The Hawk and the Jewel (Kensington Chronicles 1) (9 page)

"What is this 'endowed'?**

Brandon saw no hope for it; he would have to be more candid. "What I mean is that she was not large-breasted or full-hipped.**

To his credit, he did not blush, and Sunny's face cleared as though a heavy load had been lifted from her mind. Such simple words, but they were enough to put her mind at ease. With her questions answered, she looked out over the waves.

"Indira was heavily...endowed.** She struggled with the word for a moment and then proceeded. "She had very full breasts and hips," Sunny went on without looking at Brandon. "Were you to see her, you would see that it was not at all hard for Poppy to marry her."

Suddenly all Brandon's embarrassment evaporated. "God's perfect plan is for husbands and wives to enjoy each other in every way, but how a woman looks is not as important as what's on the inside."

"That may be the case in England, but in Darhabar, a man wants beautiful daughters so he can find husbands for them."

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"How do the women feel about that?**

"It doesn't matter how they feel," Sunny stated in a surprised voice. "They have no choice. No woman has money of her own, and without a man, she cannot survive." Sunny sighed on this note. "I find myself wishing I had money."

"Why?" Brandon asked, although he was quite sure he knew the answer.

"So I can stay single. I never want to be controlled by a man."

Brandon found himself mentally thanking Cheryl for clueing him in on Sunny's view of marriage. "You don't think you'll find a man who will cherish you and love you enough
not
to dominate you?"

Sunny shrugged. "He would still have the money, and thus, the power."

Brandon debated over telling Sunny what was on his mind, and swiftly reasoned that she would be told soon in any event.

"You have money of your own."

Sunny turned slowly away from the railing and took a step closer to Brandon. Her hands took hold of the front of his cloak. She searched his face for signs that he was teasing and found none. Brandon went on in a soft voice.

"I believe I told you that your Grandmama Sunny never believed the news of your death. She never changed her will, and left you more than half of her wealth. If you're careful, you have enough to live comfortably for the rest of your life."

Brandon had no trouble interpreting Sunny's thoughts now. Her eyes had slid shut, and her whole body had slumped with relief. The smile she sported was one of quiet rapture.

"Do you have a birthday gift for me, Brandon?" she asked softly, having opened her eyes.

"Yes."

"I won*t need it," she told him in a fervent whisper. "You've just given me the last gift I'll ever need-freedom. Now my body needn't be a worry." She met his eyes for just a moment before once again going to the rail.

Brandon left her then. He was somewhat pleased by the peace he saw in her eyes, a peace he'd had yet to witness, but as he went below and settled at his desk, his prayer was that the peace would not last,

"Don't let the money be enough, Lord. Give her a special restlessness until she searches for You and learns what true freedom can be."

sunny's birthday supper that evening was to be in the large dining room that Brandon shared with his officers on other voyages. First Mate Flynn and the ship's bos'n, Kyle, were to join them. Decked out in their finest togs, both men arrived as Brandon stood critically eyeing the room with its dark mahogany furniture. He wanted everything to be perfect before going to claim his young charge.

Neither man spoke as Brandon shifted a chair here and moved a candlestick there. He was on his way out the door before he even seemed to notice them. His dark eyes pinned them in place as he assessed their clothing. Upon the inspection and after a brief nod, Brandon moved into the companionWay and toward his cabin. He would have laughed at his own seriousness had he seen the grins on the men's faces at his departure.

* * *

Sunny peered into the mirror in her room and reached for her hairbrush for at least the tenth time. The feathery strands of hair over her forehead would simply not behave. She fussed a bit more and then heard the cabin door open. After a quick look down the front of her dress, she moved to the doorway of her room.

Brandon, looking taller than ever and resplendent in all black save a snowy white shirt and cravat, was waiting patiently for her

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appearance. He smiled with genuine pleasure at the sight of her in a dark burgundy velvet gown. The collar and cuffs were pink satin, and Brandon thought she looked adorable.

Sunny didn't feel adorable at the moment; she was confused. Why had she never noticed before how good-looking Brandon was? She realized suddenly that he'd been dressed this way the first time they met, but she'd been too taken with the ship to give much notice. Suddenly Brandon's deep voice broke into her thoughts.

"I realize you don't want any presents," he teased her, "but I hope you will still do me the honor of having dinner with me and a couple of my men."

Sunny's eyes widened in surprise over both comments, making her forget her previous thoughts. They had never eaten with anyone else, and she abruptly realized how rude she must have sounded earlier that day.

"Brandon, I'm so sorry-" she began with true remorse, but broke off when he moved toward her.

Sunny's eyes dosed, and Brandon's arms came around her small frame. His hugs always had a way of making her feel like the most cherished girl on earth. He held her dose, and then pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"I'm only teasing you," he spoke as he now held her at arm's length. "You will of course receive your gift as soon as we eat."

Sunny's smile was brilliant as Brandon moved away from her, stood at attention, and then offered her his arm, using his best court manners to escort her to supper.

She caught her breath when she saw the captain's dining room. A cream-colored tabledoth was spread on the large table, and the room fairly sparkled from the china and crystalware at each place setting. Candles burned in the center of the table, and the lanterns were turned high.

Kyle was the first to approach, and he came over to Sunny with a grave face. She watched as he produced a star, made from fine white rope, knotted so intricately that it was only three inches across. He handed it to her, pointed to the center, and spoke. "Happy birthday, my lady. I tried to get 15 knots in the center here, seeing as you're 15, but only 14 would fit."

"But I
am
14," Sunny told rum with a wide-eyed innocence.

Kyle's own eyes widened with just the right amount of conviction.

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**I thought you were 15. You look 15."

Sunny beamed up at the man as she uttered a soft word of thanks and thought she'd never met anyone so kind. Kyle was forced to turn away swiftly. She so reminded him of his own Mary, who had turned 14 just last month. She felt just as Sunny did, that growing up couldn't happen fast enough. For this father, who was away most of the time, it came all too swiftly.

Flynn's gift came next. He gave Sunny a slim volume of poetry. She reacted as though she'd never had a gift so treasured. So effusive was her thanks, the older man went away feeling as though she'd given
him
a gift.

Billy entered the room at that moment with the first course. Sunny was growing more accustomed to the fare, and the meal was eaten with pleasure. All three men did their best to entertain the birthday girl, and Sunny was a marvelous audience as they told stories of previous sailing days.

Brandon had been to sea for only three years, but both Flynn and Kyle had more than their share of tales and kept up their constant verbal sparring. One hated for the other to have the upper hand, and it was always impossible to know who would have the last line.

Connie had gone out of his way in the galley with both the meal and dessert, and when all had their fill, Brandon produced his own gifts for Sunny. The first thing he handed her was a slim book, looking much like the poetry book from Flynn. He spoke as Sunny looked inside.

"The pages are blank, because it's a journal. I only wish you'd had it from the first part of the voyage, so you could have recorded everything. Somehow, though, I think you'll remember."

"Thank you," Sunny murmured as Brandon paused and reached into his pocket. It was obvious that he had something in his dosed hand, but he spoke without showing it to her.

"Your family had little time to gather their wits when they first heard you were alive. Fm sure by now they all wish they'd have sent birthday gifts, but for now all I have is this."

Brandon opened his hand. Lying in the center of his palm was a gold ring set with a large amethyst stone. He held it out to Sunny, and she took it reverently.

"It belonged to your Grandmama Sunny, and she always wanted you to have it. Heather remembered it just before I left."

All three men watched as she slipped the beautiful stone onto

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the ring finger of her right hand. The ring was much too large for her tiny finger, and her shoulders slumped a little until she looked to Brandon again. His hand was extended once more, only this time a fine gold chain hung from his fingertips.

"I thought that might still be a bit large for you, so I picked this up in Freeport. Maybe you could wear the ring around your neck until it fits your hand."

Sunny had said nothing during any of this. She watched while Brandon retrieved the ring, slid it expertly onto the chain, and then rose to fasten it around her neck. The ring dropped below the collar of her throat, and Sunny immediately reached for it. She held it up, now nearly cross-eyed trying to see it, and gazed at it for many minutes.

"Thank you, Brandon," she replied finally, and he could see she was fighting her emotions. The men were quiet for the next few moments in an effort to give her privacy, and then Flynn tactfully moved the subject to their return home.

"Another month, I'd say, and we'll be in London."

"I'm thinking we're closer to three weeks," Kyle told him.

"Now what would you be knowing, Kyle? A baby to the seas is what you are."

"That's true if Fm comparing myself to your 70-some years."

Flynn, a man in his fifties, snorted with indignation and the two were off again, much to Sunny's delight. She was drooping hi her chair by the time Brandon called a halt to the festivities. He sent her to the cabin ahead of him, and then had a few words with each man.

Kyle was the last to see Brandon to the door, and he thanked his captain for including him in the party.

"Sunny likes you," Brandon replied. "I knew it would do both of you a world of good, seeing as how you miss your own family."

"Indeed I do, and as a father of some years, may I give you a bit of advice?" the older man asked as his mind's eye pictured Sunny's dark hah*, perfect complexion, and nearly hypnotic eyes. "Keep an eye on that young lady, Cap'n. Lovely as she is now, someday she'll be a priceless jewel. When that day comes, you mark my words, she's going to lead some poor chap on a long, merry chase, and she won't even need to try."

it was the tenth of december when Sunny stood on deck of the
flying Surprise
and gained her first view of London. They had come late in the day and hit high tide, enabling them to move up the Thames without delay. Sunny had little time to mentally adjust to the changes about to overtake her.

It had begun to drizzle, and even though Sunny had heard Brandon call to her to put on her cloak, she didn't seem able to move. The town of Freeport had been a surprise to her, but London was a shock. The city was huge. Buildings such as she had never imagined rose above her, and Sunny fought back the panic rising within.

Not having noticed that Brandon had stopped calling to her, she nearly jumped from her skin when he appeared at her side. He had been on the verge of scolding her for standing in the rain, but as he slipped the cloak about her and took in her pale features and wide, frightened eyes, he said nothing. With deft movements, and without taking his eyes from her face, he fastened the satin frogs at her throat and drew the hood over her damp, curling hair.

He had to call her name twice before she dragged her eyes from the passing landscape to look at him. When she did, his heart nearly melted over how young and vulnerable she appeared.

"You're going to be fine," he told her softly. "In no time at all we'll be at your sister's, and you can get settled in your room."

"Does she live on the water?" Sunny's attention was again on the shore.

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**No, she lives in town. We'll be docking and then taking a carriage to her home.** Brandon finished what he wanted to say, but he could see that he had lost her. As he went back to his duties he prayed that he and everyone else would be sensitive to her needs in the hours and days to come.

Just past an hour later Sunny watched a couple come on board ship. Brandon greeted them with obvious delight and familiarity, and Sunny suddenly wanted to run and hide. What if they were her brother and sister? What if they didn't like her? Sunny forced herself to look away from the small group, out over the docks and the busy activity below. She took a deep breath and tried to calm the frantic beating of her heart.