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.He stood aside while she climbed the ladder to the deck and then followed.Sophia braced herself against the blast of icy wind that buffeted her.It snatched away her breath even though Chris had told her what to expect.“Do you want to return to the cabin?”“No, I’d like a tour of the Intrepid.I’ve never been on a ship before.”Sophia was surprised at how well Chris managed his crew and ship.He introduced her to Mr.Blaine, his first mate, and pointed out different parts of the ship, offering explanations as he went.When Sophia saw the mainmast, her mouth gaped open.“Is that the mast you climbed?”“It is.”“You could have been killed!”“That’s a bit dramatic, Sophia.I’ve been doing it for years and haven’t fallen once.”“Once is all it would take to kill you.You always were headstrong and reckless.”Cocking his head, he sent her an odd look.“I could say the same about you.”Sophia sought to change the subject.Every time their past was brought up, Chris became sullen and unreasonable.“If you have something pressing to do, you can leave.I want to stand at the rail and watch the sea.”“I suppose you can’t get into trouble if you stand here and behave yourself.If you get cold, feel free to return to the cabin.”Sophia nodded agreement and returned her attention to the sea, clapping delightedly when she spotted a school of frolicking porpoises.“So that’s our little stowaway,” Blaine said when Chris joined him a few minutes later.“How was she? I assume she spent the night in your bunk.”“She did, but not in the way you think, Mr.Blaine.”Blaine sent him a startled look.“Never say you didn’t tup her.”“That’s precisely what I’m saying, though I suggest you keep it under your hat.I want the men to believe Sophia is mine in every way.”Blaine wagged his head in disbelief.“I’ve never known you to pass up a good thing when it falls in your lap.Give her to me if she doesn’t appeal to you.”Chris sent him a hard look.“Sophia is mine, don’t forget it.” Though Chris didn’t like the way Blaine was regarding Sophia, he didn’t want to reveal their past relationship.It was still too painful to talk about.“Don’t you have something to do, Mr.Blaine?”“I have a great deal to do, but I’d rather watch you stare holes into your stowaway.For pity’s sake, Captain, if you want the woman, take her.”“I don’t want her.”“Tell that to someone who will believe you.”There was no help for it.He had to tell his friend a bit of the truth.“Sophia isn’t what you think.I knew her a long time ago.It didn’t work out between us.”“Did you meet her in a bordello in London?” Blaine asked.“Not even close,” Chris replied.“Sophia is a virgin.She’s running from someone but refuses to enlighten me as to why.”Blaine stared at Chris in disbelief.“She’s a virgin? How can you be sure if you didn’t tup her?”“Don’t you think I can tell when a woman is a virgin?”“Of course, but wouldn’t you have had to—”Chris’s expression must have warned Blaine he was treading in dangerous waters, for he quickly changed the subject.“Do you still intend to ship her back to England once we reach Jamaica?”“I do.Sophia is a responsibility I don’t need, a woman I refuse to get involved with again.She’s trouble, Blaine.She’s in trouble.”“She’s in trouble? How can you return her to England to face whoever is threatening her if you know she’s in danger?”“Whose side are you on, Blaine?”“Yours, of course, Captain.I’m just saying I’ve never known you to throw a woman to the wolves.”Chris returned his gaze to Sophia, wondering why he was letting her plague him, why he felt the need to protect her.Blaine was right, it was going to be difficult to return her to a dangerous situation, but what choice did he have.These were unsettled times in Jamaica.According to reports, the slave situation on the island was primed to explode.Slaves were threatening to revolt against their white masters; it wasn’t a safe place for an Englishwoman right now.Though Chris knew there were women on the island, wives of planters and such, letting Sophia remain was out of the question.Besides, she had begged him to turn the ship around and take her back to England despite the mysterious danger that threatened her.“I’m convinced Sophia can take care of herself.From what she told me, the danger involved her stepbrother.I doubt he will harm her.Women are inclined to make much ado about nothing.”“You know best, Captain,” Blaine said.He peered up at the sky.“Looks like we’re in for a blow.”Chris scanned the fluffy white clouds fleeing before a stiff wind.“We’ll outrun it, but go ahead and make preparations in case I’m wrong.”Blaine took his leave.Chris returned his gaze to Sophia.As if aware of his scrutiny, she turned her head.Their gazes collided, held; then his slithered away.The next time he looked in her direction, she was gone.Sophia returned to the cabin to escape the wind, which had changed abruptly from brisk to near gale force.Casper must have fed more charcoal into the brazier while she was out, for the cabin felt warm and cozy after being topside.She began to perspire in her woolen coat and removed it.She walked to the porthole and stared out at the turbulent waves.The ship had begun to dip and rise alarmingly.She felt a bit queasy and moved to the bunk to lie down.Sophia felt too ill to eat dinner that night and told Casper to take the food away.“We’re in for a bit of a blow, miss,” Casper warned.“Captain said it wasn’t a bad one, so there’s no need to worry.”Sophia couldn’t help worrying when Chris didn’t return to the cabin that night.She heard the wind howling as rain mixed with sleet slashed against the porthole.Although she tried to sleep through the worst of it, her upset stomach plagued her throughout the ordeal.When Sophia awoke the following morning, it was as if there had never been a storm.The sky was blue, the ship rocked on a gentle breeze, and her stomach had settled down.She sat up in bed just as Chris staggered into the cabin.Sophia slid out of bed.“You look terrible,” she said, eyeing the dark shadows under his eyes and the beginning of a beard darkening his cheeks.“Thank you,” Chris said curtly.He began shedding his wet clothing.“What are you doing?”“Now that the danger is past, I’m going to bed.” He sent her a challenging look.“You can join me if you like.I don’t suppose you got much sleep last night.”“I’m fine,” Sophia said, turning away as he pulled off his breeches.Sighing, he flopped down on the bunk and pulled the blanket up to his neck.He fell asleep almost immediately.Sophia stared into his face.He was the handsomest man she’d ever seen.She’d thought so all those years ago and she still thought so.His hair, wet from his recent drenching, looked black instead of the dark brown she admired so much.While his lashes were indecently long, his bold features made a noble statement about his masculinity.Sophia recalled the way women had swooned over Chris during her Season in Town, and how he had devoted all his time to her.Damn him! Why hadn’t he offered for her after Desmond’s death?Chapter FourChris awakened from an erotic dream to find light streaming through the porthole and Sophia lying beside him.She lay on her side, facing him, fully dressed but for the woolen jacket.He rose up on his elbow and regarded her with grudging admiration.Carefully he slid the blanket down to her waist.The fine lawn shirt she wore hid nothing from him; she might as well have been naked.The lush ripeness of her body sorely tempted him.A slash of sunlight piercing through the porthole clearly revealed the outline of her upper body
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