The Captain Read Free

childhood innocence, she announced to the woman, who was scarcely ten years older than she, “It seems I’m betrothed, Trudy.”
    Nurse’s hand froze in the act of covering the young girl she had taken to her heart after the death of the child’s mother. “What nonsense, miss! Ye is still a babe.”
    â€œIt shall be a long betrothal. Papa has arranged it with Lord Rowland.”
    The servant tucked her in, then settled into a nearby chair, shaking her head. “I’ll never understand the ways of Quality. Pledging children to wed, upon my word.”
    Jacinda nestled down into the pillows and stared up at the angels Cousin Millie had had painted on the ceiling to watch over her. “His lordship’s son doesn’t want to marry me.”
    Trudy’s brows drew together as she picked up her darning. “Why, he’d be lucky to have the likes of ye, Miss Jacinda. A future baron he may be, but it’s well known throughout the county that there’s bad blood there. His lordship is a loose screw for certain. But never ye mind his slight, his son’s just a lad and don’t know what he wants, child.”
    Jacinda chuckled at how incensed Nurse sounded. “Oh, I’m not the least offended he doesn’t wish to marry me. He’s in love with Miss Mariah Amberly.”
    A dawning look settled on Nurse’s plain features. “He and the rest of the neighborhood sprigs. Close those eyes, child, and get some rest.”
    Jacinda tried to sleep, but her mind was too full of Nurse’s words. Bad blood in the Morrows. What could Papa be thinking? Then she remembered Andrew’s last utterance. He’d threatened to kill someone. Who did he mean? She knew him so little and wondered if he had such wickedness within. Nurse seemed to think so and, in Jacinda’s opinion, who knew better about such things than Trudy, whose own brother was a bloodthirsty villain. Well, actually he was just a highwayman, but still, she would know about such things, would she not?
    The girl’s thoughts settled on that man who had grown into a dashing figure in her imagination. She opened her eyes and gazed at Nurse, who sat stitching away at something black and shapeless. “Have you heard from Johnny?”
    The servant’s brown gaze flew to her charge. “Never ye mind about me brother. Go to sleep, child.”
    Jacinda scooted higher on the pillows. “I would never tell a single soul about him. Is he in Somerset?”
    Nurse glanced at the door as if fearful someone would hear her. “Aye, he’s back. I keep urgin’ him to find an honest livin’ here, but he swears he’s no longer workin’ the Pike. He’s a good man but I worry so for him and his wanderlust. He’s a son of his own, so it’s high time he settled down at his age.”
    â€œA son?”
    â€œAye, little Ben.” Nurse’s face grew soft at the thought of her nephew. “His mother worked at The King’s Arms and lives with the boy near Bristol. Johnny comes to visit regular and is always full of promises.”
    A shiver of excitement raced through Jacinda. With all the innocence of youth, she still believed such a life was full of adventure, ignoring the danger. “Can I meet him next time he comes?”
    â€œNot as long as I draw breath. Go to sleep, Miss Jacinda.”
    The girl well knew that tone. She would get nothing else from Nurse. She snuggled down into the covers and soon fell asleep, despite her apprehension about what lay ahead.
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    Apollo’s hooves pounded the hard gravel road rhythmically as Andrew pressed him to lengthen his stride. He wanted to be far away from his father and that sickly child they were trying to foist on him. In heated anger, he passed several riders along the road but who they were he couldn’t say, so deep was his grievance against his sire.
    Perhaps the worst part was that if this