The Countess' Lucky Charm Read Online Free Page A

cost if you wish the girl to accompany you.”
    Out and out robbery, that’s what it was. Furthermore, even though it had been his idea, the prospect of sharing his cabin was not an enticing one. Not only did he like his privacy, the constable’s warning about her slitting his throat still rung in his ears.
    However, he had no choice. Temple turned around to glare at Simone and she smiled back at him sweetly. Rolling his eyes skyward in a plea for patience, he turned back to face the captain.
    Captain Featherstone shrugged and crossed his arms. “I’ve given you an honest price. Take it or leave it. ”
    Temple scanned the shuttered face and thought longingly of the packet hidden Lord only knew where. Among other things, it contained gold guineas which would have been eminently useful at this particular moment.
    “Honest price,” Temple muttered, pulling open the drawstrings on his money pouch. “Highway robbery, I dare say.” He counted out the coins and passed them over. Then he reached back for Simone and pulled her forward. “May I present my, er , wife. Lady Simone Wellington.”
    He pretended not to notice her incredulous stare. He braced himself, expecting her to protest, but surprise must have held her tongue for she said nothing, just continued to stare at him, eyes round as saucers, mouth agape.
    “Your cabin is through there.” The captain pointed toward a doorway before pocketing the coins. “See that she behaves,” he glared at Simone, “or it’s to the brig with her.” He turned on his heel and stalked away, coins jingling in his pocket.
    “Aye, Captain.” Scowling, Temple faced Simone to crook a finger at her. “Come. We had better go below before the captain changes his mind.”
    “I’m not yer wife,” she hissed. “Anyone with two eyes in their head can see that.”
    “Never mind, just follow me.” He didn’t wait to see if she was behind him but strode away across the deck toward the rear of the ship.
     
    * * *
     
    A stunned Simone had no choice but to follow. His wife? What had possessed him to put forward such an absurd notion?
    She trailed behind, through the hatch and down the narrow hallway until they reached the last cabin. He pushed open the door. “Enter.” He stood back so she could go in first.
    Simone squeezed past, keeping her eyes on his crisp white neck cloth, sucking in her gut so that not a speck of her touched him.
    She advanced several steps into the cabin because several steps were all she could take due to Temple’s luggage pushed beneath the port hole on the far wall.
    Golly, the cabin was tiny—two narrow beds separated from each other by the sliver of aisle where she now stood. An oil lamp hung over one of the beds, a plank shelf and several hooks over the other.
    She felt him move into the room, could feel his heat and she peeped over her shoulder to gauge his mood. He ignored her to yank off his jacket, hanging it on a peg beside the door. Oy , his manner was frosty. Losing a valuable package and gaining an unwanted wife in one fell swoop had not pleased Lord Wellington at all. She didn’t like it too much either. Lady Wellington? Who would possibly believe it of her?
    She turned to find him leaning against the door, arms crossed. Two almost black orbs skewered her.
    “Sit,” he commanded, pointing to the bunk to her right. “Yours.”
    Simone shook her head. He sought to intimidate her and she would have none of that. Fists on her hips, she glared back.
    “You cost me a pretty penny,” he growled.
    “Well, I am yer wife.” She regretted the impish words the second they left her mouth. “I’ll pay ye back,” she added hastily at the thunderous expression on his face. Now was probably not the right time to remind him he had agreed when she had asked him to take her along. She straightened her shoulders and held her ground.
    “Oh?” His brows lifted and scepticism blanketed his face.
    “I swear.”
    “How? And if you are to suggest the