My Heart's Desire (Barrett 1)

Gently he drew her mouth to his. “Let me love you again,” he murmured, his voice husky, seductive. “Slowly this time, the way you were meant to be loved.”

She paused, inches from his mouth. “Drake … we have much to discuss. You have to know what lies ahead of us when we arrive in England. We’ll have to go to Sudsbury, and my mother—”

“Shhh,” he whispered, enfolding her in his arms. “We have time … weeks before we reach England. Surely it can wait”—his eyes caressed her face—“an hour or two?”

Alex surrendered, letting him weave his magnetic sensual spell around her. And for the hours that followed the only words they exchanged were those of passion and of pleasure.

Much later, they talked.

“My mother is a snob.” Alex said it without anger or censure, a mere statement of fact. “She is not going to be happy with my father’s decision to see us wed. She had … different plans for my future.”

To Alex’s surprise, instead of becoming enraged, Drake seemed to be amused. “In other words I am not to expect her to welcome me into your family with open arms?”

Alex twisted around to look up at him. “Exactly. This was to be my first London Season, and I ran off with no warning and only a note in the way of explanation. She had arranged for me to meet countless eligible men.”

“By ‘eligible’ I assume you mean titled and wealthy?”

“Yes.” She waited for the explosion that did not come.

“Alex,” he said softly, “all will be well; you’ll see. I am certain that once your mother knows—”

She didn’t let him finish. His tenderness caused her more pain than his anger. “Don’t excuse her, Drake!” she said, her eyes flashing. “I do not. I only want you to know that, no matter what reaction we receive, I am delighted not to have married a nobleman! They are all shallow and cold like my father, acting only in their own interests.” She grew calmer. “I say all this because I want you to know what to expect. In spite of all else, there has always been kindness and truth between us. That is more than many can boast, is it not?”

Alex’s words cut through Drake like a knife. He would have given his soul right then to be merely the sea captain she believed him to be, to be worthy of the words she had spoken.

But he wasn’t. And he knew he had to tell her the truth, to make her understand.

“Alex …” he began.

She laughed, tossing back the covers and stretching. “I know. You’ve been down here for hours, and you must go topside to relieve Smitty at the helm.” She gave him a coy smile over her shoulder. “Very well, Captain, I give you leave to go to your post. But later tonight I shall again demand that you do your husbandly duty, and I warn you now that I intend to give you no quarter.”

Drake was stunned, then delighted, thoughts of his confession disintegrating immediately. “I consider myself duly warned, wife. I shall expect to be completely at your mercy.” He pushed his feeling of guilt aside. Later, he promised himself, he would tell her later.

But later never seemed to come.

Chapter 21

THE DOCKS WERE HUMMING with activity as the schooner sailed up the Thames and into London. Alex gazed out the porthole, staring at the familiar scene with a peculiar sense of unreality.

She was home. It seemed an eternity since she had left this city, a mere child. She was returning now, a woman grown. A married woman.

She wished that she and Drake had talked more about what lay ahead. Where would they live? Would he captain another ship right away? Would they remain in England for a time or return at once to sea?

And there was her mother. It was September. Perhaps Constance Cassel was in London right now, having returned for the Little Season. If enough of her friends had come here directly from Brighton it was probable that she was here as well. Alex hoped not. She was not ready to face her mother’s anger and disappointment. Perhaps in a day or two …

“Cap’n! ’ome at last!” Cochran’s announcement rang out across the ship and was met with cheers of elation from the crew.

On the quarterdeck Drake smiled, though his eyes were troubled, and called back, “Tie down the ship, then away with all of you and enjoy yourselves! But don’t be surprised when you miss the feel of a rolling deck beneath your feet.”

A lot of good-natured teasing ensued, during which time Drake pulled Smitty aside.

“Go into town and see Madame DuPres, Samantha’s modiste. She is talented and discreet. Tell her that we need a gown and accessories now, today. Explain that I will bring my new wife in to order a whole new wardrobe in the next week or two. That should ensure her instant cooperation.”

Smitty flushed, unused to acquiring ladies’ fashions. “And what will you do during my absence, Captain? Might I suggest mentioning your identity to your wife? That seems to have slipped your mind during the weeks of our voyage.”

Drake scowled. “I intend to, Smitty. First I’m going to arrange for a bath for Alexandria. Then I’ll walk over to the office of our shipping company to find out what has transpired since we left England. When I return to the ship, I will discuss the situation with my wife. Is that satisfactory?”

Smitty nodded, anticipating Lady Alexandria’s reaction to the shocking revelation. “I do not relish the thought of sharing your carriage on the journey home.”