"Why?"
"I want to talk to him."
"I told you that my attacker was a sailor."
She had and she'd made a good case for it, even if he had acted disbelieving at the time. "There is a greater motivator than whiskey for villainous behavior. Money."
Her eyes widened. "Oh."
"Now, tell me the plantation owner's name."
"I don't know it. Lady Boyle would know, though. She appeared to be somewhat acquainted with him. He plays whist."
Drake nodded. His aunt was an avid card player, and if the man did indeed indulge in the occasional hand of whist, she would know him.
"I'll ask her." He stood up to leave.
He wanted to ask the first mate if he'd had any luck finding the attacker. Drake had his doubts, but he wanted to know anyway. Turning the lamp down to a faint glow, he then headed toward the door.
"Where are you going?"
He turned back toward her. "To ask the first mate what he found."
Frowning, she said, "I'm sure the villain got away."
He studied her. "You need your rest. I'll let you know my progress tomorrow."
"Do you need to leave now? I'm not at all tired and we should discuss strategy."
He saw the lie in her expressive blue eyes. She had barely stifled a yawn a moment ago and her eyelids drooped with weariness.
"Would you feel better if I posted a guard outside your door?"
She looked horrified. "No."
"Why not?"
Dealing with the female of h
is species was often confusing, but Thea was incomprehensible.
"It would be embarrassing. Besides, Melly would want to know why he was there."
"Then you would tell her."
She shook her head. "No."
"No?"
"You must see that if we tell her about my little adventure tonight, she would be upset. She would probably stop drinking your ginger tea to prevent me from going out again while she slept. Then her seasickness would come back. We mustn't breathe a word to her."
"Are you going to go on any more walks alone at night?"
She shuddered and he knew that whatever else had happened tonight, Thea's encounter with her attacker had scared her deeply. "No."
"Then I won't tell her. But don't you think she'll notice the bruises when she dresses you?"
"I started dressing myself a long time ago."