Chapter Six
Maisy was awoken the next morning by her very own lady’s maid, Abigail. She looked around, briefly confused as to where she was. The well-appointed room she found herself in was not her own.
The muted blue walls and bedding were not the ones she saw each morning when she was in town. The three large windows opposite her bed showed no hint of the sun.
“It is not yet dawn,” Maisy said while wincing from Abigail’s light.
“I was told to wake and ready you for our voyage.”
Voyage.
That single word brought forth all the memories of the evening before.
Maisy was married.
“We are leaving today for Scotland. Do you plan to come with us?” Maisy couldn’t hide the hope in her voice.
“I couldn’t let you and your brother go off without me, now could I?” the younger woman said with a smile.
“I wouldn’t have asked you, but I’m so glad to have you with us. Everything else is so unknown.”
“’Tis an adventure, miss—that is, my lady.”
Maisy waved off the formality.
“Truth is, I have family in Scotland, so going with you means I may get to see them for the first in some time.”
“Scotland is a big place, but as soon as we are settled we will write to them so you might visit.”
“Very good. Now, let’s get you ready to set sail.”
Maisy didn’t know the first thing about what one might wear onboard a ship, so Abigail dressed her in a sturdy morning dress of dark gray.
Jack was already at the breakfast table eating when Maisy arrived. He smiled and held up a piece of ham and motioned a circle at his stomach.
“They have good ham here?” she asked making sure to look at him when she spoke.
He nodded and dug into his meal once more.
It didn’t take much to win over Jack. He was hungry most of his waking hours so good food went a long way to owning his heart.
She waited for a moment thinking it would be rude to start eating without her husband, but the housekeeper entered.
“Go ahead and eat, Lord Kesson has already finished and is out, attending to business this morning. He said he would arrive within the hour to gather you and the rest of your things.”
“Please have the kitchen pack a basket of food that will save on the ship,” Maisy asked. She had been the lady of Prevose House, so she was accustomed to telling the staff what was needed and seeing it done.
The housekeeper hesitated only a second before nodding once.
“Yes, mum. I’ll see to it at once.”
Maisy went to the library and searched through the offerings for books she’d enjoy reading on their travels as well as books for her brother. He enjoyed reading when he wasn’t painting, riding, or eating.
With the chime of the clock, Iain arrived and seemed pleased to find them waiting in the drawing room, their bags already on the carriage they would take to the docks. He looked her up and down and gave a nod, apparently approving of what she’d decided to wear.
He helped her into the carriage and said nothing when Abigail and Jack pushed in, leaving him a small space by the window of the carriage. Fortunately, it was not so long a ride.
Jack made a face at the smell, and Maisy only just managed to keep one from her face as well.
“Aye. It’s quite ripe here on the docks. It will smell better when we get onboard and out to sea,” Iain said.
The sun was casting streaks of pink light across the sky as they trailed out of the carriage. A number of rough-looking men came up and removed their things, leading them off into the busy port. Abigail and Jack followed behind them with Maisy and Iain taking up the rear.
Maisy hadn’t eaten much that morning, her stomach abuzz with nervous excitement for the day. But as they turned and the ship came into view, the nerves overpowered the excitement.
She knew right away which ship was his. The wood was a bright green. The name The Rue was scrawled elegantly across the stern with stringy, yellow, flowers laced on either side.
Two straight masts rose out of the middle of the ship reaching into the sky, white sails lay rolled and ready at the base. Everything onboard was gleaming, clean wood.
Jack ran ahead in excitement. And it seemed like time stood still when Maisy saw what was about to happen. Iain, beside her, yelled out.
“Jack, get down.” But of course he didn’t obey. Instead, the crew member barreling toward her brother from a line continued on his path and knocked Jack right off his feet. He seemed to bounce once before becoming still. Too still.
Iain rushed to the lad lying motionless on the deck.
“Jack!” his wife yelled and pushed in front of Iain to get to her brother.
“I told him to get down. Why didn’t he listen?” But his wife didn’t answer. She was on her knees beside the boy shaking him and tapping his face.
From where Iain stood he didn’t see any injury. But wounds about the head were often a mystery. He’d seen many men killed in battle, with no mark upon them. No blood didn’t necessarily mean there wasn’t any damage.
Eventually the boy’s eyes blinked open and he sat up on his own. The siblings sat face to face using their hands to make those sharp motions.
“He can’t hear?” Iain said, having figured it out. The way he’d not responded when Iain shouted at him, and the language they used without words. The way his wife was intent on taking her brother with her and the older arse had made out that something was wrong with the lad.
“There’s nothing wrong with him otherwise,” she snapped defensively. Oddly Iain felt a pang of jealousy that he had no one to come to his protection so fiercely.
“I didn’t say there was. I only just realized.”
“You agreed to bring him with us. You can’t go back on your word.”
Iain held his hands up as if settling a skittish horse.
“I have no intention of going back on my word. I’ll not throw him off the ship because he can’t hear. I’m just surprised is all. The way you… speak.”
“He can read lips, but after being knocked off his feet I couldn’t be sure he’d understand.”
As she explained, Jack got to his feet and shook his head as if clearing it. Madalene spoke to him with her hands and he nodded emphatically and put his hands over hers in a way that didn’t need words to explain.
He didn’t want his older sister fussing over him.
Iain smiled for having been right when his wife sighed and frowned after the boy who was back in motion and taking in the sights.
Hodge came up.
“We’re ready to set sail for Aberdeen, Capt’n.”
“Very well. Get us underway while I show my wife to our quarters.”
He shared a look with his first mate before Hodge walked away and started yelling orders to pull up the anchor and lift the sail.
“This way,” Iain said to Madalene.
She looked at Jack again before nodding. She followed him to the quarterdeck and the door under the stairs that led to the captain’s quarters. Windows along the stern of the ship let in a fair amount of morning light, making it appear bigger than it was.
The table in the center of the space was covered in maps and a few empty tankards.
It was where Iain planned their journey and ate his meals.
On the same wall as the door there was a roomy closet and then there was the bed.
Large enough for two, but not as big as his bed had been at Kesson House. He’d miss that comfort.
Not that this bed didn’t suit him better. He’d lay there many a night, staring at the moon and stars out the porthole window that sat level with his bed.
“This is our room.”
Madalene’s head jerked toward him. “Our room?” She all but choked out.
“Aye. While I’ll not be forcing you to perform wifely favors, I don’t want the crew to think my wife has refused me. Everything on a ship comes down to the hierarchy of respect. A captain who can’t keep his wife in line might not be suitable to seeing to a ship. You understand?”
“I didn’t realize I wielded so much power, but yes. Of course, I understand.”
He chuckled at her jest.
“It was not so long ago it would have been a challenge to find a crew to sail with a woman onboard. Sailors are a superstitious lot.”
“I’ve heard as much about Scots.” She lifted a brow and he smiled. He liked the lass’s mettle. It would serve her well in the Highlands.
“Come, I’ll show you your brother’s room.” But instead of moving in front of him, she stopped and rested her hand on his arm. He looked down wondering why that touch, through her gloves and two layers of fabric seemed to sizzle his flesh like a painless brand.
While he worked to hide his surprise, she spoke.
“I wish to thank you for honoring your promise to bring my brother along. Nelson planned to send Jack to an asylum when I married, and I failed at finding a husband who would accept Jack into his household.”
“That’s more a failure on the proper gentleman of the ton, than on your part, Madalene.
” He found her honorable to see to her brother’s safety even if it turned out to be a detriment to her future.
Without the condition of her brother’s care, he imagined she would have easily found marriage, perhaps even a love match.
Somewhere out there a selfish man didn’t even realize what he’d lost.
“You can call me Maisy. Everyone does.” Her cheeks turned that slight pink that spoke to her discomfort on a topic. He wondered why a nickname would embarrass her.
He’d heard that name used by her friend the night she was ill at the ball. But he’d not known it to be an abbreviated version of Madalene.
“Maisy?” he questioned.
“My older brother was four when I was born. He often called me messy, but it came out sounding like Maisy and it stuck.”
It suited her, but he didn’t like that it had been given to her by the rotter of a lord Iain had met.
“If you don’t mind my saying, your older brother is a right arse.”
She laughed, the sound filling the room and somehow making it lighter.
“I don’t mind you saying that at all. I agree.” She frowned. “He wasn’t always as unkind as he is now. I fear my father hurt him and he lashes out because of it.”
“Aye. A beaten animal will often bite anyone near. Friend or foe. Still, he should know better as a man grown.”
“It wasn’t meant to be an excuse, just an explanation.”
Iain didn’t think he’d ever thought of the distinction of the two, but he understood.
The ship lurched and Maisy squealed in surprise, her hand flying out to steady herself. Since he was the closest thing, she gripped his arm to steady her legs. The sizzle returned and he found he liked the feeling of her small hand on his body more than he should.
Christ, how long had it been since he’d taken a woman to his bed? He couldn’t remember. The women he met in ports all just blended together. Physical and nothing more. He couldn’t help but wonder if being with this woman would be different.
But he’d not have her act as his wife out of obligation or gratitude that he’d allowed her to bring her brother with them. No, if he were to have his wife in his bed, it would be only because she desired him.
He almost laughed at the thought. They’d be on the ship for only four days. Not near enough time for her to warm to him that much.
“We’re making to leave port. Would you like to go out and watch as the sails are hoisted?”
She nodded with excitement in her whisky-colored eyes. Whether she really wanted to see the ship move out to sea, or she just wanted watchful eyes on her brother, he wasn’t sure, but she eagerly left the room to go out on the deck.
Jack and the maid were at the rail waving. No matter how many ships came and left a port, there was always someone standing on the pier to wave. It was just the nature of things, like the sky being blue and the sea being salty.
Jack moved his hands and Maisy laughed.
“What did he say?” Iain asked, curious about the language between them.
“He said it smells like dead fish, but it is the most amazing thing he’s ever seen.”
“The lad isn’t wrong.”
“He’s very bright. When he speaks it may not be clear, but he’s not mad or afflicted,” she said.
He put his hand over hers where she worried her fingers, twisting them in a way he didn’t care for.
“You don’t need to worry, Maisy. He’s safe. So are you.” Iain eyed the crew, half of which he didn’t know. “So long as you stay near me. A ship is not a place for a woman to be walking about alone. I’ve bought the men’s honor for this voyage, but don’t mistake that for safety.”
She nodded and cast her gaze about at the men as he had.
“I understand. It is not so unlike any other time I’m out.”
“I can’t imagine what it is like to have to think that way all the time. I have the freedom to go where I want without worry of being mistreated. You should have the same freedoms.”
“Perhaps, but that is not the way the world is.”
He couldn’t help but be angry for it on her behalf. When they were away from port, Iain took his place at the wheel and began moving them out to deeper waters and stronger winds. It felt odd to be turning The Rue north. Most of his travels were spent between London and the Indies.
They stayed within view of the coast as they sailed toward Aberdeen and his castle. The thought of it still made him shake his head. Him, an Earl, and now someone’s husband. The Fates were surely having a hearty laugh at him. But he’d have the last laugh.
As soon as he sorted things at Kesson Castle, he’d be back to his old life.