by Becky Lower
Out here on the Atlantic, no news ever found its way to their ears. It was merely the ship, the crew, the captain, and the whims of the elements. Pippa relished the solitude. At least, for now. When she arrived in America, she’d need all her wits to survive the harsh country. The brash city of Boston with its unruly citizens.
Pippa stood at the railing, practicing her knots, while the captain was at the helm, steering the ship toward her future.
“Are we getting close to the middle of the Atlantic?” Her stomach lurched as she thought of all the water surrounding her.
“Another couple of days, if this wind holds, and we’ll be past the halfway mark.” The captain eyed the sails, which were puffed full of wind, helping to propel the ship forward.
“How can you tell, though? All I see is water.” Pippa glanced across the vastness, searching for any kind of landmark. But in order to have a landmark, you needed land, and there was none. She gulped some salty air as her stomach churned.
“I’ve traveled this route many times before. I can tell by the position of the stars at night if our course is right. And I can tell by the compass, pointing to the west.”
Pip glanced at the captain. He stood at the wheel of the ship, his legs apart to keep him steady on the shifting seas. He was tall for an English fellow. Maybe all his time in the wilds of America had added inches to his height. It certainly had added bulk to his frame. The wind tossed his dark hair around his rugged face. His upper body was all sculpted muscle, and Pip followed the movement of his forearms, the play of his muscles under his shirt as he steered the vessel.
Perhaps she shouldn’t be so worried about falling overboard, but instead should worry about falling top over tail for the captain, whose given name she still was not privy to. She diverted her glance. If any of the crew witnessed her staring at him, her disguise would quickly unravel. Yet, she longed for a man to glance her way with lust in his eyes, as they had during her three seasons as a debutante. And not just any man. She longed for the captain, whose name she did not yet know, to see her as a woman. Maybe she should come clean with him. Then, she could spend an hour or so bathing, and come clean herself. It was worth a thought.
“Will you tell me more about what to expect in Boston?” Perhaps if she got him talking about what her life was about to become, she’d stop obsessing over the merits of his body.
“Boston can be quite unruly. There are bands of British soldiers patrolling the streets at all hours, attempting to keep things orderly. And some soldiers have taken over rooms in the Americans’ houses, or, in some cases, even appropriating the entire house and kicking out the owners. Your uncle and aunt live in one of the finest homes in Boston’s Beacon Hill area.” Daniel grimaced before he glanced at her. “There are merits to each side.”
“Aren’t the Americans taking a big risk, though? After all, the British have the finest military in the world. They are renowned for their might on the battlefield. Do the Americans even have an army?” Pippa scowled as her knot unraveled. She needed to pay better attention to the goings-on here on deck, rather than the goings-on that were happening on the far-off streets of Boston.
The captain took a moment to check his bearings. “The Americans have a rag-tag army, true. Most of the soldiers have no formal military training. They are farmers and merchants. But they have a brilliant leader in General George Washington, and they are fighting for their homeland, for their way of life.”
“You sound impressed by the Americans.”
He barked out a laugh. “Surprised, possibly. I thought they would have given up long ago. But as long as the fighting goes on, my job is secure.”
Pippa gave up on her knots and wandered to his side. “How long have you been living in America?”
He blew out a breath. “My parents migrated there shortly after I was born.”
“Do you consider yourself an American or an Englishman?” Pippa couldn’t figure out which answer held more appeal to her. But she held her breath, waiting for his response.
He took his time answering. “I was born in England and raised by English parents, so I consider myself a product of the British Isles. But I’ve lived my entire life in America. I married an American. My daughter is an American. I have a host of American friends. I work for the British government. So I steer my way carefully through both sides of this disagreement.”
Pippa nodded. “What will you do once the war is at an end? Once the British finally get the upper hand for good?”
He peered at her. “If the British win, they’ll still need supplies and fresh soldiers, so my job is secure.”
“If they win? What other possible outcome could there be?” Pippa scowled.
The captain shrugged. “It’s a war, Pip. Anything can happen. But enough of this talk. Head to the galley and find something for me to eat, will you?”
Pippa did his bidding, as any good cabin boy would, but her thoughts stayed on deck. She’d have to see for herself about these upstart Americans. But she had many male friends who had served in the British military, and couldn’t for a moment ponder any other outcome for America than to lay down their arms and accept British rule, as had so many other countries.
• ♥ •
Daniel let out a slow breath as Pip departed the deck. His natural curiosity about America, and what he was headed into, had forced their conversation to skate very close to the edges of his secret life. He’d taken a lot of guff from his friends when he accepted the job of ferrying supplies to the British forces. His in-laws, who took care of his daughter, Emma, while he was at sea, frowned on his activity even though they understood why he accepted the post. He’d do what he had to in order to make certain his daughter had the best life possible. And her best life possible didn’t include the British taking over the country he’d grown up in and loved. But it also didn’t include having her grow up as an orphan. She’d already lost one parent to the Brits. He’d be damned if they’d get a chance with him. He would guard his secret with his life. He had to, for Emma’s sake.
So, he’d continue his duplicity. He’d carry the missives meant for the British generals from their superiors still in England, as well as those directions going back to America from the British commanding officers. But not before reading what he could, listening to the talk as he picked up the parcel of letters, and passing along the information to his best friend Sam. Samuel Adams.
Of course, if some of the men on this ship discovered what he was doing, he’d be hung for treason in the center of Boston Common. There were only one or two he could really trust. And if they discovered Pip was not the street urchin they thought, they might organize a mutiny and make Daniel walk the plank, right after they forced Pip to do so. So far, Pip had been a quick study and learned to discharge his cabin boy duties, to keep the cabin tidy, to sleep on the floor without complaint. That’s the way it had always been on his ships. The cabin boy guarded the door.
He breathed in the salty air as he scanned the horizon before heading to his cabin. Halfway home, regardless of whether he considered himself English or American. His gaze settled on the western horizon. As long as he kept his hands to himself, he’d be fine. The tingle of his fingers as he led Pip through the complicated bowline knot had surprised him, floored him. Since Gladys’s death, no woman had attracted him, much less a boy. It bothered him that he, even for a moment, thought about gaining relief by using a boy, even though it wasn’t an uncommon phenomenon. Perhaps Daniel had remained celibate too long and his mind was playing tricks on him. Pip differed from any other boy he’d ever come into contact with. His motions were so feminine, if he closed his mind along with his eyes, he could picture Pip as a woman. But he also enjoyed a good cigar, and blew beautiful smoke rings, something Daniel had tried and failed to master. Either way, he had best keep his hands, and his fingers, to himself. He’d been celibate for four years. What was another four weeks? Once he got on land, he’d head to one of the bawdy houses near the harbor, and slake his de
sire, proving his manhood. After he successfully delivered Pip to his uncle.
“What are you scowling at, Cap’n?” Patrick, an Irishman and first mate, strode alongside and took the wheel.
“This voyage is running along too smoothly. We’re halfway across now.”
Patrick rolled his massive shoulders. “Been coming to the same conclusion meself, Cap’n. Maybe it’s because of the lad. He’s been quite helpful. But I agree, something’s not right.”
“We’ll figure it out soon enough, I expect.” Daniel took one final glance at the choppy water before heading below deck.
Patrick put his finger on the problem without realizing it. Pip had been quite helpful and relieved some of the deckhands from the duties they normally would have. But all the help he'd provided would be forgotten should they encounter any problems. His crew, as with most crews, were a superstitious lot. Daniel wasn’t yet convinced Pip was not a fugitive, running from the law. Even Walter Longfellow’s nephew could have committed a crime. The only thing worse than harboring a fugitive would be harboring a woman. Daniel was about to find out the real story of Pip, whether or not he wanted to reveal it. He’d had enough of Pip’s subterfuge. He’d been patient long enough.
Daniel didn’t knock. It was his cabin, after all. He flung open the door, so hard it bounced off the wall.
“Oooh! You frightened me.” Pip stood in front of him, her blue eyes blazing, as she shielded her unbound breasts with her hand. She made no motion to put her shirt back on.
Daniel couldn’t believe his eyes. He couldn’t keep his gaze from straying to her chest. Even with her hand covering herself, the swell of her bosom was clear. He gulped for air as his mind grappled with what his vision told him. “You’re a woman?”
Pip grinned. “Isn’t it obvious?”
Daniel slammed the cabin door shut. “Please finish what you were doing.” He forced himself to stop staring and put his back to her. “What were you doing, anyway?”
“What I was doing was offering my poor body some relief. You have no idea how painful it is to be bound tighter than a drum all day. And now that I’ve finally been unmasked, so to speak, I will leave the binding off while I eat.”
He could hear her tugging her shirt on again and glanced over his shoulder. “It’s not a good idea to be unbound even in the privacy of this space. What if someone comes in?”
Pippa smoothed her shirt over her chest and sat at the small table. “They’ll assume I put some biscuits in my pockets for later.” She smiled up at him and ran her hands over her breasts.
He plopped into his chair. “Mighty big biscuits.” His gaze lowered to the valley between said biscuits. Had she intentionally left a few buttons undone? Was she trying to get under his skin? The woman was playing with fire. He bit his lower lip and forced his gaze away from her. “What’s going on here, Pip?”
“Please, it’s Pippa. Actually, it’s Lady Philippa Worthington.”
“Why, then, are you pretending to be a boy?” Daniel scraped his hands over his face.
She glared at him. “Consider for a moment my predicament. If I had presented myself as a woman, your crew would have all gotten their jollies during the voyage and my reputation would be in tatters. It was much better to pose as a boy. That way, I would tempt only a few.”
“Your reputation will still be in tatters, Lady Worthington. You’ve been the only woman on a ship full of men for weeks now. No chaperone, no husband.” He stared at her. “Why did you reveal yourself now, instead of completing the journey as a very feminine boy?”
She fiddled with the buttons on her shirt, and undid another, revealing more of her bosom. “Why do you think?” She glanced at him from under her eyelashes and inhaled. Her breasts, high and beautiful, commanded his attention.
He cleared his throat. “What I think is you’re insane to do this. Are you so tired of sleeping on the floor you’re offering yourself to me so I’ll give up my bed? You will allow me to feast on your ‘biscuits’ in exchange for a comfortable night in the hammock?” His hand motioned across the table to her torso.
Her blue eyes blazed at him. “You honestly feel there’s no other reason for me to reveal myself other than to seduce you?” She huffed at him. “Such a typical male response. Maybe I just wanted some relief from being bound, and a hot bath.”
Daniel’s head ached. “Why don’t you tell me the real reason you had to stow away?”
She took another breath, and he watched her unbound beautiful bosom rise and fall.
“I guess it’s time you know the whole truth. I wasn’t lying when I said my father wanted to sell me off. Indeed, he did. I have a bit of a dowry, but Father has hopes for a bigger prize. He found it, in an older gentleman who has a huge pot of money, and daughters who needed tending. He offered a great deal of money for me, so instead of Father having to part with money to get me wed, he’d gain a great sum. Father thought it the ideal solution to his problem.”
Daniel raised an eyebrow. “And you objected because the man was old?”
Pippa bristled. “No, I objected because I didn’t love the man.”
“I still don’t understand why you took such a drastic measure to escape England.”
She took another distracting breath, and her eyes became shiny with unspent tears. “I’m not yet twenty-one, so Father can command me to do whatever he wishes. But when I celebrate my next birthday, I can claim a secret inheritance from my grandmother, and do whatever I want.”
“So, you’ll return to England in how many months?”
“My birthday is in March. Ten more months.” Pippa rubbed her eyes. “So you see, I couldn’t let you take me to Aunt Bernice’s if I am still posing as a boy. This will be hard enough to explain as is.”
His fingers itched, and he curled them into balls to keep from touching her. Halfway home. Three or four more weeks, at most, before he could deliver her to her uncle. What she did once she got to America was not his concern. His gaze swung back to her. She held her little finger aloft as she lifted her fork to her mouth. She would fit in nicely with the Brits in America, who thought they were above all the rabble that pervaded the streets of Boston. Thank goodness she was a woman. Daniel released a breath slowly. He thought he’d been losing his mind when his thoughts strayed to Pip’s attributes. Relief flooded over him. He did still like women. And this one, maybe more than he should. Perhaps she could still be of use to him. He’d thought to make use of Pip’s potential connections when she was a boy. Perhaps Pippa as a woman would be even better. He’d have to give it more consideration.
CHAPTER SIX
Damn! The man was stoic. Infuriating. Even seeing her unclothed didn’t faze him. Pippa wasn’t certain enticing the captain was a good strategy, but until a few weeks ago she had been a debutante darling, with men at her beck and call. And even though she figured out quickly most of them were more attracted to her dowry than to her mind, she missed the attention. She missed toying with men's affections, getting that little tingle in her stomach when the most popular man of the moment flashed his smile at her.
Mighty big biscuits. That was how he referred to her bosom. How attractive an image was that? She’d never been rebuffed before and had to scramble for an alternate reason for unbinding herself before they got ashore. As much as she wanted to stomp her foot in frustration, it would probably only amuse the captain, and she had amused him enough for one day.
She stood from the table. “I’ll just bind my ‘biscuits’ back up again and then take our dishes to the galley.”
Daniel stood as well. “Good. Then you need to spend the afternoon cleaning the cabin. I have work to do on deck.”
Pippa wrinkled her nose. “I’d much rather be on deck with you.”
His lips curved upward. “I’m sure you would. I am rather appealing.”
She gathered the dirty dishes in short, quick motions. “My reason is not because I wish to spend time with you. It’s because I have never cleaned anything before. I
can keep things tidy, but that’s all.”
His gentle smile became a smirk. “We have no servants available on this ship to do the work of a cabin boy. You’ll find cleaning supplies in the cupboard over there,” he motioned with his head. “You’re a smart lad. Or should I say, lass. You can figure it out.”
Pippa stared at his back as he left the room. He’d called her a lad, even after seeing her topless! Many other men had toyed with the bindings of her gowns, trying, in vain, to get her in such a state, and the one time she willingly allowed for one to feast his gaze on her breasts, she got no reaction. She gave into her impulse to stomp her foot and accompanied it with a growl.
Once she returned from the galley, she glared at the cupboard containing the cleaning supplies. She had never paid much attention to her father’s maids as they bustled about the large house each day, tidying things up. All she’d registered was the way the wood glistened after they deemed each room to be pristine enough for another day. The scent of lemon wax was the only thing left behind. Nary a speck of dust. Pippa pried open the cupboard slowly. She’d uncork each bottle and hopefully find one emitting a similar scent. There was a considerable amount of wood in the room, so she’d be busy.
The third bottle she opened gave her a whiff of the familiar smell. She closed her eyes, inhaling the scent as a wave of homesickness washed over her like a rogue wave. Startled, she opened her eyes again, blinking away the sudden light-headiness.
