“Ah, come now, Cross,” he replied, a lazy smile covering his handsome features. “On this ship it’s bad luck not to drink a toast to the newest member of the crew. How else will we thank you for coming to our rescue when we so desperately needed a cook’s assistant?”
She shifted uncomfortably on both feet. “If it’s all the same ta ye, Cap’n, I don’t like ta take spirits whilst I’m workin’.”
That statement sent Danny and Sean into peals of laughter.
Cade arched one blond brow. “It isn’t all the same to me, Cross. As I’m certain you know fromallyourexperienceon ships. We sailors are quite odd about our superstitions… the things we consider bad luck. Not drinking a toast to a new crew member’s health is considered extremely bad luck onThe Elenor. Isn’t it, lads?” He directed his words to McCummins and O’Malley but his eyes remained locked with Danielle’s.
“That ’tis,” McCummins agreed. “I, fer one, am quite willin’ ta drink ta yer health, Cross, me boy.”
“Aye,” O’Malley added with a resolute nod.
“It’s nearly as bad of luck as say, killing an albatross or having awomanaboard,” Cade drawled.
Both O’Malley and McCummins gasped and both men quickly crossed themselves. “Oy, Cap’n, don’t say somethin’ like that even in jest,” O’Malley pleaded, shaking his head.
Cade held the whiskey glass at arm’s length to Danielle.
With tight lips, she took it. “I wouldn’t want ta cause no bad luck, Cap’n,” she ground out, giving him a withering glare.
“Excellent.” Cade replaced the stopper on the bottle and put it back in the cabinet.
“None for us, Cap’n?” O’Malley looked hopefully toward the bottle and licked his lips.
Danielle eyed Cade. He was toying with her. Letting her know he held the power in this exchange of wills because he knew her secret. She squared her shoulders and took a swig from the glass. She’d had whiskey before. This was somemauditfine whiskey, but she mustn’t drink too much. She needed to keep her wits about her. Cade may have scored the first blow, but she wasn’t about to let him win the battle. It was time to fight back.
“Yes, CaptainOakleaf. None fer the others?” She blinked at him innocently. “Oakleaf is a mighty interestin’ name, by the by. Who are yer kinsfolk if’n ye don’t mind me askin’?”
Cade’s gaze narrowed on her and he tilted his head to the side almost imperceptibly as if acknowledging the point she’d just made. He turned to his first and second mates. “McCummins, go see to it that we’re on course. O’Malley, climb up to the eagle’s nest and get a report.”
“But Cap’n, Hendricks usually gets the rep—”
“Now!” With that one word, both men scrambled toward the door. “I’d like to speak to Cross alone.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
A deafening silence ensued once the two men had gone. Danielle couldn’t decide which was louder, the ticking of the gilded clock anchored to the desk, or the beating of her own heart. Cade faced away from her the entire time. It lasted until she wanted to scream, “Say something! Do something!”
Finally he turned, stared at her, and drained his glass in one large gulp. “I’m only going to ask you one time and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll tell the truth.” His voice was more deadly calm and filled with anger than she’d ever heard it. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I have the same question for you.” She tossed her head, though admittedly the effect was ruined with her hair tucked into her hat. She’d never noticed until recently how effective a good head toss could be for a woman.
“You want to know why I’m on my own ship?” He scoffed. “That’s rich. Why did you follow me here?”
“Follow you? Don’t flatter yourself. I’m not here for you. I needed the passage.”
He snorted. “Important lady’s maid business, is it?”
She rolled her eyes. “If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m not a lady’s maid.”
“And I’m the bloody prince.”
“Your highness.” She bowed.
His eyes narrowed on her. “Are you seriously trying to convince me that you’re actually a ship’s cook’s assistant? I happen to know you make more money seeing to my sister-in-law’s hair.”
“Of course I’m not going to try to convince you I’m a cook’s assistant. I’m going to succeed in convincing you that I know General Grimaldi.”
Cade’s eyes flashed blue fire before narrowing on her closely. “What did you say?”
