once again.
However, it wasn’t until Triana’s gaze lit on the pianoforte with its gleaming ivory keys that her interest was truly captured. She’d taken countless lessons as a child, as her mother felt that any lady of quality should play properly, but it was one of the things Triana had truly loved. She trailed her fingers along the smooth surface, wondering who it was that might have coaxed a melody out of such a magnificent piece.
