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He gave a long blink and looked at her. ‘When Cass came home, I raged. She had to agree to my terms and they were not easy ones. Cassandra was no innocent victim. I suppose it didn’t matter to me earlier who the father of the girl was because I already knew who the father wasn’t. It wasn’t me.’
He leaned his head against the back of the chair, his face towards the ceiling. He shut his eyes. ‘And I can be thankful that Jacob and the girl will not have to grow up living with their mother’s penchant for finding trouble.’
Warrington turned his head to the side and opened his eyes, watching Melina. ‘I wish you’d seen none of this, Melina. When Ben finishes his next repairs, I’ll see that you get passage home and I’ll make sure that whatever is needed for your retrieval of the artefacts to be taken care of.’
Melina kept her irritation hid. He talked too calmly of sending her away. She didn’t ask that he throw himself on the knife blade, but he might look nicked.
‘I will be happy to see my sisters.’ She blew out one of the candles.
He stood. ‘I believe Broomer needs my company. I’m sure he has a tale to tell me and maybe a song he heard at Drury Lane. He’s not fit for polite company sometimes, which makes him all the better for me.’
At the doorway, he looked over his shoulder. ‘I’ll not trouble you tonight, Melina. I know you aren’t of the same cloth as Daph or Cass. I knew who Cass was, but until tonight, I believed Daphne someone else entirely. I thought her a sister.’ He shook his head. ‘Lies. Everything. Lies.’
Chapter Nineteen
That night, Melina had slept lightly. When she woke in the early hours, the stillness of the house seeped into her skin. She slipped from her bed and crept to see if she could find Warrington.
At the doorway to the sitting room, she stopped and saw candles lit on each side of the room, but only one candle glowed in each branch. Warrington sat where the light from the window would have flowed over his shoulder had it been day. Instead, shadows danced over his face.
His eyes were shut and his head sagged to the side. She supposed he and Broomer had swallowed enough ale to drown themselves. His fingers were clasped together and one leg was sprawled out, the other bent at the knee. He still wore his frock coat.
‘Melina.’ He spoke without opening his eyes. ‘Don’t stare so.’
He moved only slightly, upright, but not as relaxed. When he looked at her, he took in her body. She could feel his eyes as she watched his face. The instant his eyes lowered to her breasts, she felt the heat ignite in her. His gaze slid to her waist, and lower, leaving a fiery heat trail that moved inward.
‘Again, Aphrodite has risen from the sea.’ His voice unfurled. ‘Arisen from the shells and stands before me. A vision. Her hair falling over her shoulders. Her eyes reaching into the soul of everyone she sees.’
‘You’re foxed.’
He shook his head, but his eyes remained on her, apart from his words. ‘Yes and no. If I am drunk, then you must blame yourself. Because it’s your appearance that has addled my senses.’
‘Is that all?’
‘Yes. There is not enough drink to wash my memories from me. I tried it once and it could not be done in three days. I would have had to swallow enough to destroy my whole mind and I didn’t want that.’
She didn’t speak. He kept her there without a word, only the presence of his being holding her captive.
She turned to leave, reassured he was at his home, safe.
‘Stay, Melina. You truly do owe me that much if for no other reason than I helped you escape from this Stephanos you detest. But I cannot stand the notion of a man touching you.’ He gave a humourless laugh. ‘I do not want anyone you do not desire touching you. Even myself.’
‘You need to be alone.’ The wind outside picked up, reminding her of the night’s gloom. But perhaps the true darkness was in his eyes.
He breathed deeply, moving back in his chair, sitting straight and clasping his fingers in his lap. ‘I should have drank myself to sleep tonight and prayed to dream of shipwrecks.’
‘There’s still time.’
‘Sweet Melina.’ He laughed. ‘You so guard your speech.’
‘Perhaps.’
He softened his voice. ‘I hope not.’ He turned his face back to the dark window. His gaze took her in. ‘If you were to think of poison, my dear Melina, or wish my death, I would be indeed fortunate to get a second chance. You determined to set sail on a ship of strangers and did. You would not run if the deed were not accomplished. You would try a different route.’
