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“I wish I could say that I was pleased to meet you, Captain Drake,” she said with a curt sigh. “But under the circumstances I hope you will forgive me for being less than cordial.”
“I fully understand, Miss James. I suppose the last thing you intended tonight was a voyage.”
Serenity released her breath slowly at his words. She had finally done it. Instead of a quick and quiet adventure where she had planned to interview the Sea Wolf and gather a spectacular story before returning to the safety of her neat and organized little world, she now faced the most unsure future imaginable.
Even for her.
And she wondered if Lady Mary had ever felt as alone, as terrified, as she did now.
Morgan pulled out a small, engraved silver flask from his coat pocket and handed it to her. “You look as if you could use a stiff drink.”
“No, thank you,” she said, attempting to return it to his hands. “I don’t imbibe.”
He placed one lean finger on the bottom of the flask and lifted it to her lips. “Nor do you run off in the middle of the night with a shipload of men—unchaperoned.”
Her hand trembled to the point she could hear the liquor slosh inside the flask. He was right. Her life would never again be the same. There was no going back.
With a deep breath, she lifted the flask in a mock salute. “To adventure, then,” she said, taking a quick swig. The rum scalded her throat and burned a path to her stomach.
Gasping for air, she tried to force her lungs to work.
Through the tears in her eyes, she saw him smile. Heavens, he was dashingly handsome. Especially when he wasn’t scowling.
“You’re a bold one, Miss James,” he said, taking the flask from her.
She watched in awe as he took it to his lips, his mouth touching the very spot from whence she had sipped.
“And you’re a brave one, Captain Drake.”
He laughed and duplicated her toast.
“To adventure the likes of which I think neither of us has ever seen.”
“And to fate,” she whispered. “To the very fate that has abandoned us to turmoil.”
