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“Ah, yes, of course. Trade. You keep reminding me. What sort of trade?”
“Shipbuilding.”
“I see. You must have grown up near the coast, then.”
“Yes. In Portsmouth until my—Why are you looking at me so oddly?”
“I'm sorry. Was I staring?”
“Yes,” she said baldly.
“It's simply that you remind me of someone I once knew. Not in looks. Not even quite in mannerisms. It's more of a …” He cocked his head as he searched for the right word. “It's more of a resemblance of spirit, if there is such a thing.”
“Oh,” Caroline replied, for the lack of anything more intelligent to say. “I see. I do hope she was someone nice.”
“Oh, yes. The very best. But never mind that.” James walked back across the room and sat down in the chair adjacent to her. “I've been giving our situation a great deal of thought.”
Caroline sipped at her tea. “Have you?”
“Yes. I think you should stay here.”
“I have no problem with that.”
“Not even for your reputation?”
Caroline shrugged. “As you said, I'm practical. Mr. Ravenscroft has already mentioned that his servants are discreet. And my other options are returning to Oliver—”
“Which really isn't an option at all,” James interrupted, “unless you want to end up married to that lackwit son of his.”
She nodded emphatically. “Or I can go back to my original plan.”
“Which was?”
“I'd thought to find work at an inn.”
“Not exactly the safest of prospects for a woman alone.”
“I know,” Caroline agreed, “but I really didn't have a choice.”
James stroked his jaw thoughtfully. “You'll be safe here at Seacrest Manor. We're certainly not about to return you to Prewitt.”
“Mr. Ravenscroft hasn't yet agreed to let me stay,” she reminded him. “And this is his house.”
“He will.”
Caroline thought James was being a trifle over-confident. But then again he didn't know about the kiss she and Blake had shared. Blake had seemed rather disgusted by the entire affair.
James turned to face her suddenly. “We'll want you to help us bring your guardian to justice.”
“Yes, Mr. Ravenscroft said as much.”
“Didn't he tell you to call him Blake?”
“Yes, but somehow it seems too …”
Intimate. The word hung in her mind, as did the image of his face. Dark brows, elegantly molded cheekbones, a smile that rarely appeared … oh, but when it did …
It was really embarrassing, Caroline thought, how one of his smiles could make her feel so giddy.
