Rogue of the High Seas (2 page)

Chapter Two

The parlor and front hall of the MacLeod townhouse was chaos the next morning. Valises and trunks sat stacked near the door, ready to be loaded into a wagon and taken down to the docks. Mari kept adding things she thought Fiona might need, although Abigail reminded her Dublin was not wilderness territory. Meanwhile, Fiona ran the gamut of emotions from anticipation and excitement to sadness and apprehension.

Shauna was experiencing her own conflicting emotions this morning. She knew she'd miss her younger sister, whom she had rescued from more scrapes growing up than she could remember. But Fiona was happy now. Her getting married left Shauna as the only single female in the family, and she realized she was nearing what the English
ton
called spinsterhood. However, Abigail, Mari and Jillian, had all married men they loved, and Shauna did not want to settle for less.

Her thoughts flitted briefly to Captain Henderson. He'd probably be returning to the States soon. Even if he were staying a bit, any silly hopes she'd been harbouring regarding him had been squelched last evening as she'd watched him move easily among London's society. Shane had mentioned New Orleans's French society to be as haughty as London's, so maybe that was why Captain Henderson fit in, even though he was an American. She didn't fit in, not that she cared to. Already, she missed the mountains and moors of Scotland. If she were going to be a spinster, she'd rather be there than here. She had her charity work at Edinburgh's public home for the aging and infirm. And since Abigail was with child, Shauna planned to help work on the ledgers at Shane's shipping line as well.

She would be just fine. She would.

Finally, the men took the baggage outside and relative quiet descended in the house as they drove off. They'd be back in an hour, but at least the women would have a little time for goodbyes. Mari poured tea for all of them as the housekeeper brought in a tray of still-warm scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream.

Tears welled up in Fiona's eyes. “This is the last time I'll get to eat Mrs. Fields's delicious scones.”

“Och, 'tis nae like ye will never come back here,” Shauna said. “Doona be sad on such a fine day. Ye are starting a new adventure.”

“I suppose ye are right.” Fiona wiped a tear away and then smiled. “And I will be with Kier. Nothing can be better than that.”

“There. Ye see? Look on the bright side.”

Her sister nodded and then frowned. “I hope I will make Kier a good wife.”

Mari laughed. “I do not think you need to worry about that. I have seen the looks the two of you exchange, not to mention you go up to your bedchamber quite early.”

Fiona shook her head. “I dinnae mean that.”

“Then what do you mean?” Abigail asked.

“I…well, 'tis something in Kier's past.”

“What?” Mari asked.

Abigail frowned at her. “Fiona does not have to tell us.”

“Then why would she bring it up?” Mari turned to Fiona. “What are you worried about? It is quite clear that Kier dotes on you.”

“I just want to make sure he will always feel that way.”

Shauna leaned toward her. “Why would ye think otherwise, sister?”

Fiona hesitated and looked around the room as if to make sure the men had gone. She lowered her voice. “My husband was jilted by a woman…a Lady Litton. She ran off with most of his money as well. He told me 'twas why he found it hard to trust me at first. I doona want him to think I will be the same.”

Shauna took her hand. “Ye could never be like that. Ye are a MacLeod, honest and trustworthy. Kier kens that.”

“Of course he does,” Mari said.

“I agree,” Abigail added. “Anyone who has been around our men knows that as a fact. You MacLeod women are no different.”

Fiona brushed at an unshed tear that threatened to trickle down her face. “Ye are right.”

“They are,” Shauna said and pushed the plate of scones toward Fiona. “Now eat, before Mrs. Fields feels insulted.”

As her sister lathered a scone with clotted cream, Shauna sat back on the sofa and thought of her family. Her brothers and cousin were honorable, truthful men. They kept no secrets from their wives. Perhaps one day, she would find a man equal to them to marry. Perhaps.

And she tried to put thoughts of Captain Henderson out of her mind.

They only had three days before Shane would be sailing the
Sea Lassie
back to Edinburgh. Since the night Shauna had left the ball, Robert had racked his brain how to approach her. He couldn't call on her as a suitor might. He was in no position to court anyone given what might await him back in the States. Since his own ship needed repairs, he wasn't in a position to return. His younger brother had promised to continue searching for Jane, but finding her could be a double-edged sword.

He'd tried to get information from Shane and Jamie about whether Shauna would be returning to Scotland. Shane had shrugged and told him Mari wanted Shauna to stay in London. Jamie had asked why he wanted to know. He'd mumbled something about just being curious, which had caused Jamie to raise an eyebrow. Robert had gotten his message clearly.

He didn't want to trifle with their sister. In his head, he knew he was walking on boggy ground since his other head seemed to have developed a mind of its own, growing hard whenever he thought about Shauna. Never in his life had he reacted like this just thinking about a woman. He'd had plenty of voluptuous, seductive females to choose from in New Orleans. But that was how he'd gotten himself into the mess he was in.

No, he would not trifle with Shauna. Over the past year, he'd learned to control his urges. But damn, he wanted her to come back to Scotland.

As luck would have it—or perhaps the Fates were at work, since sailors were a superstitious lot—Jamie told him that afternoon that Mari had decided to host a small
bon voyage
dinner for Shane and Abigail, and Robert was invited. Jamie hadn't seemed too enthused about delivering the invitation, but Robert ignored that.

At least he'd have a chance to try and convince Shauna to sail back with them. Usually flirting worked, but given Jamie's glowers, Robert knew he had to take a different approach. And he doubted Shauna was the type to appreciate flirting. Besides, he reminded himself for umpteenth time, he had no plans to seduce Shauna.

None. He would be the perfect gentleman.

Shauna didn't have to try very hard to persuade Mari to host a dinner party. Just a gentle hint had worked. Mari had grinned and asked if she wanted to invite Captain Henderson, which had invoked a black scowl from Jamie, although Shauna didn't know why.

The next evening, seated at the far end of the dinner table, Jamie watched Shauna like a hawk. Or maybe his golden-eyed gaze was trained on Captain Henderson, seated next to her. Shauna recognized the overly protective look—both her brothers and Shane used it—but she couldn't fathom why. Captain Henderson had excellent manners and had said nothing untoward. Besides, at two-and-twenty, she was not a child. Since another couple sat between her and Jamie, she couldn't kick him under the table to get him to stop.

“Did you not enjoy the ball the other night?” Captain Henderson asked. “I noticed you left early.”

He'd noticed? Shauna smiled. “I…'twas a wee bit crowded.”

“You do not care for crowds?”

“Nae. I doona care to be jostled about.”

“Well, there is lots of jostling, as you put it, in a large city. Do you like London?”

“Nae so much.”

Captain Henderson gave her an intent look. “Then you will not be staying?”

“Nae, I—”

“Aye, she will,” Jamie said.

Shauna and Mari both looked at him in surprise.

“Mari wants the company,” he finished.

“But Shauna misses Scotland,” Mari said.

Jamie set his jaw. “She can visit in the spring. It will do her good to spend some time with us. Shauna always said she wanted to go to museums. I can take her.”

Shauna nearly gaped at her brother. Take her to a museum? To Jamie that was akin to spending an afternoon at a ladies' tea, something he'd done once only to please Mari. “What has gotten into ye?”

“And I can escort both my wife and my sister to the theatre too,” Jamie continued as though she hadn't spoken. “'Twill be a bit of culture the lass always talked about.”

Shauna glared at him. “I am sitting right here, brother. If ye are to talk about me, do it to my face.”

“Perhaps you could discuss this later,” Abigail said from across the table and gave a brief glance toward the other guests.

Shauna heard the gentle warning in her friend's voice. There were eight others seated at the dinner. If she argued with Jamie in front of them, the gossip would be all over town by the next morning. But then she was Scot, not English.

She folded her hands in her lap and gave him a direct look. “I appreciate your invitation, brother, but I am needed at Shane's office in Edinburgh.”

Her cousin, Shane, looked startled. “Ye are—” He stopped abruptly, turning to his wife with a frown.

Abigail gave him a wide-eyed look and Shauna would bet that her poor cousin had just received a sharp kick.

“Aye,” Shauna said. “Abigail will nae be tending the counter and ledgers much longer.”

“Why not?” Jamie asked.

“Because she is with child.”

There was a collective gasp from the ladies present. Shauna supposed talking about pregnancy in any form wasn't proper either, but her brother was not going to win this argument.

The tips of Jamie's ears turned pink. “It doesnae make a difference—”

“It does,” Shauna interrupted. “Abigail and I learned to do the books last year. Having us do them freed Albert from the bookkeeping. Since his assistant, David, is still recovering from being attacked, Albert will have time to get more cargo orders for the ships if I work in the office.”

“That is true,” Shane said, giving his wife a wary look.

He probably anticipated another encounter with her booted foot. Shauna would have smiled, but she needed to be serious. “There you have it, Jamie. I can be useful.”

“I doona think—”

“Shauna is already packed, husband,” Mari said.

Captain Henderson's lips twitched as he glanced at Jamie and then looked at Shauna. “It appears you will be going to Scotland then.”

“Aye.”

He smiled. “And so will I.”

Shauna was delighted with the news. Not usually one to give way to giddiness, she was hard-pressed not to dance circles around Abigail and Mari as they approached the gangplank of the
Sea Lassie
shortly after dawn two mornings later, but Jamie was scowling, so she refrained. Robert was already on board, conferring with Shane near the helm, maps spread on the deck locker that also served as a seat for the helmsman when seas were calm. Both men kept looking from the maps to watch the sun rising.

“Are we late?” Shauna asked. “Shane said dawn would be best to catch the tide. Maybe we should have started out sooner.”

“It is not us,” Abigail answered. “They are concerned about the sunrise.”

Mari shrugged. “Does it not always rise in the east?”

“Of course,” Abigail replied with a smile. “It is just very red this morning.”

“'Tis because there are nae clouds,” Shauna said.

“Yet.” Abigail squinted, shielding her eyes with her hand. “There will be.”

“How do you know that?” Mari asked.

“The exact why of it Shane can explain,” Abigail said. “There is a saying, ‘Red in the morning, sailors take warning'. It has something to do with a storm brewing.”

“But the sky is clear.”

“Right now it is,” Jamie told Mari, “but I've heard Shane say that plenty of times. Maybe ye ladies should let the men sail on and stay here in London.”

“My place is with my husband,” Abigail said.

“But in your condition—”

“I feel fine, Jamie. Thank you for your concern.”

He frowned and turned to Shauna, but she cut him off. “I am sailing too. I doona want to argue about it longer.”

Jamie drew his brows tighter and hoisted Shauna's trunk on his shoulder, muttering something about stubborn lasses as he walked up the plank.

“I doona ken why he doesnae want me going back to Scotland,” Shauna said to Mari after Jamie left.

“It is not your returning to Scotland,” Mari answered. “He is worried that Captain Henderson might take advantage of you on the way.”

Shauna felt her face warm. “Captain Henderson has nae expressed an interest in courting me.”

“That is what Jamie is afraid of.”

She widened her eyes. “Captain Henderson is a gentleman.”

“He probably is, but he is also a sea captain—”

“So is Shane,” Abigail interrupted, “that does not make him a rake or scoundrel.”

“I am not saying that.” Mari held up her hands. “You know how protective Jamie is. He just does not want Shauna getting hurt.”

“I am nae foolish—”

“Of course you are not,” Mari said and gave her a hug as Jamie came back down the plank. “Just take care of yourself.”

“Och, I will.”

“Shane wants ye both on board,” Jamie said, his tone clearly not agreeing with his cousin's request. “'Tis nae too late to—”

“Come on.” Shauna tugged at Abigail's arm. “We will be fine,” she said to her brother and Mari. “Once we are away from London and on open sea, we will be in Edinburgh in nae time at all.” She didn't think Jamie needed reminding it would probably take four days to reach the port. Even though Captain Henderson would be taking his ship back to America soon, those would be four pleasant days to spend time with him that she quite looked forward to.

Shauna looked up at the cloudless sky. All the weather had to do was cooperate.