At the Captain's Command

by Louise M. Gouge

  She plucked a blade of grass from a tuft growing nearby and reached across to touch its tip to his upper lip. Not waking, he waved his hand, and she quickly pulled back until he relaxed. Again she tried her prank. Again he waved away the annoyance. At her third assault, he seized her wrist in a gentle grip.

  “Belay that, miss, or I’ll have you swabbing the deck.” His deep chuckle contradicted his words.

  Dinah retrieved her hand and sniffed. “Well, sir, if you would stay awake and offer better company, I’d have no need to bother you.” In truth, this man provided far better companionship sleeping than other men who were fully awake. In fact, she had declined several gentlemen’s invitations to stroll over to the quarries.

  He slowly sat up and stretched. “Ah, neglecting my duty, am I?” He stared north toward the mouth of the bay, then south toward the slow-moving river that entered it. “Have I missed much?” He rubbed one eye and yawned, endearing gestures to Dinah. Clearly he felt comfortable with her, too.

  “Just those darling children playing tag among the trees.” Dinah nodded toward the forest, and a vague yearning struck her. Watching them reminded her of her own longing to one day have her own children, not just a growing band of nieces and nephews.

  “Hmm.” A lazy grin graced his lips. “You know, you can hardly blame me for napping after that excellent repast.”

  “We did serve a fine meal, didn’t we?” She had made scones and put one on his plate herself, then watched him enjoy it with her fig preserves and cream.

  He studied the woods as if searching for something. No doubt his duty demanded such constant vigilance, even on a rare day of rest. She followed his gaze, but nothing seemed amiss.

  “Will you walk with me, Miss Templeton?” He stood, brushed sand from his coat, and reached out to her.

  “That would be lovely.” She placed her gloved hand in his and rose, but caught her foot on her chair leg and stumbled into him. Drawing in a quick breath, she inhaled his beguiling bergamot scent. As he steadied her, his sky-blue eyes searched hers with the same intense gaze he had trained on their surroundings. Her heart tripped over itself, yet she could not move back. He seemed to have the same affliction, standing so near to her with the corners of his lips curved slightly upward and his gaze now softened.

  After several moments, during which Dinah could not gather a single coherent thought, the squeals and laughter of the nearby children broke their connection. They each stepped back and turned toward the water’s edge, where a boy had waded in to retrieve a ball and been swept off his feet. Thomas stiffened and took a step toward the disaster. The father rushed in to save the day and fell into the water as well, but quickly regained his footing and rescued the lad. The riotous laughter of everyone involved put all in perspective. Thomas exhaled a quiet breath and relaxed.

  “You must be thinking of your nephew’s accident.” Dinah’s heart warmed as she remembered the story of Jamie saving the late Lord Bennington’s grandson. The heroic deed had sealed the earl’s affection for Jamie and assured his continued patronage.

  “Yes.” The captain offered his arm, and they began their stroll. “Before that incident, I fear I was less than courteous to your brother.” He released a mild snort. “How arrogant of me. Yet such treatment of merchants is expected among the aristocracy. Templeton changed my thinking forever about the worth of a man.”

  And the worth of a woman? Dinah’s heart once again tripped around in her chest. Perhaps she had been wrong. Perhaps this aristocrat no longer saw the disparity between their classes as a hindrance to his courting her. Should she also reconsider her opinions regarding marriage to a seafarer? No! Giving him her heart would betray everything she had ever longed for in marriage, for she could never bear the loneliness of a sea captain’s wife. Like the hapless couple on the fan, she and the captain were destined never to be together. She must settle for friendship and that alone.

  Thomas sent up a silent prayer of thanks for the noise of the unruly children. He had almost kissed Dinah right on her too-enticing lips, and he doubted she even realized that her eyes had held a warm invitation for him to do so. But such behavior in public would surely damage her reputation, making a lie of his secret vow to protect her from all harm. He thanked the Lord they had both returned to reality when the children began their rumpus.

  Surely she had understood the message of the fan. Like the hopeful young lovers pictured on it, they both might long to enter a true courtship, but they must be cautious. If the objections each held could not be satisfactorily addressed, they must draw back before either suffered injury.

  What was he thinking? It was too late for him. The moment she tickled him with that blade of grass, he had at last surrendered his heart to her. If he had admired her wit and good humor before, he now felt utterly charmed. Utterly captivated. Not since his childhood had anyone teased him that way. As a captain in His Majesty’s navy, he represented all the authority of the Crown, a fact that usually worked in his favor. Yet Dinah had never been the slightest bit intimidated. Abiding in anyone else, that attitude would have been offensive. In her, it was the bait that drew him to the hook. Now she need only pull in the line, and he would be hers.

  Today she wore her gardenia fragrance, his favorite, for it seemed to suit her more than lavender. When she placed her hand on his arm, he enjoyed the trust emanating from her eyes as they strolled into the woods, where other picnickers wandered about, taking in the scenery. Gusting through the trees, the Atlantic breeze blew strands of her blond hair free from beneath her hat to flutter across her graceful neck. He would not take the liberty of brushing them back in place. In fact, he would like to see all of her thick, lustrous hair unbound and thus blowing in the wind, just as he would like to see her free from any care.

  She made no move to secure the strands. As always, her natural beauty was enhanced by her lack of concern for such details. She did not lack modesty, but always seemed more concerned for others than worried about her own appearance.

  They reached a clearing that provided a view of the ocean a half mile away and found that the wind was much stronger here. To the east, gray clouds sat like wooly burls upon the horizon, and not one sail spiked over the wide sea. Instinct nettled within him. When he had awakened from his nap, he could feel that the atmosphere had grown heavy. And in the woods, no birds sang and no insects buzzed about them. A storm was coming, but he gauged that it would take some hours before it reached them. They must go back to the city soon, but surely they had time for a few more private moments.

  He peered beneath the wide brim of her hat in search of that ever-present, winsome smile.

  She looked up, and her smile broadened. “Yes?”

  “Just checking.” Checking to see if she regretted their almost kiss. To his dismay, she did seem to have a bit of tension pinching her cheeks.

  “For what?” She held her hat while tilting her head to see him.

  “To be certain you are enjoying our walk.” Not a brilliant comment, but he could think of nothing clever to say.

  “Oh, yes. Thank you.” Her smile vanished.

  Ah, she had moved back from him. What had happened? How could he amend it?

  “I saw you speaking with Artemis earlier,” she said. “He seemed a little…upset.”

  Thomas gripped his emotions. The perfect opening. “He asked me to use my influence with you to gain control of your money.”

  She grimaced, and worry creased her forehead. “What did you say to him?”

  He would not express his own concerns about her fortune until he spoke with Frederick, with whom he had many issues to address. Why had his brother left this dear young woman under the care of such a greedy, perhaps dishonest man? But Thomas must encourage her now. “I assured him that you are a capable woman, fully able to manage your own affairs.”

  Her forehead smoothed, and her smile returned. “I thank you.” The breathiness in her voice said even more than her words. “Sometimes I do not feel capable.
Perhaps Artemis is right and I should let him invest my money in his business ventures.”

  Longing to reassure her with an embrace, Thomas instead forced his footsteps over the sandy ground. “Yes, of course. And have the American pirates select his cargo, and his alone, to remove from your brother’s ship.” That incident had troubled Thomas for some time, for it made little to no sense. “Has Mr. Hussey mentioned political enemies? Sometimes this sort of thing happens when a man is employed in the government.” Indeed, that might be a clue to Nighthawk’s activities. Perhaps the pirate lived here in the city and sought to undermine efforts to maintain stability. Or perhaps the man knew Artemis and wanted to ruin him for some reason.

  She bit her lip, then sighed. “I do not know about enemies, but he does have political ambitions. And as an employee in the state house, he is privy to important information. For one thing, you know, of course, that Governor Tonyn has forbidden the establishment of a colonial legislature because such bodies are the source of the rebellions in the northern colonies.” She gazed toward the ocean, a thoughtful frown marring her smooth forehead. “But the loyalists here have proven themselves, and so the governor may permit the people to have an elected assembly in the next year or so. If this happens, Artemis plans to offer himself as a candidate to represent our district of St. Augustine. But I cannot see how those two things go together. Oh, unless someone wants to bankrupt him so he cannot purchase the five hundred acres a candidate is required to own.”

  They walked in silence for a short time, and Thomas weighed Hussey’s ambitions against possible financial limitations, which would give ample cause for him to covet Dinah’s money. “So, then, does he plan to buy a plantation?”

  She shook her head. “He cannot become a planter without slaves. And if I can say only one good thing about Artemis, it is that he refuses to own a slave. He has held fast to that part of his Quaker upbringing.”

  Thomas nodded his approval. So the man possessed at least one redeeming quality. “But if not a plantation, what then?”

  “I do not know.” She gazed up at him, her face brightened. “If you think it proper, will you ask him?”

  “Indeed, I shall make a point to do so.”

  Thomas had not enjoyed his earlier discussion with Hussey, nor had he managed to extract any helpful information from him while others crowded around waiting for the servants to serve the food. Patience and further investigation would be required to learn why he persisted in his attempts to control Dinah’s finances.

  Another burst of high wind blew against them, followed quickly by more, each threatening to topple them. Thomas gripped Dinah’s hand and in silent agreement they hastened back toward the woods, laughing like the children. In fact, the entire party moved toward the bay shore, seeming to understand that it was time to return to the city.

  As they slowed to a walk, he gazed at his merry companion and remembered the moment scant minutes ago when he had almost kissed her. He pulled in a deep breath to secure his emotions which, before he met her, had never been quite so muddled and unruly. And now, to make matters worse, anxiety pressed into his chest as the atmosphere grew heavier.

  “I regret that our outing must be cut short, but we should go back.”

  She stared up at him until her hat blew off her head and hung by its ribbons down her back. A tiny frown darted across her forehead—disappointment?—as she replaced it with a graceful gesture. “Yes.”

  Necessity forced them to keep holding hands on their way back through the sand to the canopies, which now flapped in the wind like sails trying to rip free of their lines. Servants hastened to gather picnic leftovers while the gentlemen bustled their ladies into the flatboats to return to the city. Thomas noticed with satisfaction that Dinah placed her new fan into the oilcloth bag she had carried on the outing.

  He surveyed the scene to determine where he might be the most helpful. Mothers and nursemaids hurried about in panic and pandemonium, gathering their children and loading them into the flatboats. Gentlemen saw to the safety of their own families, while servants packed the food and furniture. Like Thomas, Dinah studied the situation with concern, but the citizens of St. Augustine seemed to have matters well in hand. His duty was to return her safely across the bay and then see that his crew had secured the Dauntless. While the rapidly approaching storm could be a mere squall, this was the season of hurricanes. Dangerous storms were common in his line of work, but he had never faced one in the company of a lady. He would not allow anything to happen to her, ever.

  Chapter Ten

  Like all St. Augustine citizens, Dinah had always been thankful that Anastasia Island provided a barrier for the city against the worst ocean surges. But these sudden, powerful winds could still damage buildings, and the excessive rains could turn the dirt streets into rivers of mud. The first large drops began to fall just as she and Thomas stepped from the flatboat onto the dock on the city side of the bay.

  As they hurried across the Parade, he stared toward his ship, his jaw clenched. “I shall escort you home before seeing to the Dauntless. Mr. Brandon is in charge and will secure the vessel, but I should be there during the storm.”

  Dinah stopped. “Please tend to your duty. I will be all right.” Her heart raced, but she did not want him to see her fear.

  “Please do not argue with me.” His tone was stern, and he gripped her arm to move her forward through the people scattering in every direction.

  She tried to stop again, but he nudged her along.

  “Captain, we can go to the governor’s house. It is closer, and he will not turn us away. The house is made of coquina, just as the fort is, and will stand firm in the highest winds.”

  “Ah. Very good.” He redirected their journey.

  Another thought skittered through her rising panic, and she broke loose from his grasp. “I must fetch Macy.” She lifted her skirts to run.

  The captain again caught her arm. “You know of my affection for your cat, but you will not risk your life for him.” The storm on his face matched the one now swirling around them. “I forbid it.”

  “You what?” She stared at him, her emotions rioting within her. “You have no say-so in the matter.” She wrested her arm from him. “Now please go take care of your ship.” Your ship, which will always be the most important thing in your life. As the realization struck, raw anger tore through her. Anger, yes, and fear of the danger he would be in just getting to the Dauntless in these violent, swirling winds.

  “Miss Templeton.” He retrieved her arm yet again and loomed over her while rain sheeted off of his black bicorne hat. “At this moment, I must assure your safety. We are twenty-five yards from the governor’s—”

  “I am not your responsibility,” she shouted above the wind’s roar. “Go to your ship. That is your duty.” She did not intend to spit out her words, but her unreasonable anger had unleashed her natural restraints.

  His eyebrows shot upward, then bent into a dark frown, and his lips formed a thin line. “I do not have time for this.” He swept her up in his arms as if she were a pet cat and strode across the remaining distance to the coquina house. Too stunned to speak, she did not resist him. He deposited her at the wooden double doors and tipped his hat.

  “Miss Templeton.” He turned away but stopped at the approach of another man. “Ah, Mr. Richland, would you please escort Miss Templeton inside and make certain she remains there?”

  Dinah gaped, first at the captain and then at the eager young man now grinning and bowing in front of her.

  “You can count on me, Captain Moberly.” Mr. Richland gave him a poor imitation of a salute.

  While she watched with dismay as the captain spun away toward the bay, Mr. Richland moved to shield her from the battering wind. “Miss Templeton, may I escort you out of this hurricane?”

  The violent shiver that coursed down her back had nothing to do with the cold rain soaking into her light muslin gown. Anger and fear vied for preeminence as she peered around her
would-be protector to watch the captain attempt to cross the Parade. His broad shoulders were hunched forward against the blinding walls of wind and water that kept driving him back. She managed a quick silent prayer, but felt no relief. Why had she been so angry with him?

  “If you please, Miss Templeton.” Mr. Richland’s anxious tone cut into her thoughts.

  She permitted him to guide her inside, where servants hastened about with towels and blankets for twenty or so people who had taken refuge in the entry hall of the large house. She dragged off her ruined hat and tossed it with others on the floor near the door.

  A fire roared in the huge stone hearth and Dinah found a place among the people seated close to it. Her escort fetched a blanket and wrapped it around her…and held it in place a trifle too long. She shuddered, but not from the cold.

  He jerked his hands away. “Forgive me.” He sat beside her, seeming not to notice his own wet clothing.

  “Mr. Richland, you must fetch a blanket for yourself.” She pulled her own wrap closer and eyed the coffee now being offered by the servants.

  He followed her gaze, then gave her a crooked, boyish grin. “Will you save this spot for me?” His words were punctuated by a shiver.

  She patted his arm. “Go. Your grandmother will be distressed if you become ill.”

  He grimaced, and his grin disappeared. “And you? Would you also be distressed?”

  Dinah snuggled into her blanket, willing her natural body warmth to return. “Of course. I am always concerned when my friends suffer illness.” She forced a gentle tone into her voice and punctuated it with a cheery smile.

  “I did not mean to suggest—”

  “Please. Get yourself a blanket.”

  Hoping her manner of dismissal was not unkind, she turned and stared toward the fire. Movement beside her indicated that he had gone, but he returned all too quickly and held a cup of steaming coffee in front of her. Not wishing to look at him, she accepted the cup with a sigh. If nothing else, the young man was persistent. “Thank you.”