Page 73 of Much Ado about a Widow

“Is the crew assembled?”

“Aye, Captain. They’re below, awaiting orders.”

“Very good. Get ready to make way.”

“Aye, Captain.” The sailor ran to the gangway, calling, “Look alive, men. Captain’s ready to make way.”

Georgie huddled against him. “I suppose I should return your jacket and go below. That way neither of us will freeze.” She struggled out of his blue superfine coat and immediately began to shiver.

“Come below. While the crew is making ready to sail, we’ll find you something to keep you warm until I can be of service to you.” He snagged her arm and pulled her to the gangway, just as the crew erupted out of it.

“Morning, Captain, my lady.” Cartwright bobbed his head and headed toward the stern.

Right behind him came Chapman. “Morning, Captain, milady.” He continued to the lines and began to pull them taut.

The last sailor to emerge, a lad of maybe twelve, looked at both of them, eyes wide. He mumbled, “Morning, Captain, Mrs. Captain,” and fled to the rigging, pulling on ropes and releasing the sails.

“Mrs. Captain, is it?” Georgie smiled as she hurried below. “Somehow I like that better than ‘milady.’”

“Then onboard the Justine you shall be ‘Mrs. Captain,’ as soon as I make an honest woman out of you.” Rob led her to his cabin and began rummaging around in his chest, then in a drawer under his bunk. “Here we are.” He pulled a dark blue coat from under his bunk. “I thought I remembered stowing this under here for emergencies. My old pea coat.” He held the garment up proudly. Well used, the wool coat had faded spots and looked generally scruffy, but was also terribly warm. “Let’s try this on you.”

“Wouldn’t you rather I stayed down here? I don’t want to be under foot.” Face pinched and drawn, Georgie had dropped into a chair.

“I know you must be tired, but you may have a better time of it up top, at least until we’re well under way.” He drew the coat around her shoulders. “This may not make you all the crack, however, it will keep you warm.”

Georgie sighed and stood, putting her arms through the sleeves. She looked down at the sleeves, hanging well below her fingertips, and the jacket itself that almost came to her knees. “No crack at all to be sure.” She set about rolling up the sleeves. “But if it must suffice until you are available, it must. How do I look?”

Altogether too fetching by half. “Exactly as Mrs. Captain should look.”

She beamed at him. “Aye, aye, Captain.”

Her bright eyes, sweet smile, and that oversized coat that somehow accentuated her lovely curves combined to turn his thoughts from getting under way to other more intimate pursuits. In one step he had her in his arms, his mouth pressed hard against hers, backing toward the bunk. This journey could turn out to be more pleasant than any other he’d taken aboard the Justine.

“Captain, we’re about to raise the main staysail.” Ayers’s voice came from the corridor.

“I think you’d better go see to the raising of that sail.” Pulling away from him, Georgie laughed as he frowned. “The raising of your mast must wait for later.”

“Too late. It’s already flying.” Hopefully the cold would calm his shaft until he could resume this little interlude later. They had five whole days to themselves as they headed for Scotland.

“Come on up deck with me?”

“Aye, aye, Captain.” Grinning, she sashayed by him, rubbing against his already aroused body in the tight quarters.

“Just remember those words when I get you alone tonight, Mrs. Captain.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Rob had taken the wheel so Ayers could help Chapman set the sails. Georgie stood to his right, watching the coastline as it shrank little by little from view. The sea had decided to aid them today, for the chop was less than usual so the ship glided along the water’s surface without bouncing about. The air, however, was cold and damp, so much so that Rob shivered and longed for his own pea coat, currently in the care of his valet at the castle. At least he could be assured that Georgie was snug and warm.

The journey to Portpatrick should take them at most five days, less if the winds stayed in their favor. Once married, he might elect to remain in the small village for several days, simply to give Georgie a respite from sea travel. Certainly they could find sights to see and things to do. He glanced at the trim figure standing between him and the rail, her hair gleaming like fire in the sparse sunlight. Oh, yes. He could think of many things for them to do.

“I’ll take the wheel now, Captain.” Ayers had returned to relieve him. “We’re well under way.”

“Thank you, Ayers.” Rob turned to go to Georgie, then turned back. “Ayers, who is the young lad you’ve got replacing Barnes? I didn’t catch his name when we came on board.”

“That’s young Barnes, my lord. Barnes’s eldest grandson. Sent him along yesterday morning since he himself couldn’t join us. Says the lad’s ready to start his official training.”

Usually a lad going to sea began as a cabin boy, but perhaps Barnes was right. One learned a trade by doing it. “Very well, then. Make certain young Barnes knows what he’s doing before he does it.”