Page 14 of A Siren for the Duke

His first mate nodded in agreement.

"Aye, Captain. We shall keep a watchful eye.”

Keep a weather eye on the horizon, Jemima’s soft voice sounded in his mind. The memory of that night on the beach in Portsmouth was so distant. That had been so long ago now, so much had changed.

His conversation with Ellis sparked an idea, and a plan began to take shape in his mind.

Lionel knew just how to get rid of Jemima and save his family’s fortune in one fell swoop.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Jemima's heart raced as she peered through the small window of Lionel’s cabin. It had only been a few days since her escape to the HMS Regina, and she was surrounded by nothing but the vast expanse of the sea. But now, a thin sliver of land appeared on the horizon, shrouded in mist and uncertainty. As the ship drew closer, her anxiety intensified, a relentless storm brewing within her, not unlike the one from the first day aboard.

The cabin felt suffocating, the wooden walls closing in on her. The musty scent of dampness hung heavy in the air, mixing with the salty tang of the sea. Jemima's hands trembled as she clutched the edge of the bed in the alcove, her knuckles turning white. She stood up and paced back and forth, as much as the small space would allow. At first, leaving under the cover of night had been thrilling. But now, panic began to flicker through her body. Sophia would miss her terribly. Her mother, much as they did not see eye to eye nowadays, would be worried sick. Ferdinand would be livid. By running away, she had undoubtedly caused yet another scandal and had all but dashed Sophia’s chances of ever finding a decent husband, as well as a respectable living for herself. And what of Morocco? Jemima had never been. She did not even know what language they spoke there. How was she to find passage home, or to the Caribbean, in a place where she felt so alien?

Her thoughts spiraled into a frenzy as the ship glided closer to the land. She imagined the disappointed gazes of her family, the disapproving whispers of the society she had sought to defy. The tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision, and she pressed a trembling hand to her mouth to stifle a sob. The walls of the cabin closed in further, suffocating her. Heavy footsteps sounded close to the door, and she quickly straightened her back and took a deep breath. She could not allow Lionel to see her like this, assuming it was him. After he’d dragged her back to the cabin during the storm, she had not seen him. A different sort of anxiety renewed as the doorknob turned.

She was not surprised to see him enter, still wearing a scowl.

“How’s your cheek?” she asked with a mischievous smile.

He remained silent but glared at her nonetheless. She felt the smallest hint of satisfaction at that.

“We’ll make port in Essaouira. You can find your way home from there,” he said flatly.

Jemima sputtered. “Wha… how… what do you… I can’t!”

“Why not?”

“I… I’ve never been here! I wouldn’t even know where to begin! And I’m quite sure I cannot speak the language!”

“Many Moroccans speak French,” Lionel replied coolly. “Don’t all young ladies learn French with their governesses?”

“Lionel, I can’t go,” she protested. His face was completely unreadable. Calm, even. There was no trace of the passionate anger she’d seen a few days ago.

“I am sure you’ll be fine.”

“I am telling you right now that I will not disembark the ship. I am not leaving. There is nothing left for me in England. I will come with you to Jamaica.”

Lionel scoffed as he sat at his writing desk.

“My crew does not relish the idea of a woman aboard. They are a superstitious bunch, and your presence will adversely affect our journey.”

“I promise I will stay out of the way. I can clean. I can cook.”

“I highly doubt you even know what a stove looks like, forget a galley” Lionel said dryly, not looking up from his writing.

“Why are you treating me in this manner? I have done nothing wrong! You are being unfair!”

“I am looking after the interests of my crew. We have cargo to take to the Caribbean; if needed, we must stay longer to patrol the waters. My men cannot properly focus on the task at hand if they are constantly thinking of the woman I have locked up in my cabin.”

“Then let me out! Let me help in some way, and they shall see that I, too, am human, not some mysterious ghost or siren!” she cried, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation.

“I will let you out when we disembark, which should be soon,” he said, nodding toward the small window.

Indeed, as Jemima looked out, she could see the bustling port of Essaouira.

“You cannot seriously leave me there. I know nothing about the place. If you abandon me here, anything could happen! Any terrible manner of things!” she hated the edge of desperation that crept into her voice, but clearly he was not going to see reason, so she needed to tug on his heartstrings.