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‘Didn’t you crave adventure, as well?’
There was a significant pause. ‘I’m a realist.’
‘That wasn’t the question.’
‘It’s my answer.’ She jutted her chin into the air. ‘What about you? Why did you join the navy? Was it a family career?’
‘No, I’d never been to sea before I enlisted.’
‘Neither had Sebastian. It didn’t seem to worry him, but how could you possibly know whether or not you’d like it?’
‘I didn’t. I regretted the decision the moment we got out into open water.’
‘Why?’
‘Seasickness.’
She gave him an incredulous look. ‘You get seasick?’
‘Not any more, but to begin with...’ he shook his head at the memory ‘...I was tempted to throw myself overboard a few times.’
‘But how did you perform your duties? What did your Captain say?’
‘Thankfully he was sympathetic. He said that he went through the same thing when he joined. A lot of sailors do. Even Nelson got seasick. It takes about three days, but eventually it settles down.’
‘So if I stay on this horse for three days I’ll start to feel better, too?’
‘Perhaps, but I wouldn’t put ideas into my grandmother’s head if I were you.’
‘Good point. She seems to think you won’t go back to sea.’
‘Only because she doesn’t want me to. She was horrified when I joined the navy. I believe that my grandfather actually had to restrain her from visiting the Admiralty and demanding they release me.’
‘So why did you join? If you didn’t know whether you’d like it and your grandmother objected, why do it? It can’t just be because water makes you feel calm.’
‘No.’ He looked around, surprised that she’d remembered that particular detail, though his other motives weren’t something he particularly wanted to talk about. On the other hand, he had a feeling she wasn’t about to drop the subject and he felt surprisingly comfortable talking to her. ‘But I wanted a purpose in life and I was determined to make my own fortune. Which I did.’
‘And now you might be an earl.’ She was silent for a few moments. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about your situation before?’
‘Why didn’t you tell me your grandfather was a duke?’ he rejoined. ‘We all have secrets, Miss Fortini. Often they’re things we don’t care to discuss.’
* * *
Anna looked down at the reins twisted tight between her fingers. Captain Delaney was right, everyone had secrets and subjects they didn’t like to talk about. She had no right to pry into his. She’d barely known him a week, after all, and yet somehow she couldn’t seem to stop herself and it wasn’t just to distract from the fact
that she was sitting several feet above the ground...
‘Don’t you want the inheritance?’ She couldn’t seem to take her gaze off his face, either. ‘You didn’t sound very happy about it the other day.’
If she wasn’t mistaken, his jaw clenched at the question. ‘No, I don’t want it.’
‘Because you’d still prefer to make your own fortune?’
‘Because of a lot of reasons.’
‘What do the rest of your family think about it?’
He threw her an exasperated look. ‘You ask a lot of questions, Miss Fortini.’
