Nash’s smile quickly faded. “Again, you are correct.”
“She will miss you, as well.”
“No. I think she will be happy to be away from me. The few times we have talked since her accident, we have done nothing but argue.”
“Perhaps she doesn’t want to go back?”
Nash laughed again. “Oh no. She wants to return to her position with my sister-in-law, I assure you.”
“How do you know?”
“She never wanted to come with me in the first place.”
Captain Bushwell straightened and clapped his hand on Nash’s shoulder. “Nash, I must say you don’t read women very well. The way I see it, her stubborn streak intensified when she found out she was being sent back. The girl wants to stay. It’s obvious.”
The captain’s opinion bothered Nash, only because he hesitated to believe it. Just thinking about the possibility that Maxey might want to stay with him sent his heart into a frenzied beat. But he quickly stopped his whirlwind of emotions. It didn’t matter what he wanted. Maxey would be safer going home.
“No, captain. Maxey has to go. I don’t know what I would do if my uncle got hold of her. He wouldn’t think twice about torturing her.”
Captain Bushwell nodded and stepped away. “I understand. But will you do me a favor before you say your last goodbyes?”
“What is that?”
“I have known since the accident that she is not your niece. Tell the poor girl you love her. Don’t send her back with a broken heart.”
Silence ripped through the air as the captain walked away. Nash scratched his chin. Strange, but two people had made the same comment about this very thing. Katherine Summers had also mentioned the wordlove.
Didhe love Maxey? Perhaps that was the gripping ache inside his chest that wouldn’t leave. How could it be so obvious to others but not to him?
The tightness in his chest grew as he gave in to his emotions.I love her!
Finally, there was an answer for his glorious emotion. He loved her more than life itself. But he couldn’t confess his feelings to her. His life was too complicated for love and marriage right now.
He turned and walked back toward the cabin, struggling with his thoughts. If he told Maxey he loved her, would it make her happy? She had told him once that she was falling in love with him, so could her feelings be as strong, especially now? If she did return his love, she would not want to return home.
No, he couldn’t allow that. She was safer at the Wentworth estate.
Quietly, he turned the doorknob and entered the room. Maxey wasn’t asleep, as he had expected, but sitting in bed reading. She lifted her gaze for a moment when he entered, but then her attention went back to the book.
He closed the door and walked to the spot on the floor where he had slept. Without a word, he pulled off his shirt in front of her. She raised the book to block her view, and he couldn’t stop his smile from widening.
He decided not to retire to bed and left his trousers on. He dug through one of his trunks to find a book to read that would settle his turbulent thoughts, but nothing looked interesting—nothing except the beautiful young lady sitting in bed.
He studied the woman who confused him. With Maxey’s knees pulled to her chest, her cute toes peeked out from underneath the nightdress she wore. Her hair was just how he liked it, unbound and cascading over her shoulders in beautiful waves.
Sighing deeply, he walked back to his corner of the room and plopped on the floor.
Finally, she met his stare. “Is something amiss?”
“No.”
“That irritable grunt you just made sounded like something troubles your mind.”
He grinned. “All right, then, there is something on my mind, but I do not think you would like to know.”
She laid the book on her lap, but kept her knees hiding her chest. “Tell me anyway.”
“The captain talked to me a few minutes ago and said that we will be docking in Devonshire tomorrow.”
