Summer's Bride. Catherine Archer
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explain all of this to her when they had a moment alone. Though who knew when that moment would come as he would need to keep Genevieve close by, for fear of her giving away her disguise. He genuinely did not wish the men to know he had two women aboard.
Though the crew were a good enough lot, it was highly unlikely that the roughest of them would think it fair for him to have two of what they had none of. Especially when he had abruptly cut short what they had believed would be several days of shore leave.
He spoke with resignation. “Unfortunately, the storm has postponed our discussion. But make no mistake, we will continue, however unpleasant it may prove.”
Genevieve looked at him with chagrin. “I can tell you in this moment that I am sorry I have come here and I wish to go home.”
He shook his head. “It is impossible. You heard what Harlan said. A storm is coming. We will have to go on. You, Genevieve, will stay in this cabin with Constanza until I have time to sort this out.”
She sputtered, “But—”
He cut her off with a motion of his hand. “Nay, I will not discuss it now. You have gotten yourself into this. You will not even consider doing aught but obey me. You will continue to wear your disguise, for I will not explain my having two women to my men. They do get lonely aboard ship.”
He saw color stain her cheeks as she realized just what he was saying. “They would not dare.”
“No,” he informed her immediately. “They would not dare. But I prefer not to be forced to confront the matter. I have enough to occupy my mind.”
He was moved by the relief she tried to hide. He was aware of the fact that Maxim Harcourt had tried to force himself upon her when she was in his care, though she had refused to reveal any details of that ordeal. He had no wish for her to fear being in such a position again and was, in fact, sickened by the very idea that she would feel such anxiety.
But he did not wish her to know the degree of his reaction. Quickly he turned to Constanza. “Genevieve will stay with you in the cabin this day and share the bed with you each night. I cannot have her sleeping out on deck.”
Genevieve spoke up hurriedly. “I could not—”
His brows arched. “You certainly could and you will. It was your decision to come aboard, Genevieve. You will simply have to accept the consequences of that.” He looked at her for a long moment and saw the displeasure on her face. “Unless, of course, you do prefer to sleep on deck.”
She scowled at him fiercely. “Nay, how could I possibly prefer that? But—”
“Then it is done.” He moved to the table where he had been going over his charts when Charley first pounded on the door—before his life had exploded in chaos with the arrival of the very woman he so desperately wished to put from his mind.
He could feel the seething anger of Genevieve at this very moment, but he did not acknowledge it. He must show an appearance of indifference no matter how difficult it might be. She must return home and marry Roderick Beecham, leaving him to the life he had worked so hard to make his own.
He was glad that he had already folded his own blanket and tucked it in the chest beneath his padded bench. There was no sign that he had not spent the night in the bed with Constanza.
His regretful gaze went to Constanza’s unhappy face. Again he resolved to explain his reasons for putting her in such an awkward position as soon as possible.
Now he had to go out and secure his ship against the storm that had begun to rage as loudly as the one in his heart.
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