Page 16 of The Scandal of the Deceived Duchess
“Uh, let’s just say ‘to victory’ – whose is of minor import this night.” Jonathan waited for her to display some kind of reaction. He watched the expression on her face closely. He felt hope course through him when her piercing gaze softened a little and she finally smiled.
“All right. To victory,” she said at last, bringing her glass closer to his.
They clinked and drank. Silence followed. To Jonathan’s surprise, it was not uncomfortable. He watched Amelia slink around the cabin, inspecting everything as if she had never been there before.
“Family heirlooms?” she asked, indicating with her finger at one of the silver candelabras on the table.
“No, we captured them off the coast…” he stopped in midsentence. He swallowed, thinking of another way to explain its origins.
“More pirate booty…mm…you are quite successful in what you do, Captain. Tell me, how does a man come to be in your line of work?”
Jonathan felt the rage course over his body. She was speaking to him as if he was some kind of buccaneer and not a patriot in the service of his country.
“I always liked sailing. I often went when I was a boy.” He took a sip of his sherry. “And when the war between our two countries broke out, I jumped at the chance to join the cause.” He swept his hands around their surroundings. I planned and paid for this ship out of my own pocket. The Admiralty in my country couldn’t refuse offering me a commission as a…how shall I say…as a free agent in the service of my country.”
It was Amelia’s turn to be surprised. It astounded her that a man would spend so much of his personal fortune for the good of his country. “That is most noble of you…even if you act without the direct authority of your superiors,” she said, not being able to abstain from including the final words.
“I am glad you think so. Would you care to sit down?” When she nodded, Jonathan helped her into her seat and sat down as well. All the while, he had to control his anger at her second snide remark concerning his honor.
He waited for her to arrange the wrap around her midriff before speaking again. “When your country started the conflict between our two nations, I felt wronged, as did many of my countrymen.”
“When my country started it. It was an Americans’ frigate that attacked the sloop ‘Little Belt’’ thinking her another ship. Nine British seamen died that day,” said Amelia with conviction.
For a heartbeat, it surprised Jonathan that she would know such details. “If I am not mistaken, it was your country that started the continental blockade of Europe, which was illegal, if I might add. Furthermore, Royal Navy ships stopped American merchantmen in search of sailors, whom they would impress into service for the crown.”
“Poppycock. You Americans thought to take advantage of the war in Europe. You thought that because we were busy fighting Napoleon that you would have the perfect opportunity to attack British possessions in the Americas.” Amelia drained her sherry and slapped the glass on the table with a thwack.God, this man is infuriating.
“The British paid the Indian tribes to attack peaceful frontier farmers. They were butchered to the last man, woman, and child.”
Amelia swallowed. She did not know about this. “You cannot win,” she said at last in barely a whisper. She tried to banish the notion that her countrymen would resort to such barbarism.
“We will see about that.” Jonathan issued a terse command to the steward that he bring them some wine. If he was going to have to spend an evening with this impossible woman, he might as well do so in a slightly inebriated state.
“Yes, we will. Judging by your country’s incompetence, it won’t take much longer. Your forces outnumber us, and still, you are unable to make inroads into Canada. Your attempt to take Montreal was thwarted. What do you think is going to happen when the Marquess of Wellington has finished mopping up the French? He will come here and then you are done for.”
Jonathan watched her take a hearty gulp of the wine his steward had just poured for her. Despite his anger, he had to admit that she had a point. Presently, the British were fighting two wars. If they defeated the French and that was very likely they could concentrate their considerable military might on the Americas. It would be a massacre that most probably would end in an American defeat.
However, he was not about to give up. All of his earlier plans at being more courteous and less of an overt patriot went up in smoke as the argument continued. After another twenty minutes, they were still hurling insults at one another. He was coined a misogynistic cad without a hint of masculinity, and she was a frigid strumpet without a heart.
“Can’t we leave you two alone for one minute. This is ridiculous,” said Jake, stepping into the cabin. He no longer cared that he was on board ship. In this instance, he would be Jonathan’s friend and not his subordinate. “Anna and cook went to a lot of trouble in preparing the beef so that it would be as much of a roast beef as possible.”
Amelia and Jonathan looked at him as if they had been caught stealing from the storeroom. They did not look at each other once.
“What’s going on?” asked Anna, stepping into the cabin. She proudly led two of the cook’s helpers who carried the food. She looked at both Amelia and Jonathan, and immediately understood what was taking place. “Oh,” she said.
Jake waited for the cook’s staff to leave before speaking. “You are going to apologize to one another.” He glowered at them. His large size made him look intimidating. “I am waiting,” he added.
“I am the captain of this ship, Jake. You can’t talk to me like that. It’s insubordination – grounds for a court-martial,” said Jonathan somewhat too loudly. He regretted the words the moment they had passed his lips.
“Oh, do be quiet. Trust you to pull rank on your own friend.” Amelia got to her feet. “I have had quite enough of this man’s company. He is a bigot and a fool. I shall have nothing more to do with the likes of him – good night.” She left the cabin before anyone could say anything else.
Anna hastily prepared a plate of food and refilled her mistress’s glass with wine and followed her out of the cabin. When she was gone, Jake began to carve the beef and carefully arranged two plates laden with food. He told the steward to place two decanters of wine on the table, and he sat down.
“Youwannatell me what this is all about?” Jake asked, shoveling food onto his fork.
“Nope. I just want to eat and drink wine.” Jonathan attacked his plate with a vengeance. “By tomorrow, we will be rid of them, and we can go home for Christmas,” he said with his mouth half full.
“Them?” asked Jake.
