Chapter Two #2
She nodded. “The Woodley staff knows, of course. Your presence can hardly be kept a secret from them. But you can trust Mrs. Angel and Wescott—he’s our head butler. They’ll keep the others in line for as long as possible. Unfortunately, word is bound to get out within a few days.”
“I know. I appreciate all ye’ve done for me. How long was I unconscious?”
“One full day. I found you yesterday morning, and it is now early afternoon of the following day.”
“So, I’ve slept through an entire day and a half? Did I ramble in my sleep?”
“No, not a word. In fact, I had to put my ear to your chest a time or two to make certain you were still breathing.”
He suddenly realized something else. “Who undressed me?” He rolled onto his side after asking the question and propped himself up on one elbow because it was simply too difficult to sit up completely. “Deandra, did ye see me naked?”
The rush of pink to her cheeks provided his answer.
“Naughty girl,” he said with a strained laugh, for the exertion caused shooting pains to run up his side.
She tipped her chin up. “I had to make certain there were no other injuries. As it turns out, there was a small cut on your thigh that was easily treated, so I took care of that, too. How could I not inspect you thoroughly? It was medically necessary.”
“I’ll bet it was,” he said, still chuckling despite the discomfort. “Did ye like what ye saw?”
More pink stained her cheeks. “Need I remind you that I was checking for injuries? It isn’t the same thing at all.”
“Keep telling yerself that, lass. What is yer cousin going to say when he finds out ye’ve seen me in the altogether?”
She gasped. “Don’t you dare tell Draco!”
Sean arched an eyebrow. “Love, he’s going to know.
Ye’re not a good liar and yer expression reveals everything.
Besides, even if ye did manage to hide yer thoughts, he’d figure it out as soon as he learned no doctor was brought in to treat me.
His servants are not going to lie to him about who stitched me up. ”
Her shoulders sagged and she let out a breath. “I would never ask them to keep the truth from Draco.”
Sean sank back onto his pillows once more because it was too difficult to remain propped on his side. “What are we to do about it?”
Her lovely eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“Deandra, ye’ve seen me naked. Ye’re sitting alone with me in”—he paused to glance around—“in what appears to be an elegantly decorated guest chamber. Draco’s going to demand satisfaction.”
“But you were injured and unconscious!”
“Aye, but need I remind ye? No clothes. Ye touched my body intimately.”
“Medically,” she insisted.
He grinned. “I’m sorry I was not awake to feel yer gentle hands on me.”
“See, that is exactly my point. It does not count if you were unaware.”
He laughed deeply and then winced because the motion caused him more pain. “Fine, ye argue that to Draco and see his response.”
“Captain McTavish, are you suggesting there is another solution than simple honesty? I’ll do my best to protect you from the consequences, but you know Draco is a reasonable man.
He’ll rage and be livid for days about the situation, mostly at me.
How can he ever blame you when you were unconscious and completely at my mercy?
But he’ll settle down and understand I could not leave you on the beach to die.
Anyway, you’ll be gone by the time he returns home, won’t you? ”
He nodded. “If Draco’s in London, then that’s where I’ll have no choice but to go next.”
“And when he returns to Moonstone Landing, he’ll never do anything beyond lecture me about the evils of assisting a pirate.”
“I am a privateer.”
“That’s what Draco says about himself, too. Are you as wealthy as he is?”
“Wealthier, probably. I’ve plied my trade longer and am better at scenting the enemy…usually.”
She nodded in satisfaction. “Proves my point. You were both pirates.”
“Fine, believe what ye want. But be careful what ye say to others, even in jest. Do ye wish to see me hanged? More important, do ye wish yer cousin hanged?”
“No!” she admitted with a gasp. “I’ll never say another word about it. You have my solemn promise.”
“Thank ye, lass. But I trust ye. No promise necessary. I know ye’ll use utmost care.”
“I will. Thank you for trusting me. Or are you just saying this to be kind?”
“I mean it.” He propped an arm behind his head and studied her. “Ye know, being unconscious is an odd thing. I think there must be varying shades of it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes, I was completely knocked out. Well, most of the time I was surrounded in a tomb-like blackness, none of my senses working. But there were times I was in a gray fog and could recognize sounds and scents, and felt various sensations.”
“Such as?” she asked, drawing slightly closer.
He leaned forward and gave her neck a light sniff. “I caught yer lovely scent even while I was oblivious to the world around me.”
“My scent?”
“Aye, Deandra. Ye are as delicious as a warm apple pie, one with a hint of cinnamon and raisins added. Makes a man hungry for a taste. Gad, all that sweetness wrapped up in ye. Then there’s the loveliness of yer voice.
I could hear ye talking to me. Ye know, soothing words.
At times, I also heard ye talking to others, giving instructions as ye tended my wounds. ”
He took a breath and smiled at her. “Lass, ye put me at ease because ye spoke so gently and yet had such a quiet confidence about ye. I knew I was in good hands. Other times, ye were merely humming to yerself as ye fussed over me.”
She gave a gentle laugh. “I hope that was not too painful for you. I have a terrible singing voice.”
“Ye have a beautiful voice that any man would be pleased to hear.”
She playfully put a hand to his forehead. “I knew it. You are burning up and delirious with fever.”
He chuckled, for he knew his forehead was cool and he was in complete control of his senses.
“Do you think you can sit up, Captain McTavish? I’d like to feed you some broth.”
“Aye, and ye mustn’t help me even if I struggle into a sitting position. Yer chaperone maid will walk in at any moment and there will be the devil to pay if she sees ye atop me as ye try to draw me up. Besides, I’m too heavy for ye to manage.”
She blushed again.
Aye, she was not immune to his muscled brawn. Nor was he immune to her beauty and softness.
Sean managed to prop himself up, careful to keep the sheet and coverlet securely over him, although it still could not be considered appropriate, since his chest and shoulders remained bare.
“When the maid arrives to chaperone, ye ought to fetch me one of Draco’s nightshirts.
It isn’t proper for ye to be seen with me like this. ”
She nodded. “You are a constant surprise, Captain McTavish.”
“How so?”
“I never expected you to have manners.”
“I’ve told ye, I know how to behave when among respectable company.”
That he chose to stomp around like an arrogant pirate most of the time was irrelevant, just a necessary facade and not really who he was.
That he’d kissed her was… Well, he wasn’t sure what that was all about, only he’d felt he would expire from longing if he did not taste her beautiful lips in that very moment.
He made certain to remain on his best behavior while Deandra fed him his broth, which was quite tasty and had a light onion flavor to it. She dipped a chunk of bread in it to soften the bread before feeding it to him as well.