Page 7 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

Further, who was he? That woman had called him Damian, as had the child, but that didn’t explain who he was. “Who are you?”

“Damian Wynd,” the child answered.

Wynd was the surname of the Earl of Wyndham. Was this Damian a brother?

Oh, why couldn’t the earl be here instead? At least she could explain to him, though it was possible that he might not even remember her, and he hadn’t been the friendliest during their previous encounters.

Oh, why couldn’t she have just gotten away from the ship unnoticed and then she wouldn’t have to face either Wynd brother. Yet here she was and she needed to formulate a reason for her trespass that they would understand, accept, and then let her go on her way.

As for the truth, it was unlikely either would be understanding because they were men.

Chapter Three

“Do you know the punishment for stowaways on a merchant ship?” Damian asked when she did not answer him.

Georgie slowly shook her head, wide brown eyes watching him, coral lips slightly parted, dark braids falling over each shoulder. Such a hairstyle would lead one to believe that she was a child, but he already knew that she was not. In fact, she might even be older than the six-and-ten he had settled on.

There was maturity in her manner, confidence in her posture, and challenge in her dark eyes. It was possible that she was not fresh from the schoolroom and slightly older than his original assessment, but not much.

Nor did her age matter. She was still a young female.

“Had Captain Jenkins found you before the Charlotte Rose arrived in Southampton, he could have abandoned you at any port that he saw fit, beat you, locked you up, and deprived you of food.”

Georgie stared at him without reaction, not even a flicker in her brown eyes.

“He could have forced you to labor to pay for your passage such as peeling potatoes or swabbing the deck. Of course, that is assuming that he did not see through your disguise.”

One eyebrow rose and the corner of her mouth quirked, likely because she assumed that since she had not been caught on the ship that she would not be forced into labor.

Why wasn’t she frightened?

“Now that you have trespassed not only onto my ship, but arrived at a restricted area of the port, you could be fined or imprisoned. As such, it is now up to me to determine your fate.”

Some of the confidence she had displayed slipped as she studied him while two pearly teeth bit a plump bottom lip.

Damian had no intention of fining or imprisoning her, but Georgie needed to believe that her freedom was not yet secured and there were more threats that he could issue. Yes, they were empty threats, but she did not need to know that was the case. He just wanted answers as to why she had snuck on one of his ships. However, more importantly, he wanted to know who had helped her because they would soon lose their position.

“Are you now ready to tell me why you were on one of my ships?” he demanded.

“Yes, why?” Livia countered as she came around the desk to stand beside Damian, arms crossed over her chest, mimicking him.

He was not going to get his answers with a child by his side. “This matter does not concern you, Livia. Find somewhere else to be.”

“The earl told me to stay here. It was a direct order.”

Damian blew out a sigh. “Very well but go sit over there.” He pointed to a settee on the opposite wall. It was an area arranged for conversation.

Livia let out a heavy sigh, her slight shoulders rising and dropping as she shuffled away.

“If you are not going to tell me why you were on the ship, tell me who helped you gain access and hid you.”

Georgie blinked at him and smiled again. “No one.”

“That is not possible.”

This time it was Georgie who crossed arms over breasts and lifted her chin. “I assure you that it was.”

“Impossible! There are always sailors on deck guarding against any intruders while at port.”