Rexanne Becnel Read Online Free

soon know why no one ever trifled twice with Cyprian Dare.
     
    The sky hung ugly and low, and mist coated everyone in the Haberton and Thoroughgood party with beads of moisture as fine as diamond dust. They’d smelled of damp wool on the crowded coach ride to St. Catherine’s Dock. Now, however, a rank fishy smell dominated. Eliza heartily hoped they’d not be forced to endure that smell the entire journey.
    She’d never been to sea. Never stepped foot on a boat, let alone a sea-going ship. But she’d imagined it. She’d read once that the sea smelled of salt and other strange things, altogether different from the land. Despite her recent doubts about this harebrained scheme of hers, she couldn’t deny the budding curiosity growing in her. She wanted to smell the sea, and stare across the living, writhing swells of it. She wanted to see where and when the moon rose, and figure out how the tides were affected by that distant orb.
    She just hoped it wasn’t always as cold as it was today. She felt that her skin surely must be turning blue.
    “You know, it’s not too late to change your mind,” Eliza’s mother murmured for her daughter’s ears only. “Your cousin Agnes could manage—”
    “No, she couldn’t. Besides, I want to go.”
    Perry jostled his way between them and threw one arm around each of their shoulders. “Here now, Mum. She wants to go. I want to go.”
    “You have school, little brother,” Eliza taunted, but gently. Younger brothers were almost as much trouble as older ones, but she knew she would miss both of them enormously.
    “I’m hardly little,” he said, staring down at her from his lofty height. “Besides,” he added, “I’d learn ever so much more if I went—geography, history.” He sent his mother a pleading look but his argument fell on deaf
ears, as it had often in the previous two weeks. With a grimace of resignation he gave Eliza a kiss on the cheek. “Take care of yourself, paleface,” he ordered sternly, using the name he’d given her after reading stories of America.
    Eliza gave him a wan smile. This was turning out to be even harder than she’d guessed. “Don’t grow too much while I’m gone.”
    LeClere was next, giving her a fierce hug. He was the one who always looked out for her, and she realized only now how much she had always relied on him. Could she truly manage this?
    Then Michael came up and a new wave of doubt assailed her. Why was she running away from him? He was such an utterly perfect human being. Her brain must be even weaker than her lungs to think of turning down such a paragon among men.
    When he smiled that paragon smile, and kissed her brow with his paragon lips, she wondered if perhaps she should reconsider this trip to Madeira after all. Then her father cleared his throat and Michael stepped back. “Have a safe trip, Eliza. I’ll eagerly count the days until you return to me.”
    Until you return to me . His words lingered in her head through the rest of their goodbyes. Her father hugged her, so hard and long that she thought she’d never catch her breath again. Her mother held Eliza’s face in her hands while tears sparkled in her eyes. “When you return it will be time to get on with the wedding. You understand?”
    “Yes, Mama. I understand. And I’ll be ready.” And she would, she told herself.
    In the past two weeks Michael had been even more attentive than he had before, coming to dine with the family, escorting them to the theater. She’d been disconcerted by his presence, as always. But now it was somehow different. Before he’d behaved as if he were
fond of her, but not particularly drawn to her—as if their marriage were a business arrangement, which it was. Now, though, his interest in her seemed more personal. More physical, too.
    Once, when he’d helped her down from his carriage, she’d known by the look in his eyes that he’d wanted to kiss her. And if she’d paused just a moment, he would have taken that