AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Maisie clutched him again, and found her own pleasure was lengthened in the process. She reached around to touch him.
He meshed his fingers with hers.
The tender gestures, offered while he was so bound up in his quest for release, affected her strangely, and when he pulled free to spill his seed elsewhere, she found herself wishing he had not left her at that point.
Be careful, she warned herself.
If her affection for him grew, it would be more difficult to deny his questions and keep her secret nature safe. Yet when he rolled her into his arms a moment later, so that she faced him and he could cover her in kisses, she melted anew, unable to pull away.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The autumn sky on the following morning was glorious, and as the Libertas sailed out of Lowestoft Harbor, Maisie breathed the air in, reveling in the moment. Her body felt sated, womanly, and rich in carnal magic, and the elements seemed to reflect her vitality.
Gulls wheeled overhead, circling above them as they made their way out to sea. They were on their way once again to Dundee, and as the distance between her and London grew and she sp
ent more time with her Scottish captain, she anticipated the onward journey and the reunion that she hoped waited at its end. She watched in awe as the land appeared to slide away from them as the morning breeze caught the sails. She would have fond memories of Lowestoft.
Turning, she looked up at the deck above, where Roderick directed the ship’s path through the waves with his strong hands on the wheel, issuing instructions to the men and watching over their actions. He’d attempted to get her to go below deck when they came aboard that morning, but she had insisted on aiding Adam in his chores. Roderick didn’t fight against her too hard, most likely because the men had already given her a good scrutinizing as she mounted the rail and landed on their deck again.
No sooner had she turned Roderick’s way than he noticed and smiled across at her, acknowledging her stare. His attention kindled her passions afresh. Now that she’d begun to understand his ways and she had gained the measure of him, she’d even begun to enjoy bantering with him. Being wary and cautious was still foremost in her mind. She couldn’t risk him learning about her secret nature, nor the true reason why she had left London. So long as she kept that in mind, she was able to enjoy his company. Even when he was arrogant and demanding. Perhaps even more so then.
The notion made her blood heat. Why was that so? She had vowed never to be cowed and controlled by a man again. It was different with Roderick, though. His demands were borne solely from his passion for her.
That was no small thing.
When her stare lingered on him, his smile became brooding, as if he was thinking of the bed they had shared the night before, as she was. It had been a long night of passion. Yet when they had risen that morning he had been most debonair and gracious. Their long night of lovemaking had apparently mellowed his gruff humor, as if being with a woman directed his life force onto a steadier course.
Before they left the privacy of the room at the inn, he’d kissed her—her mouth, her forehead, her cheeks and eyelids—then he’d sighed deeply. When she had started to ask him why he’d done that, he’d put his finger on her lips, then told her they had best get back to the ship.
Moving into action now, she set about her tasks aiding Adam. Whenever she could, she stole a glance in Roderick’s direction, watching him and his easy manner as he strode about the place, checking on the men individually as well as issuing orders from above. He had gained their trust. That was no small thing, she knew. Perhaps these men had never had reason to mistrust others. She certainly had, yet she recognized in Roderick a quality that she hadn’t found in the only other man she knew well. A forthrightness that was not only admirable, it appealed to her immensely.
Over the course of that morning Maisie learned how to milk the goats. As Adam demonstrated, she recalled watching her mother do the very same task in the Highlands, when she was but an infant and stood in the croft with her twin at her side, waiting for the warm milk. The memory, unbidden but welcome, touched her, and made her grateful once again that she’d been brave enough to break from her sheltered life in London to undertake this journey.
Under Adam’s guidance she managed to coax forth one eighth of a pail of milk. It took a great deal of time to master the ability, but she was determined to do so and not resort to magic or assistance. Adam chuckled at her failed attempts, but encouraged her on, and eventually the wondrous sound of the milk hitting the side of the pail gave her cause to cry out in delight.
“You have done well. It took me much longer to learn. The milk will be used to enrich the porridge for the morning.”
“I had a good teacher.” She smiled up at him as she continued with the task.
“If you were to stay with us beyond Dundee, I could help out with the sails.” He shielded his eyes from the bright morning sunlight and looked upward, and she could see that he longed to be climbing the masts.
Maisie had overheard the other men teasing him about his woman’s work. It hadn’t occurred to her that someone must do it until a new ship’s hand enlisted. Adam would never move on if there wasn’t a new lad to take his place. It made her think about what it would be like for a woman to live a life at sea. A strange life indeed. When Maisie looked back at Adam, she could see that he was following his own thoughts, too, looking longingly at the young lad who was currently keeping watch from the nest high above.
That afternoon she and Adam sat on short stools either side of a large pot, peeling and dicing root vegetables.
“We’ll add salt beef, then I’ll take it below,” he informed her.
“Is there a scullery with a fire, below deck?” Maisie had not even wondered about the actual cooking.
“An open grate. We can only use it if the conditions are right.” He shook his head, his eyebrows drawing together. “If the sea is rough it is too dangerous to risk lighting the fire.”
Maisie nodded. Now that she thought on it, she saw that the ship would be vulnerable to fire.
“With luck it will be calm enough to prepare a hot meal for tonight.”
“If it isn’t?”
“Salt meat and oatcakes again. If the captain thinks the voyage will be smooth enough the men’s bellies start to rumble. I must sit with the pot the whole time, watching in case the fire catches the boards.” He looked rueful, and she knew it was because he preferred observing the activities above deck.
