Page 28 of Cocky August Rake

Damn it.

“My men are not like the gentlemen who come here,” Reginald said.

Miss Darling’s brows rose. “They are men, no?”

“They are sailors. Good men, most of them. But they have been at sea for months. They drink too much when we’re ashore. And some have an unfortunate habit of settling disagreements with their fists.”

“They can be uncouth,” Sam added.

Reginald gave him a look.

Sam grinned.

Miss Darling frowned slightly, though she did not appear alarmed.

“Are they clean?”

Reginald blinked. “Clean?”

“Washed,” she said. “And willing to remain so.”

Beside him, Sam made a sound that was much too close to a laugh.

“They can be,” Reginald said.

“And they know how to follow rules?”

“Of course.” His men were rough around the edges, but they knew him. They knew what he would and would not tolerate.

Miss Darling studied him for a moment.

Then she gave a small shrug.

“It is your choice,” she said. “It is your house, after all.”

The words landed harder than they should have.

His house.

But her home.

Sam was the first to speak.

“It couldn’t hurt, Reg.”

Reginald looked at him, then realized Miss Darling had never been properly introduced.

“Miss Rose Darling,” he said, “this is Mr. Samuel Dyer. My first mate.”

She inclined her head. “Mr. Dyer.”

“Miss Darling,” Sam said. He gave her a bow that was awkward enough to be amusing, though there was nothing mocking in it.

Then he turned back to Reginald. “What shall I tell the men?”

Reginald looked at Miss Darling.

She stood quietly in the doorway, watching him expectantly.