Page 89 of The Swan Syndicate
She’d barely cleared the galley of the last of the pots and pans when Beckworth dragged her back to the cabin to change. He’d asked to help with her hair, and she didn’t have the heart to say no. She was pleasantly surprised to see his skills were improving as he went with a simple approach of pulling her hair back with a couple of hairpins.
She decided to wear the best day dress she’d brought from Waverly. Everything was packed in their trunk, with the crossbow placed on top. Beckworth had lifted a brow but didn’t say anything.
Neither of them spoke of Cheval or his ending, just like they never spoke of Gaines. Maybe someday she’d need a shrink. But what would she tell them? She couldn’t mention time travel orshe’d end up in a padded cell. If she ever needed to talk about it with someone other than Beckworth, she had AJ. She’d faced her own demons from the past. And if Stella ever felt the need to confess her sins there was Sebastian, and knowing all of that somehow lightened her burden.
She lifted her face to the sky and stared at the burnt colors of what was sure to be a spectacular sunset. The sun had shown itself several hours earlier, and it had lightened her mood. When theDaphneturned toward one of the piers, she felt a sense of coming home.
How strange was that?
Beckworth tugged at his sleeves, feeling like the viscount once again in his breeches and waistcoat. Once he had the trunk transferred to the deck, he stopped by Jamie’s office on his way up to wait with Stella.
The door was open, but he stopped and tapped before entering. “You have a minute?”
Jamie pushed back the ledger he’d been staring at and rubbed his eyes. The man needed a good long rest. “Always for you.” He sat back, his face a bit haggard yet he managed a grin. “How’s Stella?”
“She’s a bit quieter than normal but she’ll be better once she gets to Waverly.”
“It won’t take long once Mary gets a hold of her.”
Beckworth chuckled. “Mary is food for the soul.”
“That she is.” Jamie studied him until he began to fidget. “How are you?”
That was a good question. Stella hadn’t asked, but she seemed to intuitively understand his moods and respondedaccordingly. They would talk eventually. If not at Waverly, then once they returned to Baywood.
“I’m happy to be returning home from a successful mission with the same number of crew as when we left.” He stared at a spot on Jamie’s desk, his mind more on Stella than himself. “Cheval wasn’t the first man Stella killed. Not that it makes it any easier, but I’ve discovered it’s better for her to internalize her emotions. She’ll let me know when it’s time to talk.”
“Taking a life is never a good thing, but sometimes there’s no other way.”
“Certainly not in this century.” He played at the edge of his sleeve. “What will you tell Hensley about the lost opportunity with MacDuff?”
Jamie shrugged. “You’re worried that pulling her out of her meeting with MacDuff when we discovered Cheval in town was a mistake.” He picked up an orange that had been sitting on his desk and peeled it. “It was a fifty-fifty chance that he would have told Stella anything important. And as it turned out, you were right to be concerned.”
“I never suspected Cheval would have known about Lady Swan.”
“No one did.” Jamie ate two slices of orange as he stared at the ceiling. He dropped the unfinished orange on the corner of his deck and wiped his hands on his pants. “As to your question about Hensley, I suspect you don’t share everything about your missions with him. No reason to think I do.”
Beckworth stood, and Jamie followed him to the upper deck.
When they stepped outside, Beckworth held out his hand. “It was a good mission, wasn’t it?”
Jamie shook it without hesitation. “That woman of yours is rather special.”
“And reckless.”
“And just as devious as you.”
Beckworth laughed. “That she is. Thank you for keeping her safe.”
“In the end, that was all on the two of you.”
Beckworth looked toward the bay and the setting sun. He sucked in a long scent of strong salt air mixed with the stench of fish. It brought back memories of his youth in London living next to the Thames. He gave Jamie a last look. “Will we see you at the hunting party?”
“Aye. We wouldn’t miss it. We’ll need a day or two for maintenance and restocking the stores, then we’ll be on our way.”
Beckworth clapped Jamie on the shoulder and strode toward Stella. When he stepped next to her, she reached for his hand. He gripped it tightly, and without saying a word, they watched theDaphnedock. Before they went ashore, she pulled him down for a long kiss. When she released him, she gave him her best broker smile.
“Take me home.”
