The fresh night air made Harrystagger. “Don’ leave me with these two,” he pleaded to Jack. “Don’ttrust ’em.”
Jack chuckled. “Here’s a hackney. I’llride home with you.”
“Dash it! Harry saidindignantly, falling onto the squab as Jack climbed in beside him.He attempted to straighten his clothes, but only made things worse.“Seem to have lost my hat.”
Jack picked it up off the floor andheld it out.
“There it is. The devilsmust have kept topping up my glass when my back wasturned.”
“I daresay my time willcome and so will theirs, Harry,” Jack said with a grin. “Rememberthat.”
“Ah,” Harry said with alopsided smile. “Yes. I’ll get ’em.”
~~~
Erina hadn’t been able to sleep. SirAmbrose’s house was so big and ancient it creaked abominably andsounded as if someone walked backward and forward outside the door.This time there definitely were footsteps in the corridor. Shefrowned. It didn’t sound like Harry. She knew his firm tread. Thedoor opened. She clutched the bedcover to her chest. Open mouthed,she watched as Harry staggered into the room in an appalling stateof dishevelment. “Harry!”
“Sorry, Erina. Sorry, mylove,” he murmured with a lamentable shake of his head which almostmade him lose his balance. His cravat was hanging limply, and hiscoat slid off one shoulder. He seemed to have lost aglove.
She leaped out of bed and hurried overto him. “What has happened? Were you robbed?”
“No. Fellows had a bit offun with me. Bashelor dinner an all.”
“Harry! You are drunk!” Inall the time she’d known him she’d never seen him drink more than aglass or two of wine.
“Good thing I paced myself.Only half-sprung.” Harry sat on a chair and tried to pull off hisshoes. He managed one then gave up and stood, dragging off his coatand almost falling again. “That Tim is a sneaky devil,” he saidheatedly, stripping it off and throwing the garment down. “Can’ttrust Miles as far as you could throw him, either.”
“Keep still.” She pulledoff his cravat as he tried to kiss her. Missing her mouth, hekissed her nose instead. He smelled strongly of port. “Sorry, mylove,” he said again. “But I’ll get ’em.”
He fell back onto the bed.
“Well, I hope it’s notduring our honeymoon,” Erina said. “It seems you’ve got the worstof it this time.” She realized Harry was snoring.
Erina slipped off his other shoe. Sheundid the buttons on his trousers and pulled them down while hecontinued to snore. Drawing the covers over him she gazed at hissleeping face, so boyish in repose. “Oh Harry,” she laughed. “Andyou always so immaculate. The rascals!”
She climbed into bed beside him.“You’ll have such a headache in the morning. And we sail for Franceon the tide! I wonder if it’s your head I’ll be holding over therail?” Giggling, she snuggled into his warmth and closed hereyes.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The following morning Jack instructedhis valet to pack the small portmanteau with the clothes he’d takenon his previous journey.
Devon looked stricken. “Might Iaccompany you tomorrow, Captain? I think you’ll needme.”
“No but thank you, Devon.As you see my needs are simple. Please spend the time I’m away asyou see fit. Of course, you will receive your full wages. You mayalso return to Albany should you wish to earn a little extra. Aslong as I don’t lose you to the place.”
“Don’t worry, Captain. I’llbe here when you return.”
Jack penned a letter to Ashley who wasnow at her home in Burford, Oxfordshire. Then he left a list ofinstructions for his staff. He was pleased with Jenkins, his newsteward, who had a good brain, and as the son of a steward was wellversed in his position. That evening, Jack joined Grant for afarewell drink in his Mayfair mansion.
Jack looked around the small salonwhere he and his father had spent many a pleasant evening. “I hadhoped to say goodbye to Aunt Elizabeth.”
“I shall relay your messageto Mother at breakfast,” Grant said. “She is dining with theMoncrieff’s tonight.”
“She is well?”
“In excellent health. WhichI suspect is not the case for Harry,” Grant said with a sympatheticshake of his head. “I wonder how he fares on board theship.”
“Poorly, I imagine,” Jackreplied. “But he has the lovely Erina to hold his head.”
