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Matthew spun around. “What?”
“We had no ships leaving this morning. The soonest will leave with the evening tide at five.”
“Can I get her?”
The man nodded with a smile. “Just be off the ship by half past four. Tell the sailor on guard that Charlie gave you permission.”
Matthew reached over the counter and shook the man’s hand. “Thank you, Charlie. I will never forget this.”
“Get your wife, my lord.”
With lightning strides, he reached the ship and raced up the gangplank. He only had an hour to convince her that she couldn’t leave. The sailor on guard pointed him to her cabin.
Once he reached her cabin, he stood outside the door for a few moments. Finally, he knocked on the door.
“Mrs. Talbot, it’s the captain. Might I have a word
with you?”
Chapter 25
Jennette smiled hearing the captain’s low voice outside her door. The first mate had told her the captain would introduce himself once he had the time. She’d expected their meeting would occur after they had set sail.
“Just a minute, Captain.”
She glanced in the mirror and sighed. The bedraggled sight reflected back looked in no condition to meet anyone. She pushed the stray hairs back into her chignon and knew there was nothing she could do about the dark circles under her eyes. If nothing else, she looked the grieving widow.
She started to open the door only to have it pushed out of her grip. Stumbling backwards, she gasped when she noticed him.
Matthew slammed the door behind him and glared at her. “Do you have any idea what you have put me and your entire family through today?”
Anger surged in her. How dare he come in her room? How dare he find her?
“Get out. I have already written a note to my family so they will know where I am.”
His gray eyes turned to hard slate. “And me? I suppose you were going to send me a note too?”
“No,” she said, glaring back at him. “You don’t deserve a note or anything else from me.”
“Oh?” He took a menacing step closer to her.
She parried with a step sidewise. “After all, you were the one who finally realized the only way to regain your name was to have your mistress tell everyone the truth. You don’t need me any longer. You have your name and now some innocent miss will love to be the next Countess Blackburn.”
His hand snaked out and clutched her arm. As he pulled her close to him, she tried to ignore his wholly masculine scent. She couldn’t let herself fall victim to his intoxicating charms.
“You are quite wrong about everything,” he whispered. “I don’t have my name back. And I don’t want an innocent miss in my bed or my life.”
Jennette pulled back and frowned at him. “How could you not have your name back? She told everyone the truth.”
His lips tilted upward. “Do you honestly think anyone would believe a disgruntled mistress?”
It didn’t matter. He had arranged with Vanessa to make that announcement. She pulled out of his grip to get away from her mesmerizing attraction to him. She had to keep her senses alert. Being near him did terrible things to her mind.
“Well, I guess you should have thought about that before you had her make her announcement to half the ton,” Jennette spat.
Matthew stilled. “You think I put her up to that announcement?”
For a quick moment, she almost believed the innocent look on his face. “Yes, why else would she have done it?”
