True Nobility Page 2

  The maids had already packed her trunks for the most part. “I’ll be ready.” Searching her mind for any available reason to delay, she was running out of excuses. “But it hardly seems fair to set you off to sea again so soon, Captain. Shouldn’t we wait a few days, Father?”

  “No need for worry on our account.” The ship’s captain had a disarming smile. “We’ve taken on fresh supplies and our men live by the sea. They don’t do well with too much free time.”

  “Excellent. One it is.” Her father dismissed them by taking up his cane and calling for Higgins. “Captain, have you had your breakfast? Cook has set pastries out on the buffet should you care for a bite while our baggage is assembled onto the wagon. Higgins, here, will show you to the dining area.”

  Captain Saberton stood and prepared to take his leave.

  Lord Haverwood’s voice stopped him. “Oh, and one more thing I’d like you to do this afternoon before we put to sea.”

  “Certainly, sir.” Nicholas remained where he stood, but raised a quizzical brow.

  “Marry my daughter.”

  When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee.

  ~ Isaiah 43:2

  Two

  After a futile attempt to discuss her father’s bizarre outburst, Tori found herself packed and on their way to meet the ship in just short of three hours. Falling back into the tufted leather cushions of her family’s polished brougham, she grasped the silver filigree cross that hung from a chain at her neck.

  “Merciful heavens,” she whispered to no one in particular. “My beloved father has gone completely daft.” Sympathy overwhelmed her as she stared blankly at the poor dear man sitting on the seat across from her.

  Tori was stunned by his absurd request but had badgered him only as far as she dared.

  From what she gathered, Captain Saberton was heir to the dukedom of a longtime friend. Yet the man gave no inclination that he would be at all interested in claiming his right. Even if he did, she had done her best to evade every marriage of convenience her father had suggested over the past two years. She had no interest in tying herself to a man who’d neither love nor care for her beyond the benefits of her title. When she married, she’d like to think it would be because her heart was bound by love alone.

  Therefore, the only reasonable conclusion, was that her father’s ridiculous proposition was proof he was on the brink of senility.

  Once she pushed him, however, he insisted that he was “in full control of his faculties” and advised, in no uncertain terms, that Tori “keep her mind on their departure and quit playing nursemaid.”

  Her only consolation was that, for now, his delusional episode was behind them.

  This chance to travel might prove to be just the thing he needed. It would give him some time away to relax and, more importantly, it would give her a chance to keep a better eye on him. He should not have been left alone for so long. With a shake of her head, Tori made a mental note to send for the ship’s doctor as soon as they were underway. It was evident he needed special care. Perhaps some sort of medication might help.

  She patted at a wayward strand of hair and tucked it under the neat chignon at the base of her nape. In their haste to leave she had donned a ginger-colored traveling gown with wide black satin trim bordering each of the three tiers of her skirt. The sleeves of the jacket were close fitting, as was the narrow waist and she soon regretted the decision. A silk bonnet, in the same ginger hue, lay on the seat next to her.

  Absently, she stroked the small black feathers tacked to the side of the hat, watching her father on the seat opposite her. He was feigning sleep to avoid any more conversation. She watched him spy her through slitted eyes and manage an exaggerated snort.

  Tori stifled a smile behind her black-gloved hand. The earl was eccentric—always had been—and she normally loved him for it. Today, however, he’d completely outdone himself.

  The carriage felt warm. Shifting irritably, she whisked imaginary wrinkles from her gown. She wasn’t looking forward to seeing the captain again.

  Regardless of what he’d thought of her father’s unusual proposition, she had not missed the stinging, egotistical smirk Captain Saberton sent her way before making his exit. Clearly, the vile man was of the opinion that her father had set a well-laid trap in order to snare him into marrying his spinster daughter.

  Nineteen and unmarried was hardly considered a spinster in this day and age. Beatrice Harrington was nearly twenty-seven before she left Miss Mair’s to marry the old viscount from Stratham.

  Tori raised her eyes heavenward in silent prayer, rubbing her temples in an effort to erase the unpleasant memory. Glancing over at her father, she wished he’d pretend to wake up now. She had so many questions about this trip to America. He’d spent a good bit of time there before she was born.

  Tori reached into a black satin reticule that dangled from her wrist and drew out a shiny silver coin. She’d met her Uncle Percy only once, when she was small, but she remembered him as a kind and generous man. He had given her the coin when she was five and to him it represented a country that he had grown to love.

  Turning the piece over, she studied the lady in flowing gown, surrounded by a half-circle of stars. America seemed inconceivably far away. This venture across the sea promised a most welcome change of pace. Meeting her cousin Aurora was going to be wonderful after so many years of corresponding.

  Were the people in that savage land as crass as she’d been told? Did they truly ignore social order and run amock in the streets? That would certainly explain the captain’s crude behavior.

  His estimation of her circumstances didn’t matter a fig. Once they were settled in Savannah, it was unlikely she’d ever see him again.

  The carriage jolted to a stop and Tori returned the coin to her bag. Casting an apprehensive glance out of the small square window, she set her feathered bonnet at an angle to shade her eyes.

  “Harrumph. What’s this? Ah, the harbor.” Lord Haverwood came fully awake. “A rather pleasant drive, wouldn’t you say, my dear?” He didn’t wait for an answer as he climbed down from the vehicle’s ledge.

  Stepping lightly from the carriage step, Tori took her father’s arm and covered her nose at the rancid stench of the waterfront.

  A tangible breeze blew in from the brine, causing heavy ropes to flap against the towering masts. Waves washed into foam as they lapped at the huge wooden vessels. Herring fishermen lined the bay as far as the eye could see and rotting fish heads littered its banks. Gulls circled noisily overhead, and the coarse shouts of seamen reverberated through the dense fog.

  “You must be Lord Haverwood.” A smiling young man, by appearances not much older than Tori, bounded down the extended ramp to meet them.

  “And who might you be?” Her father questioned stiffly.

  “I beg your pardon, sir. Captain Saberton at your service.” With that he made a formal bow and gave Tori an appreciative glance.

  Narrowing her eyes, Tori gave the man a stern appraisal. She was certain they’d never met, yet his bold manner was somehow familiar.

  Taking her hand, he spoke to them both. “Welcome aboard The Tempest.”

  Tori snatched her hand from his grasp and gave him a hard look for his brashness.

  “Now see here, my good fellow. I don’t know what your game is, but you most assuredly are not Captain Saberton.” Waving his cane, he continued, “I must insist you go fetch him at once.”

  “That would be me, Zach.” The sound of Nicholas’s voice startled Tori as he came up behind them. “I see you’ve met my brother, Captain Zachery Saberton,” Nicholas appeared unaffected by the earl’s scowl.

  “What’s this? I specifically—”

  “You specifically asked that I come and personally see to your safe transport, and that’s the only reason I’m here,” Nicholas interrupted. “Zach, however, is captain on this voyage and we are guests on his ship.”

  Tori peered at him from beneath her wide-brimm
ed bonnet until she noticed his bored gaze centered on her. Lifting her chin, she matched his glare with one of her own before turning away.

  “Well, it won’t be his first go, I trust. I should rather like to get there in one piece, if you don’t mind.” His mustache twitched, looking over the younger of the two men with obvious skepticism.

  Zach grinned with an easy charm. “I assure you, sir, I’ve made this voyage several times.” He directed his smile at Tori. “And with such precious cargo aboard, I promise to be especially attentive.”

  Tori realized now why she’d recognized that suave manner and odd dialect. Heaven help them if there wasn’t two of these ill-bred Sabertons.

  Summing them up one at a time with a critical eye, she noticed that Zachery had a youthful way about him and wasn’t quite as tall as Nicholas. His hazel-colored eyes held a friendly sparkle, and he was quick to smile whereas his brother seemed far too serious.

  Leading the way up the ramp, Nicholas permitted the younger captain to escort Tori.

  “Allow me to show you to your cabins. I’ll have my men unload your baggage.” Zachery offered her his arm and steered her around the admiring leers of his crew.

  One seasoned sailor released a loud appreciative whistle. But when he caught the dark scowl of the elder Saberton, he nearly swallowed his fingers. With a nervous jab of his elbow, he got the attention of the man next to him. Tori watched as word spread and the censured crew returned to readying the vessel for the command to sail.

  “Zach, I saw McGinnis on my way up. He needs to see you about the new deckhands you hired on today.” Nicholas took her hand from Zachery’s arm. “I’ll see the earl and Miss Victoria are properly settled.”

  “Lady Victoria,” Tori corrected, bristling at his snide reference to her unwed state, obviously in retaliation to her father’s earlier offer. “My father can see me to my quarters, thank you. If you’ll be so kind as to point us in the direction.”

  She tried to snatch her hand from the muscled bend of his arm, but he tightened his hold.

  Leaning close, he spoke so she alone could hear. “Where I come from, Miss Haverwood, Lady is a title one must earn.” Nicholas returned her wide-eyed expression with a half smile. Surely the man wasn’t serious. Tori glanced at the others to see if they had witnessed the exchange.

  Amusement danced in Zach’s eyes as he watched Tori fume at the impudence of his brother. “My apologies for leaving you so soon. Please be my guests for dinner this evening.”

  “Yes, yes, so kind of you to offer. We shall await your summons.” The earl dismissed Zach with a wave as he turned back to the elder Saberton. To Tori’s dismay, he was completely oblivious to the man’s rude behavior. “I say, Captain, I should like a word with you in private. To continue our previous conversation, if you’ve a moment.”

  Her father was obviously on the verge of another episode. Once again, she tried in vain to withdraw her hand from Nicholas’s hold. He absolutely unnerved her.

  “Follow me, I’ll show you to your cabins. We can talk there. But, I will tell you this …” The corners of Nicholas’s eyes crinkled. “Though the offer is appealing, I’m not in the market for marriage.”

  “What an utterly absurd thing to say!” Tori couldn’t help herself. “As I see it, Mr. Saberton, no one is the least bit interested in what you are, or are not, in the market for. Truthfully, you could fall off the nearest pier and I doubt even the scavenger fish would take notice.” She finally succeeded in freeing her hand. “Now, sir, if you don’t mind, I would appreciate it if you would quietly show us to our chambers.”

  “G-Good gracious, Victoria!” The earl blustered.

  For the first time since he’d met her, Nicholas threw back his head and laughed in full, vibrant timbre.

  Nicholas straightened in his ladderback chair, rubbing stiffness from the nape of his neck after pouring over the captain’s log for the better part of an hour. Laying aside his pen and capping the inkwell, he closed the leather-bound volume.

  Zach’s calculations on the trip over had been right on track. Having noted the subtle changes in the south wind, they would make excellent time if they pulled away by dawn. Barring unexpected weather, the crisp spring breeze would provide a consistent speed that should have them stateside within three weeks.

  Nicholas glanced up to find Zach standing over the carved oak desk with two steaming mugs in his hand. “Just came from the bow. We’ve got red skies as far as the eye can see.” Zach set the cups down on the desk and straddled a chair that he pulled over from the corner.

  “Your records look good. You’ve done an excellent job of plotting the course. We should be home in time for the Dogwood Festival.” Tension eased from Nicholas’s shoulders with the first sip of hot coffee.

  Zach rubbed his hands together, smiling from ear to ear. “Mmm. I can almost smell that hog sizzling over a fire.”

  “Well, we’re not there yet.” Nicholas grinned. “How’s the girl?”

  “Lovely beyond compare.” Zach smiled before taking a sip from his own mug. “But I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.”

  “Can’t say I’ve noticed.” Nicholas leaned back and hooked an arm over the back of his chair. That was not the honest truth. He had noticed. But, arming his brother with that kind of knowledge was asking for teasing he didn’t need. “I will say this …” Nicholas placed the log book into the desk drawer and replaced the blotter to the center of the desk. “She’s a bothersome little package.”

  “I found her thoughtful and considerate.” Zach held his mug between both hands and stared down into his coffee. “And her eyes. Did you notice? She has remarkable eyes.”

  Nicholas dismissed his brother’s obvious admiration for his charge. “Ask me about her self-righteous airs or that quick little temper. I’d be more than happy to enlighten you about that.”

  Zach rubbed his jaw and weighed his next question carefully. “One of us should pay her a call once we reach Savannah.”

  Nicholas knew Zach was carefully testing his reaction. “Go ahead. If you’ve a notion to court Miss High and Mighty, have at it.”

  “Unless … you know … you were thinking of courting her yourself.”

  Nicholas threw his younger brother an incredulous look.

  Zach rushed on to defer the gathering storm. “I saw the way you looked at her on deck this afternoon. She intrigues you. Don’t deny it.”

  Nicholas gave in to the urge to laugh. “You’re wrong, little brother. And you may as well save your time. Her type won’t give either of us a second thought.” Nicholas plunked the mug onto the table. “You’re forgetting the British upper crust see themselves as superior to us lowbrow colonials. Heaven forbid she should meet one she’d actually like to get to know better.”

  “I thought Lord Haverwood asked you to marry her.”

  “That’s when he thought he could get his hands on Uncle Thomas’s holdings. Once he figured out I have no desire to be a duke, or to move to England, he wasn’t as interested.”

  “I hadn’t thought about it that way.” Zach sounded dejected. “So are they only allowed to socialize with royalty? What happens if they meet a commoner they find interesting?”

  “I’m not quite sure.” Nicholas narrowed his eyes and tried to appear serious. “But I think Princess Victoria would be stripped of her tiara and flogged with the royal scepter.”

  “Well, I’d like her to at least consider me a friend.” He leveled a frown at his eldest brother. “And a friend will look out for her. Once we get back home, she won’t want for male attention. I can at least steer her away from those with less honorable intentions.”

  Nicholas shrugged and shook his head. Given different circumstances, he might have taken an interest in the blue-eyed beauty. As it was, he was devoted only to building up his shipping company. Commerce was an investment he could trust. “She’s a bundle of trouble, Zach. See her to Savannah and bid her farewell.”

  “She’s not tha
t bad.” Zach persisted despite Nicholas’s glower. “She’s nothing like Celine.”

  At the mention of his former fiancé, a dark shadow gripped his soul. Pushing away from the desk, he ended the conversation. “It’s time we dress for dinner.” With that, he left his brother staring down at his empty mug.

  One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it.

  ~ Elizabeth Barret Browning

  Three

  Tori sat miserably in the rebuke of silence.

  During the awkward moments following her scandalous outburst, her father had stared at her in shocked disapproval while the captain continued laughing. The only thing she remembered about walking to her cabin was her cheeks burning along the way.

  Her telltale reaction to him this morning when they’d met had been scandalous enough. Then this afternoon, the man again compelled her to forget her gentle-bred manners and make an absolute fool of herself.

  Dare she try to top the performance this evening at dinner? Tori berated herself while visions of Miss Mair in a dead faint fluttered across her mind.

  With a heavy sigh, she looked around the small cabin.

  Stuffy, but clean, and neatly arranged. A small bunk projected from the whitewashed wall, covered with crisp, sun-bleached sheets and a patchwork quilt. On the other side, a compact mahogany desk was stocked with paper, inkwell and pen. Behind a cream-colored screen, hooks hung from the wall for clothing and towels. Tucked over in the corner was a wash stand and basin with a simple unframed mirror hung above.

  A loud, insistent knock caused her to jump. Surely it wasn’t the dinner hour already. She’d hoped for more time to gather herself.

  “Yes?” she asked into the closed door. “Who is it?”

  “Your trunks, ma’am.” The reply was muffled.

  With relief, she turned the latch and swung the door wide to allow sufficient space to move about. Two shabbily dressed men entered, one at each end of her large trunk. Their caps were pulled down over their ears and the collars of their ragged overcoats were turned up high. Under different circumstances, Tori would have easily mistaken the scruffy two for common delinquents.