Call of the Sea (15 page)

Ellie sat up, fingers brushing across Daniel’s sealskin. She frowned, her gaze sweeping the room for a place to put it.
The trunk will do for now.
She swung her feet over the side of the bed. Dragging the skin along with her, Ellie pushed to her feet and padded over to the trunk beside the window.

Holding the chest open with one hand, Ellie stuffed the skin inside. She lowered the hinged lid and spun about. Two short strides brought her back to the bed. She grabbed her robe from the post, threw it over her shoulders, and stuffed her arms in the holes. With a quick tug and pull, Ellie tied off the belt, and swung open her bedroom door.

Mama stood beside the hearth, pouring a fresh cup of coffee into a ceramic mug. She smiled at Ellie. “Good morning, sweetheart.”

Ellie’s steps stuttered to a halt when her gaze caught on Daniel sitting at the table, bent over a plate of eggs and ham.
What’s he doing here?

Daniel inhaled the succulent aroma wafting from his plate. His brown eyes lifted, catching on Ellie mid-sniff. He flashed a distracting smile, sending a shot of heat down her spine. “Mornin’.” As if he hadn’t seen real food in months, Daniel grabbed his fork and dug into the bounty awaiting him.

“Have a seat,” Mama said, setting a steaming cup on the table in front of the empty chair to Daniel’s right. “I’ll make you a plate.”

“I can get it myself, Mama. Sit down and eat while it’s hot for once.”

Mama waved her away. “Nonsense, I like my coffee tepid. Sit.”

She flashed a glance Daniel’s way.

Amusement lined the corners of his mouth as he chewed.

Wonderful.
Cheeks burning, Ellie slipped into the chair her mother selected for her. She pulled at the opening of her robe, stared a hole in her mug. “Morning,” she mumbled in Daniel’s general direction. Ellie grabbed her spoon.
Might as well get right to it.
“What brings you by so early?”

Daniel swallowed, and washed the food down with a swig of black coffee. “Your mother asked me to come by.” He lifted a forkful of eggs. “For breakfast.”

Ellie threw a look at her mother, who was putting the finishing touches on Ellie’s plate by topping it off with a fresh baked muffin. “I see.”

The heaping plate Mama set before her distracted Ellie from probing further. She snatched the warm muffin off the pile and tore the top from the base.

Mama came around the table and settled in the chair across from Ellie, a cup cradled in her hands. “I had some business matters to discuss with Daniel. Things your father charged me with.”

Ellie’s eyes narrowed, flicked to Daniel, and back to Mama. A knot formed in her stomach. She set the muffin down. “What kind of business matters?”

“I’ve been through your father’s papers, his will. He left some things to Daniel.” Mama shrugged and lifted the cup to her lips.

She didn’t begrudge Daniel his due for the years of loyalty he’d given Papa, quite the contrary. Ellie released the tension in her shoulders. Her gaze swept to Daniel. “What did Papa leave you?”

Daniel set his fork down. “Not things, really, just
The Siren’s Call
.” His eyes never left hers, as if challenging her to react in front of her mother.

Please let him be joking.
Ellie clamped down on her desire to claw his beautiful, sincere, brown eyes out.
Just the one ship with the gun power I need if I’m to go after Jashir.
Her heart plummeted. She forced her lips to move. “That’s really wonderful, Daniel. I’m so happy for you.” Her fingers picked at the helpless muffin, shredding it into a pile of crumbs. “What else did the will say?” Ellie took a swig of coffee, hoping to dislodge the knot in her throat.

“He left the shipping business, every boat, barrel, and crate, except
The Siren’s Call,
of course…” She nodded toward Daniel. “…to you, Ellie. He knew you’d come home one day. He worked so hard to build Winters Shipping into the company it is, hoping one day you’d run it.” Mama’s green eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “He trusted you would be able to handle the task. Take care of his men and their families.” She chuckled. “Me.”

Ellie gaped at her mother.
He trusted me?
How could she have been so wrong? What kind of daughter believes the worst about a parent whose done nothing but look after her, given her every opportunity?

Guilt’s oppressive weight settled on Ellie’s shoulders. Her father’s face, utter disappointment clouding his stormy blue eyes, flashed in her mind.
How could I have been so selfish? Such a bloody taffard?

A warm hand covered hers, jerking her back to full awareness. Daniel’s voice, as if he called from the end of a tunnel, filtered to her ears. “Ellie? Are you all right?”

She struggled against the abyss of despair threatening to drag her under. With a white-knuckled grip on her resolve, Ellie pushed up from the table. Her eyes refocused and her concentration bored into the front door. The need to be away, to think, crowded her muddled thoughts.
You still have a chance
, Ellie’s brain screamed at her.
Make Jashir pay in blood. Show your father his trust was deserved.

Ellie forced herself to look at her mother, ignored the concern etching her brow. “I’m not feeling too well. If you’ll excuse me, I think I need some air.”

Without waiting for her mother to respond, Ellie bolted for the door, twisted the latch, and burst out into the brilliant, sun-swept morning.

Chapter Eighteen

Daniel barely had time to register her intent before Ellie bolted from her chair, toppling it backward, and shot from the cottage.

Mrs. Winters’ sigh drew his gaze away from the open doorway. The widow reached into her apron pocket and withdrew a bunch of keys. She held it out, dangling it between her fingers from the small brass ring. “These are the keys to Michael’s office.” Her eyes bored into Daniel’s. “I trust you know where the safe is?” At Daniel’s nod, she continued. “Good boy. Everything she needs is in the safe. If I know her father at all, he’ll have seen to every possible detail.”

Daniel took the key, swallowed. “You want me to go after her? I think I’m probably the last person she wants to see.”

Mrs. Winters smiled, the kind of smile one reserved for a young child right before correcting wayward behavior. “Ellie has never really known what she wants, aside from sailing, that is. Or what’s good for her. Don’t let the prickly attitude fool you. The child is scared to death. Take her to her father’s office. Let all this sink in for her. She needs your strength right now, Daniel. Whether or not she’ll admit it is another matter entirely.”

Daniel pushed up from the table, bit back his annoyance at not getting the chance to at least finish his meal. He stuffed the key ring into his pocket. “I’d not wager on that, Mrs. Winters. Ellie is the only person I’ve met that is more stubborn than the captain.”

Pride gleamed in the widow’s eyes. “That’s my girl.”

When Daniel emerged from the cottage, there was no sign of Ellie. His gaze scanned left, right. Where could she have run off to now? The inlet! He slapped his forehead with the heel of his hand, cursing his own stupidity.

As he’d expected, Daniel found Ellie sitting atop the cluster of rocks in the center of the beach below the cottage, her robe tucked beneath her bum and arms wrapped around her bare knees. The wind played havoc with her hair, tossing the short red curls about her face, giving her the appearance of a stranded mermaid.

“I’m really not in the mood to talk right now,” Ellie said without looking at him.

Daniel set his hands on his hips, his frustration growing. “I know how accustomed you are to getting your way, Ellie, and I hate to have to be the one to disappoint you yet again, but I’m afraid it’s time for you to grow the hell up.”

Ellie whipped her head about, glared down at him. “What did you just say to me?”

“You heard me.” Daniel squared his shoulders, refusing to back down. “I said grow up.”

She growled, climbing down from her lofty perch. “How dare you talk to me like I’m a child? You don’t know the first thing about me or what I’m going through.”

“I know a hell of a lot more than you think I do. So spare me the hysterics. I’m done listening to how misunderstood you are.” His anger, held in check for too long, boiled over. “And don’t forget, I sailed beside your father for ten years, the last five chasing after you. I know everything there is to know about Elysandra Winters. How much it hurt your father to think he’d driven you away. How worried he was that he’d never find you, and how scared he was to think you might be dead. My entire existence, my life day in and day out, has revolved around Captain Winters’ relationship with his runaway daughter!” The last arrow hit the mark.

Ellie’s shoulders slumped and her head dropped. “I’m so sorry, Daniel.” She buried her face in her hands. “I was wrong about everything.”

Instead of savoring his small victory, regret vibrated through his core.
This is getting me nowhere.
He fidgeted when her shoulders shook with her quiet sobs.

Before he could think it through enough to change his mind, Daniel reached for her, his soul aching to absorb her pain, see her eyes light with joy. He lifted her chin with his finger until her tear-filled gaze met his.

The loneliness reflected in her stormy blue depths stabbed at him. Her sweet breath fanned his cheek, drawing his attention to her parted lips. He leaned closer, eager for more of her scent, dared himself to taste her. Would she resist?

***

As if he read her thoughts, heard her wish for it, Daniel came closer. His mouth crushed hers in a kiss that radiated heat down to her toes and stole the breath from her lungs.

A whimper bubbled up her throat as Ellie clung to him, knees weak. Her mind screamed at her for giving in, taunted her for her weakness. She concentrated on the delicious sensations his lips produced, driving away the traitorous thoughts. Her fingers explored the hard lines of his chest, slid higher, encircling his neck.

His hand burned a trail along her hip. Daniel pulled her against him, his molten tongue tracing her tingling lips.

Eager for more, Ellie opened to him. Her fingers entwined in the hair at the nape of his neck.

Daniel’s soft groan reached her ears. He trailed hot kisses along her jaw line and down the side of her neck. His words vibrated against her pulse. “I’ve wanted to kiss you forever.” He nipped at her collarbone, sending delicious shudders through her body.

“Then don’t stop doing it,” she croaked, voice hoarse with desire. Had she known kissing would be anything like this, she’d have tried it sooner.

In answer to her plea, Daniel’s mouth recaptured hers, scattering her thoughts to the four winds. His arms tightened around her.

Spurred on by his positive reaction, Ellie nibbled at his lower lip.

Daniel emitted a strangled cry, tore his mouth from hers, and set her at arms’ length. His chest heaved.

Ellie’s lips throbbed and her breath came in ragged gasps. The molten lava pumping through her veins cooled enough for her to form a cohesive thought.
What was that?
She studied Daniel, brow furrowed, while her fingers tested her swollen lips.

“Don’t look at me like that.” His eyes scanned the empty beach while he sought for something to say. “We have work to do today…yeah, the keys…your mother gave me keys to your father’s office and safe. She said any paperwork you would need is in it.”

Ellie took a deep breath, tucked away her disappointment, and adjusted her robe. She yanked hard on the belt tie. Heat stained her cheeks. “Right. Well, I should get up to the house and get dressed, then.”

Before he would have a chance to notice her discomfort, Ellie stepped around him and headed up the beach. She cringed, recalling her brazen behavior, the way she reacted to Daniel.

It’s going to be a long day.

***

Having had years of practice, Ellie made quick work of dressing, donning her usual boy disguise. As she wrapped her breasts with a long strip of cotton fabric, Ellie strongly considered taking Daniel’s suggestion and revealing her gender. The task of hiding her curves had become tedious and beyond annoying. She ran fingers through wind-tousled curls and pulled on her wide brim hat. With a quick wave to Mama on her way out, Ellie hurried to meet Daniel.

He waited for her by the side of the road, hands looped together behind his back and looking far more handsome than he had the right to. He smiled at her approach, sending her stomach into flutters. “That was faster than I expected.”

Still unable to meet his gaze without heat rushing to her cheeks, Ellie studied the toe of her boot. “Aye.” She searched the ground as if looking for something intelligent to say, but came up empty. “Let’s get a move on.”

Without waiting for an answer, she headed down the dirt road, keeping her gaze focused on the path ahead and as far from the distracting Daniel as possible.

On a good day, the trek to Newquay was long. The trip with Daniel that morning was pure torture. Neither spoke a word, the silence between them stretching into an impenetrable chasm. Each time Ellie considered breeching it, her thoughts fled, palms got sweaty, and her ears burned. She’d already made enough of a fool of herself on the beach; she saw no reason to add to the humiliation.

“Did you want to head to your father’s office or the ship?”

Ellie jumped at the sound his voice.

Settle down.
She pasted on a calm expression. “The office, I think. Now that
The Call
is yours, I need to figure out how I’m going to get to Gibraltar.”

Daniel swung around to block her path, jaw set. “Why on God’s green earth wouldn’t we take
The Siren’s Call
? I told you I was in this with you. What part of that statement requires clarification?” He put his hands on his hips. “Or maybe I was speaking Gaelic and you didn’t understand what I said.” Daniel shook his head, tossing his glorious brown mane like an angry lion. “I swear sometimes you make as much sense as a broken compass.”