Page 49 of Lord of Temptation
“You’ll answer your brother,” her father snapped, obviously regaining his faculties.
“I hired a captain willing to sail on my schedule.”
“Who is the captain? What ship?” Jameson barked.
“I don’t see that it’s relevant. The matter is done.”
“Do you have any idea what could have happened?”
“He came highly recommended.”
“By whom?”
“These pointless questions are becoming quite tedious.”
“Your reputation—”
“Did you tell people what I’d done?” she snapped.
“Absolutely not. We said you had determined you were not yet ready to step out of mourning, required additional seclusion, and returned to the country.”
“Then my reputation remains untarnished. And I’m quite weary from my travels so if you’ll excuse me, I wish to retire.”
She turned to go.
“I’m not finished with you yet,” her father shouted.
She sank into a chair, folded her hands on her lap, and met his gaze. “By all means, then, proceed.”
“I don’t believe you fully comprehend the seriousness of what you did.”
“And I’m not certain you fully comprehend that the matter is done. It’s unlikely that I’ll ever have another need to leave England’s shores. Hopefully it shall be many years before I lose someone else whom I love. And even then, he shall in all likelihood die here. I shall have no further adventures.”
More’s the pity,a little corner of her mind squeaked.
“It is only that we love you and were worried,” her father reiterated.
“I know.” She gave him a warm smile. “I believe your clubs await.”
“Indeed they do.”
Grateful that the matter was being put to rest, she rose.
“The Greystone ball is next week,” Jameson informed her. “I assume you will attend.”
“Most assuredly. And I shall put my best foot forward.”
She strolled from the room, thinking how odd it was that the house didn’t pitch at all. It seemed she’d finally gotten her sea legs when it was a bit too late.
In her bedchamber she found Martha putting away the last items from the trunk. Her maid looked up as though guilty. “Did all go well?”
“As well as it could.” She began tugging off her gloves.
“I found something in the trunk. I’m not sure what it is. I put it on your vanity.”
Anne walked to the vanity and discovered a small paper-wrapped parcel. The paper was more suited to serving as stationery but it had been crumpled and folded, secured with string around an object. Slowly she untied the string and pulled back the paper to reveal a starfish.
On the paper was written:For making a wish when there are no stars to be seen.
