Devil's Daughter (Devil 2)

“The Malek is a fine ship. If the winds hold we will make port in Oran before you grow tired of my ugly face.” He laughed at his own jest and patted his wig. “Perhaps before you catch the lice that live on my head.”

Adam smiled, thinking that the captain could afford to be affable, with all the gold he had pried out of him to divert his ship to Oran. He made his way from the quarterdeck, as comfortable on board the swaying ship as on land, just as was his mother. The Malek was a three-masted Spanish trading vessel, its hold full of Italian goods bound for Cádiz. And under tribute. Adam suspected the captain had intended to dock in the harbor of Oran in any case, but he had been in too much of a hurry to bargain with him, lice or no lice. He wondered how much the contessa had offered him.

He made his way down the companionway to his cabin, quickly adjusting to the rhythm of the ship be-lowdeck. When he opened the door, his eyes narrowed with irritation and suspicion. A small boy was climbing out of his trunk.

“What the devil are you doing?”

The small figure spun around, one leg still in his trunk, and Adam found himself staring at Rayna Lyndhurst. She was dressed in loose brown trousers, white shirt, and cinnamon jacket, her hair tucked up under a brown work cap.

Adam slapped his hand to his forehead. “My God, I don’t believe it.”

Rayna calmly stepped free of the trunk. “If I had known,” she said, “that you would spend the day on deck, I would not have had to stay buried in that wretched trunk. It was very uncomfortable, and I had to be very quiet when your valet came in a while ago.” She pointed to the hipbath in a corner of the small cabin, steaming water rising out of it.

All the warm, loving thoughts he had squandered on her on deck fled his mind. He felt such anger at her that he could not speak. And instead of being sheepish or pleading with him to forgive her for this outrageous act, she was carping at him.

“You make a charming boy,” he said finally with an attempt at sarcasm.

“Yes, don’t I?” Rayna said, turning about to show him the fit of her trousers. “I stole the clothes from the gardener’s youngest son.” He looked as if he were thinking of beating her, and all she wanted to do was throw herself in his arms.

“May I ask, madam,” Adam said, taking a step back, “how you contrived to get on board this vessel?”

Rayna forced herself to shrug. “No one pays the least attention to a skinny boy. I was fortunate, though, I overheard the captain tell one of his men that the English lord would take over his first mate’s cabin. I simply slipped into this room, saw your trunk, and climbed in.” She turned and walked to the small table, providing him with a fine view of her trousered hips, and poured herself a glass of wine. “I was worried, however,” she said, “that you could discover me sooner, and possibly convince the captain to return to Naples. So despite my discomfort, I thank you, my lord, for remaining abovedeck.”

“And your father,” he said, “I do not suppose you informed him of your plans?”

“That bothered me not a little, let me tell you. I fear he will be upset with me when he reads my letter. I suppose he has already read it,” she continued, frowning into the glass. “Yes, very upset.”

Adam thought she did not appear at all concerned at her father’s likely apoplexy.

“If he disowns me, will you still marry me, Adam? Without a dowry?”

“You may no longer be alive once I am finished with you.”

She ignored his ill humor and remarked to the cabin at large, “I have not been seasick at all. I was worried about that, you know. Perhaps I will make something of a sailor after all.” She gave him a charming smile. “I am terribly hungry. My stomach has been growling ferociously for the past several hours.”

“If you eat, madam, it will be standing up.”

“Ah, but there are chairs, my lord.” She set down her wineglass and plopped down onto one of the heavily carved Spanish chairs. She could practically hear Adam grinding his teeth as she lifted one leg over the arm of the chair and began to swing it back and forth like a careless boy.

There was a light knock on the door and Banyon appeared. “My lord, when you are finished washing up—” He broke off, staring from the smiling boy to his master’s furious face.

Adam walked over to Rayna and pulled off her woolen cap.

“Oh,” Banyon said.

“Yes, indeed.” Damnation. He knew now the ship could not return to Naples. Worse, he could not reveal that there was a girl aboard, staying in his cabin. “Damnation,” he said aloud. “Banyon, inform the captain that I’ve a touch of something vile, and bring my dinner here. Make it noble portions—the lad here tells me she is quite ravenous.”

“Oh,” Banyon said again.

“I fear, madam,” he said between clenched teeth to Rayna, “that you will be spending the next week in this cabin.”

“I do not mind in the least,” Rayna said. “Banyon, I am really very hungry.”

“Yes, miss,” Banyon said, his eyes only briefly leaving his master’s set face.

“Banyon,” Adam said, “tell Daniele about our uninvited guest. As for the other men, and particularly the crew, keep the stowaway here to yourself.”

“Yes, my lord.” Banyon spared one glance for the young lady before he slipped out of the cabin, careful to close the cabin door soundly. He had never before seen his master so furious. He remembered, a slow smile lighting his leathered face, when he had discovered a woman several years before in his master’s bedroom, in his bed. Then the master had only laughed and firmly closed the bedroom door in Banyon’s interested face.