Brie flushed, remembering his fierce lovemaking and the incredible passion he had so easily aroused in her, remembering also how he had shown his contempt by making her plead. She watched him wistfully, wondering if she would ever succeed in getting him to trust her again. She could understand why Dominic would feel hurt and betrayed, why he would want nothing more to do with her, but still she couldn't help wishing she hadn't lost the chance to win his love.
Feeling a sudden, tight ache in her throat, Brie turned abruptly and made her way forward to the bow. The English Channel stretched out before her, the waves catching the rays from the sun and dazzling her eyes with silver splendor. She could see the shoreline of France in the distance, and as she took in the beauty of the magnificent scene before her, she was able to forget for a moment the tension and heartache of the past few days.
The same could not be said for Dominic. In spite of his seeming indifference, he had been aware of Brie's presence from the moment she came up on deck. Indeed, she had never been out of his thoughts since he had woken that morning to a throbbing headache. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep his gaze from inadvertently straying to where she stood at the rail.
She looked devastatingly lovely this morning, Dominic thought, seeing her in the cloak he had searched three different shops to find. He had roused two grumbling shopkeepers and a dressmaker from their beds to provide an adequate wardrobe for her, but it had been worth the trouble. The forest green color was stunning on her, just as he had expected it would be, and the way the rich sable framed her face was enchanting.
But it was more than Brie's beauty that kept her at the center of his thoughts, just as it was more than a severe hangover that was the cause of his savage mood. Each time he looked at her he could hear Jason's parting words ringing in his ears.
"You must marry her, Dominic," Jason had said when he learned Brie had spent the night in Dominic's room. "Your honor demands it. You have compromised the lady beyond all bounds."
Infuriated by the thought of being trapped into marriage, Dominic had sworn in response and told his friend to mind his own business. Jason had merely grinned. "I plan to do just that, my friend. My presence here is obviously de trop, so I will take myself back to London. I trust the next time we meet, I may wish you happy."
Dominic laughed mirthlessly. "You're more likely to read in the morning papers that my lifeless body has been discovered in some dark alley! Marriage to Brie would be impossible, as you well know."
"You have never been unable to manage a woman, Dom."
"Perhaps, but you are forgetting the circumstances. Would you have me bound to the family which has very nearly destroyed mine?"
"It is possible, of course, that there is a reasonable explanation and that Miss Carringdon is innocent of any involvement."
Dominic's expression hardened. "I can assure you, she will not find life very pleasant if I discover otherwise."
"Well, then at least refrain from passing sentence until you learn the true facts. It isn't like you to jump to conclusions. I agree that her killing Boulter seems more than just circumstantial, but she could be telling the truth. And I still say your judgment may be clouded by whatever personal feelings you have for her, whether you admit it or not."
Jason had been right about that, Dominic thought with a snort of self-disgust. His judgment was definitely clouded. Glancing at Brie again, he felt his fury rise. He was damned if he would let a conniving little jade force him into marriage.
Had she really been so devious? Has she really tried to entrap him? She looked so fresh and innocent standing there at the bow of his ship. The hood of her cloak had fallen back, and the sun glinted off her upswept hair, turning the shining tresses to fire. Dominic felt an urge to unpin those glorious russet locks and run his fingers through the silken mass—but he knew if he went near her, he was likely to find his fingers wrapped around her throat as he tried to choke the truth out of her.
Fortunately for Brie, his angry thoughts were interrupted when the Falcon s cabin boy came to announce that a luncheon had been laid out in the ship's stateroom. Captain Rogers turned the wheel over to the second mate and went below, but Dominic stayed up on deck. He needed a moment to get his anger under control, or he knew he would find himself back in England and facing murder charges.
Brie was seated at the table when the captain and three other of the ship's officers when Dominic at last joined them, and he couldn't help noticing the immediate effect his arrival had on her. One moment she was laughing delightedly at something Rogers had said, her eyes bright and sparkling. The next, she had stiffened visibly and lowered her eyes to the table. Dominic had trouble curbing the savage oath that sprang to his lips.
The meal could not have been called a success. Except for an occasional attempt at humor by the captain, the atmosphere remained subdued and even strained. Brie escaped as soon as politeness allowed, returning to her position by the rail where she tried to recapture her carefree feeling of a short while ago.
She failed miserably.
Angrily dashing away a tear with the back of her hand, she scolded herself for being an idiotic fool. What had she expected from Dominic? Warmth and affection? That he would come to trust her, perhaps even to love her? How could he when he barely acknowledged her presence? He had made it perfectly obvious that he would have preferred not to have her on board, for he had spoken little during lunch, and then only to the captain. His silence had chilled her, and she had discovered that she could bear his icy detachment no better than his anger. She shivered as she thought of the days ahead.
"Are you cold?"
Startled less by the question than the nearness of his voice, Brie turned to find Dominic standing behind her. He was watching her intently, but his expression was impossible to read. "Do you care?" she countered.
Something flickered for just an instant in his gray eyes, before they became impenetrable once again. "I can have Jacques find something warmer for you to wear," he said evenly.
Brie lifted her chin. "My cloak is quite adequate, thank you. Besides, I would not want to put Jacques to any trouble."
If she had hoped to provoke Dominic, she failed. Without replying, he moved to stand beside her at the rail, gazing out over the waves.
They were both silent for a time. Then, because she sensed Dominic would have preferred to remain so, Brie spo
ke. "I have not yet thanked you for letting me travel with you, my lord."
He shrugged. "I expect you would go to France, regardless. This way I can at least keep an eye on you and see that you don't run into the same trouble I found you in last night."
Brie flushed at his cool reminder of what had happened on the docks. "I haven't seen Lord Effing about," she observed, changing the subject. "Is he on board the ship?"
Dominic's mouth twisted wryly as he slanted a glance at her. "Jason returned to London this morning. It seems he was under the impression that I might prefer your company to his."