Miss Lavigne's Little White Lie Read online

  Lisette had taken rice and flour from the larder at Passebon House, but there hadn’t been much room in the sack, and it had grown heavy. She didn’t know how long the supplies would last. In fact, she had no idea how long the voyage would take, much less how to determine if she carried enough staples. Tomorrow she must find the galley and speak with the cook. Perhaps she could bribe him to ration the foods Rafe required for survival.

  She glanced up and discovered Captain Hillary studying her brother digging his fingers into the bread. The captain frowned but held his tongue. When her brother finished eating the middle from her bread, Captain Hillary reached across the table to place his serving on Rafe’s plate.

  Rafe’s head popped up, but he didn’t look directly at anyone. “The Cecily is an Indiaman, a three-masted ship carrying three square sails on the fore and mainmasts. The mizzenmast has one square sail and a fore-and-aft sail.”

  Captain Hillary’s brows lifted. “Indeed. You’re observant, Master Rafe. I believe you could replace my first mate. Perhaps you can make his acquaintance on the morrow and offer your assistance.”

  Rafe sat on his hands, rocking, his eyes trained to his plate again. “A Baltimore flyer is a schooner. She has a narrow hull and is faster. She could overtake the Cecily.”

  Lisette and Serafine exchanged a startled look. Lisette’s betrothed owned a ship. Rafe had toured the vessel once when Reynaud was courting her. She couldn’t recall the ship’s class, but Rafe wouldn’t forget. Surely her brother didn’t fear Reynaud would pursue them, not for her meager dowry or Rafe’s modest inheritance. Such an undertaking would be insane.

  Lisette patted her brother’s knee as much to comfort herself as him. “I’m certain Captain Hillary knows all about dealing with overzealous Baltimore flyers. You needn’t trouble yourself.”

  Rafe looked to Captain Hillary as if seeking reassurance, his large amber eyes so like their father’s, minus their sire’s spark of life.

  The captain glanced between Lisette and her brother, his thick brows lowered. “As your sister says, Master Rafe, you needn’t concern yourself. Schooners know to use caution around an armed ship.”

  “Thirty-two guns,” Rafe supplied with a wan smile. His response to the captain was unprecedented.

  “Perhaps you would accompany me on a tour of the ship on the morrow to ensure all is operating as it should.”

  Her brother tore off a piece of soft bread and didn’t answer. His connection to the man was severed so abruptly, Lisette wondered if her imagination had fooled her.

  Serafine squared her shoulders. “Rafe possesses much knowledge on constellations as well as ships, Captain. Perhaps he will discuss his interest with you.” Her regal posture served as a testament to her pride. “He is a brilliant young man.”

  “I can see he’s unlike other boys his age.”

  Lisette and Serafine, who had been surrogate mothers to Rafe since his birth, shot glares in the captain’s direction, but he was looking at Rafe. His expression softened.

  “He’s more intelligent than the average boy.” Captain Hillary rested his elbow on the seat back as he lounged on the unpadded chair. His relaxed demeanor chased away Lisette’s fears. Rafe’s differences were evident to the captain, but he wasn’t passing judgment.

  Rafe began to squirm before Lisette finished her meal, but there was nothing to be done for it. With the disruption to his routine and lack of adequate sleep, his restlessness could quickly transform into a tantrum unless immediate action was taken. She and Serafine stood.

  “I hope you will excuse us, gentlemen,” Serafine said. “It’s time to put this young man to bed.”

  The captain pushed from the table as Lisette took her brother’s hand. “It has been a long day for Master Rafe, I’m sure.”

  Lisette smiled. “Thank you for understanding, sir.”

  As they shuffled toward the cabin door, Captain Hillary cleared his throat. “Could you spare a moment, Madame Lavigne? We failed to settle your account last evening.”

  Lisette flinched. She had hoped to be farther away before she had to tell him she wasn’t a widow and preferred another method of payment.

  Serafine placed her arm around Rafe’s shoulders. “I will ready him for bed while you conclude our dealings with the captain.”

  Lisette nodded, her heart hammering.

  But then she recalled the clergyman’s presence and her apprehension melted away. Captain Hillary couldn’t demand his outrageous payment with a religious man bearing witness.

  “Perhaps we should postpone—”

  Oh, Sweet Mary.

  The captain was lugging the vicar from his seat. “How nice of you to join us for dinner, Mr. Ramsey.”

  “But I haven’t finished my wine.”

  Captain Hillary snatched the bottle from the table and pressed it into the vicar’s hands. “Take it to your quarters. I insist.”

  Monsieur Ramsey’s protests ceased. He accepted the gift and rushed out the door as if fearful it would hit his backside if he moved too slowly.

  Alone, Captain Hillary once again resembled the scoundrel from the tavern. “This way, madame.”

  She hesitated before following him into a cabin located in the stern of the ship. Lisette assessed her surroundings to calm her nerves, as if taking inventory might delay the inevitable.

  Merde. It was a short list. The captain was much too tidy for a man.

  The only features of interest were the windows running along the back of the space, but there was nothing but blackness outside. The silence became an entity unto itself, an intolerable creature.

  “Why did we stop? Won’t this delay our arrival?”

  “We’ll raise anchor at daybreak. It’s dangerous to travel the river at night.”

  He sank into a chair behind his desk, which was secured to the deck with ropes and two iron rings. His furniture was as immovable as he was. Resting his elbows on the desk, he formed a steeple with his fingers and regarded her with unrelenting, dark blue eyes.

  Lisette squeezed her fingers harder and broke into a light sweat. “Captain Hillary—”

  “Call me Daniel. And I shall take the liberty of referring to you as Lisette.”

  She issued an outraged gasp. “I will not. It’s highly improper.”

  How ludicrous to argue the proper forms of address after the agreement she had made with him last night, but she needed to maintain some illusion of control.

  He winked. “By the end of this journey, I hope our intimacy will extend beyond a first-name basis, my dear. I endeavor to move things along. I’m sure you will forgive my impatience.”

  “I see.” She frowned, not sure she would forgive him anything. Gripping the back of a wooden chair, she steadied herself when the ship rocked and she almost lost her footing. “May I sit?”

  “No.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Really, the man was a complete cur.

  “You neglected to tell me everything last night, madame. What ailment plagues your brother?”

  She huffed. “This is absurd. I won’t stand while you interrogate me.” She rounded the chair and plopped on the seat, defying him to stop her.

  A corner of his mouth kicked up before his expression hardened again. “Answer me, so we may commence our business before daybreak.”

  She didn’t want to rush things along, given his uncouth behavior, but since they hadn’t cleared the great river yet, she didn’t dare push him too far. It was conceivable he might leave them along the overgrown bank for the alligators.

  “I’m waiting, madame.”

  “Raf—my brother was born different. Special.”

  “Continue.”

  She lifted her chin, tiring of the captain’s curt manner. “He spends much time in his thoughts and keeps his own counsel. He’s a brilliant young boy, as Serafine indicated. He holds vast knowledge on the constellations from perusing books he was never taught to read.”

  “He has had no schooling?”

  “New Orle
ans is not England. Young boys don’t leave their families to attend school. Our father hired a tutor, but Rafe never did well with formal instruction. Papa allowed him to follow his own path.” She sighed and wilted against the chair; lack of sleep made her weary. “I don’t know if Papa did the right thing, but Rafe was miserable. He has peculiar ways about him, and I’m uncertain how to undo his habits.”

  “He doesn’t eat properly.”

  Lisette’s gaze shot up, expecting to see censorship, but the captain merely stated fact. “He only eats certain foods, I’m afraid.”

  Captain Hillary pushed a sheet of foolscap and a pot of ink across the desk. “Create a list of what he eats. I’ll do my best to make certain our supplies last. It would have been easier if you had told me everything last night, before we left port. But we’ll dock in Port Albis and resupply.”

  She blinked, unsure of what to make of their destination. What if he planned to leave them in the Caribbean? Not everyone understood or tolerated Rafe’s differences. “Do you alter your course for us?”

  “You and your family are my responsibility now. I’ll not have your brother starving on the voyage.”

  Lisette didn’t know what to say, so she turned her attention to scribbling the short list of foods Rafe liked. She eased the paper across the captain’s desk. “I shall pay you more for your trouble, sir.”

  He grinned, putting the devil to shame with the wicked gleam in his eye. “Yes, about your payment…” Crooking a finger, he motioned her to come to him.

  She gripped the bottom of the chair to hide her fit of nerves.

  His brows lifted as if surprised anyone would disobey him. “Come here, Lisette.”

  If only her welfare was at stake, she might test the limits of his patience, but she couldn’t chance the captain returning them to New Orleans. Perhaps she could appease him for the moment to buy more time without compromising herself fully.

  Drawing a shaky breath, she rose from the chair and walked around the desk. Captain Hillary’s hands encircled her waist.

  “Oh!” She jerked back and bumped the desk.

  “Careful, sweetheart.” He lifted her to perch on the desk in front of him. His hands rested on her hips, and he stood where she had to roll her head back to see him.

  “We never discussed the price of fare to England.” His warm breath wisped across her forehead and sent her heart into a mad dash. She squirmed to create distance between them, but his heat still warmed her and made her palms moist. “Twelve pounds apiece.”

  “Twelve pounds?”

  The corners of his eyes crinkled with his smile. “This is my usual fare for passengers. Do you take issue with the amount?”

  “No!” By the saints, no. “The price sounds reasonable, but I thought—” She snapped her mouth closed. She should be quiet and count her blessings he wasn’t demanding something she was unprepared to pay.

  “Yes, my dear? You have something to add?”

  She shook her head. “No, twelve pounds it is. Merci.”

  Captain Hillary’s smile spread as he leaned closer. Lisette’s heart couldn’t beat faster if she attempted to swim across the Mississippi. “As to the matter of comforting one another on the voyage, I shall leave that up to your discretion, of course. That is all I wished to discuss. Are we in agreement?”

  So he still wanted to bed her, but he would allow her to decide when. That seemed fair-minded of him, but her conscience suffered a bit. She couldn’t possibly give him her innocence, so the day would never come.

  His spicy scent wrapped around her, setting her thoughts awhirl. Her gaze landed on his lips colored like watermelon flesh. They looked sweet. Perhaps kissing him wouldn’t be a horrible thing.

  She had never kissed a man, unless she counted Reynaud’s dispassionate pecks on her cheek at the conclusion of their outings. While she had endured his shows of affection, she’d never pondered what it must be like to taste him.

  The tip of the captain’s finger brushed the rim of her ear, sending pleasurable shudders chasing down her back. “You seem timid, luv. Could it be amorous rites were less than satisfying in your marriage?”

  Lisette’s body flamed. Men and women didn’t discuss such topics, did they? “I didn’t come here to discuss my past.”

  “Why are you here?”

  “I’m not certain.” She could have left the moment they had settled on a price, but she felt rooted to the desk. Her tongue swept across her dry lips.

  Her breathing ceased when his mouth found hers. He did nothing more threatening than press his lips to hers, easing her worries that he might take more than she was willing to give. His kiss was gentle, undemanding, and shocking. Pleasantly so. Her head spun and she gripped his upper arms to steady herself, astonished by the strength beneath her fingers.

  She tentatively moved her lips against his and followed with little pecks like she would place on her family’s cheeks. Kissing was an unexpectedly enjoyable activity, and if Captain Hillary’s churning breath was any indication, she was quite good at it. Emboldened, she applied more pressure, but she still couldn’t taste him, so she touched the tip of her tongue to his top lip.

  With a throaty groan, Captain Hillary hauled her against him and drew her tongue into his mouth. She stiffened in his embrace and pushed against his chest. She wasn’t ready for this type of kissing, the kind that made her skittish inside and off balance. His hold loosened when she no longer returned his affection, and he released her, chuckling under his breath. He eased her from his desk.

  “Come now, madame. You mustn’t distract me from my work any longer.” Turning her toward the door, he swatted her bottom, eliciting a scandalized squeak from her. “Run along to bed before your cousin searches for you.”

  She tripped over her feet but caught herself on the edge of the desk.

  “Patch is waiting outside the great cabin door to escort you.”

  “Patch?”

  Captain Hillary gathered a book from the top desk drawer and dropped it on the desk with a soft thwack. “Neither you, Mademoiselle Vistoire, or your brother are to go anywhere on this ship without Patch’s escort or a man he has assigned. Are my instructions clear?”

  Lisette nodded once.

  Captain Hillary assumed his place behind the desk and opened the book. “I would like you for breakfast, my dear. Please be prompt on the morrow. I don’t wish to come looking for my guests.”

  Good Lord! What could he mean by liking her for breakfast?

  Lisette dashed from his quarters with her heart pounding. She didn’t wish to speculate, or she wouldn’t sleep a wink.

  Six

  Daniel contemplated the boy sitting opposite him at his desk. Rafe was fiddling with the sexton and recording numbers in his journal. Daniel didn’t know what he intended to accomplish by peering through the gallery windows lining the stern of the ship, but he didn’t mind the lad’s presence.

  Rafe had begun following Daniel yesterday, and it appeared he would have the pleasure of the boy’s company again today. The crewman assigned to guard the Cecily’s passengers had escorted Rafe to Daniel’s quarters at sunrise. The lad had asked for Daniel by name. Otherwise, he’d spoken little, the conversations brief and centered upon maritime topics. In truth, Daniel found him more enjoyable than most adults.

  A light knock sounded at his office door, and before he could respond, Lisette poked her head inside.

  “Thank heavens!” She rushed forward to gather her brother in a hug, but he wiggled from her hold and returned to recording numbers.

  Biting her bottom lip, she glanced between Daniel and Rafe. “You’re not bothering Captain Hillary, are you?”

  Daniel waved off her concern. “He’s fine. Please, have a seat.”

  She remained standing. Two nights ago she’d sat when he told her to stand. It seemed her nature to do the opposite of anything commanded of her.

  “I’m sorry to barge into your quarters, Captain, but I had to know if Rafe was here. It was uns
ettling to discover him missing. I should have heard him waking. I feel like the worst sister.”

  Daniel should have sent word when the boy arrived at his door and saved her this worry. “He’s in no danger, Lisette.”

  She shot him a frown. Whether her displeasure stemmed from him using her given name or contradicting her, he didn’t know.

  “Either Serafine or I must stay awake to guard him,” she said. “We’ll take shifts.”

  “That won’t be necessary.” Daniel braced his hands against the desk and stood then stretched his arms overhead with a soft groan. Through the skylight, a cloudless sky beckoned to him.

  Habit dictated Daniel take daily exercise on deck, helping his men with various tasks. His assistance was neither expected nor needed, but idleness had never sat well with him.

  When he looked down again, he caught her staring at his chest. Her cheeks flushed a fetching shade of crimson, and she averted her gaze to the windows behind him.

  Daniel had donned a pair of worn trousers and open-collared shirt this morning. Certain circles would consider his appearance scandalous, he supposed, but the Mississippi River was far from society and its dictates. And it was too bloody hot to concentrate when he dressed like a dandy.

  Lisette cleared her throat, her lashes fluttering like dark-winged butterflies against her coffee-and-cream skin. “Oui, this is what we must do. We must take turns watching over Rafe.”

  She hurried to the gallery windows, her burdensome black skirts swishing as she moved. Sunlight flooded through the glass panes and illuminated her delicate profile as she turned to the side. A surge of desire warmed his blood as he admired the gentle sway of her back and generous curve of her bottom.

  “Your quarters feature a lovely view, monsieur.”