The Pirate's Secret Baby (6 page)

Lydia added "appropriate reading material" to her list of items to discuss with Captain St. Armand. In fact, she should be making a list of issues to raise with the pirate. That way she was less inclined to be distracted by strong arms and cleft chin. She continued to unpack her belongings as the youngster arranged her dolls on her bunk. A new doll with a china head was part of the crew and Mattie addressed them in a low voice as she played.

"And you must always obey the captain's orders or else she'll maroon you!"

"Perhaps we can have a tea party with your friends there?" Lydia said a touch frantically. "If you cooperate and have your lessons with me each morning, and do your chores, we will have a tea party later in the voyage."

"Pirates don't have tea parties, Miss Burke, that would be silly."

"I believe pirates will come to a tea party if we invite them."

The girl looked at her for a long moment, assessing her words. Her expression was so similar to what she'd seen on Captain St. Armand's face she was struck anew by the resemblance. To his credit, he had not denied Mattie was his own daughter, but Lydia could not help but wonder what the captain would have done had the child not looked like a tiny version of her father.

"I would like that, ma'am."

"Then we have a bargain, Mattie. No more talk about not doing your lessons with your governess, and we will plan a tea party. With pirates."

"We have to invite my papa too."

In her experience, men avoided spending time with their children, especially daughters. She expected now that Captain St. Armand had kidnapped himself a governess, he would mostly ignore his small responsibility.

So much had occurred in the space of a few hours that she had not had time to analyze her own situation. Every league they traveled across the Atlantic brought her closer to England, and dismay at the prospect caused her breath to catch. There was nothing to be done for it now, but if she were careful she might be able to escape again. This time she would head to Canada or the United States. If her captor came through with her promised funds she could assume a new name, find herself a new life where no one knew her.

Lydia ran her hand over a pillow, a shiver of sensation running down her spine at the lush fur beneath her fingers. The ship was aptly named
The Prodigal Son
, for the captain had been lavish outfitting it with luxuries for his pleasure. She could well imagine how such an object might enter into lustful encounters inside the pirate's cabin. She suspected he would be a selfish lover, but he did have an eye for creating an inviting environment. That put him ahead of most of his gender who were happy to shove a woman up against a table and toss her skirts over her head.

That last thought brought back to mind those moments in the captain's arms, his hard body plastered against hers as she held on for dear life while he effortlessly swung them aboard his ship. He'd smelled of limes and salt and male, a change from being subjected to the unwashed captain and crew of the
Clementine
. There was no doubt the man was an accomplished libertine who thought he knew his way around women. This voyage promised danger of many levels, not the least of which being the caught between the handsome blue-eyed devil and the deep blue sea.

Her shoulders relaxed as she looked at Mathilde ordering her toys about, the bunk acting now as a ship on the ocean for the hearty crew of rag animals and doll babies. There was no denying that seeing Mathilde again, holding her in a warm embrace, feeling her soft childish curls against her cheek was indescribably wonderful.

"I have teaching materials in the larger trunk, Mattie. Would you help me organize them so we can prepare your lessons?"

Mattie gave her crew a final admonishment to behave and joined Lydia in unpacking slates and chalk and books, pencils and an ink pot and some pens, and with a sigh pulled out the sewing kit for her needlework lessons.

"Do not despair, Matttie. I know needlework is not your favorite, but wouldn't you like to make something for your father? You could embroider a handkerchief for him with his initials?"

"Captain Papa also likes to wear a kerchief around his neck when working on deck, Miss Burke. Can I embroider a new one for him?"

"A kerchief for your father is an excellent idea, Mattie. We will begin work on it this afternoon," Lydia said, buoyed by the resumption of instructing her favorite pupil.

Robert examined his now sadly bare cabin and sighed. He watched Paget's efforts to lay out the service properly and took some small comfort in being able to still set a fine table. The sailor had aspirations to be in service in a grand house when he left the sea and Mr. Fuller assisted him, instructing him on what would be required of him if he became a footman.

"That fork goes on the other side, Paget."

"Aye, Mr. Fuller."

Promptly at six bells there was a knock at the cabin door and Robert welcomed in Mattie, her face freshly scrubbed and her hair combed, and Miss Burke, looking her usual drab self. She was also wearing a noxious cap atop her head. He was going to have to do something about that. It was ugly enough aboard this ship now that his cabin was ransacked, and he did not intend to put up with more ugliness than was absolutely necessary. He'd picked out the sapphire satin shirt he was wearing because he knew it enhanced his eyes and had a devastating effect on susceptible women. He said nothing about her attire, but bowed over her hand.

"So pleased you could join us this evening, Miss Burke."

Then he took his daughter's hand, inspected the nails with a critical "Hmmmm..." that made her giggle, and kissed her hand as well.

"So pleased you could join us this evening, Marauding Mattie."

She giggled again and he glanced to the side to see the governess smiling down indulgently. Her starchiness did not carry over into her interactions with the child as it did with the child's father, and he was glad of it. He knew too well how easily a youngster could be warped by disapproving adults, battered by beatings and canings, made to feel worthless and not fit for civilized company. Those youngsters oftentimes ended their short lives on a rope, or if they were lucky, grew up to be pirates.

He seated the ladies and Fuller joined them, with Paget waiting on the table assisted by Conroy. Miss Burke's eyes widened when she saw the silver dinner service and fine china.

"Not what you expected, Miss Burke?"

"It is certainly a change from what I experienced aboard the
Clementine
and on my voyage out to the islands, Captain St. Armand," she confessed. "You live quite well aboard your vessel."

Robert shrugged. "It is my home, and naturally I wish my home to be as comfortable as possible. The fact that we're at sea makes it even more important to me to enhance my small spaces with items that stimulate the senses and enhance each moment."

Her eyes glanced over at his bunk, the rose satin coverlet neatly tucked in, and a brush of matching color filled her cheeks. He'd spoken blandly enough, but he could tell his statement regarding "stimulating the senses" took root in her imagination.

For a brief moment he thought about the propriety of seducing his daughter's governess. It would be so very wrong. Then he took that niggling remnant of conscience and did with it what he'd done so often over the years--metaphorically shoved it over the rail to fall deep into the ocean and not bother him again.

"Some wine, Miss Burke?"

She hesitated, then nodded. "A small amount, Captain."

He poured for her while Mattie chatted with Fuller about what her dolls had been up to that afternoon, and how Miss Burke had unpacked all sorts of interesting items for her shipboard schoolroom. Fuller listened gravely, nodding when Mattie reminded him he'd promised to show her how to hone her knife for the best edge.

Miss Burke's lips tightened as she caught the trailing edge of that conversation, then she looked at Robert. "I would like to set a schedule for Mathilde's lessons, Captain. What duties does she have aboard ship? I don't want to interfere with your routine. I understand if Mathilde is part of your crew she has obligations to the vessel as well as to her lessons with me."

Mattie straightened up, her small shoulders back, spine straight. "You see, Papa? Miss Burke knows the importance of everyone aboard ship pitching in. I told you she was a fine governess."

"So you did, Mattie. Let us work out our schedule this way... The mornings you will spend in your lessons with Miss Burke. After luncheon there will be a siesta period, then in the late afternoon we will have weapons. After that you will do whatever chores Mr. Fuller has assigned for you that day--in the galley or picking oakum or whatever he feels is needed--and after supper your evenings will be your own until your bedtime."

"Will you still read to me at bedtime now that Miss Burke is here?"

"Do you want me to read to you?"

She nodded vigorously.

"I like it when you read to me, Papa. You do pirate voices very well!"

The governess's eyebrows hovered upward at the idea of the pirate reading bedtime stories to his child, but she gave a nod of her own.

"It sounds like an excellent schedule. While I cannot fully approve of weapons practice for a young lady, I am a proponent of regular and vigorous exercise for children."

"And what about yourself, Miss Burke. Are you a proponent of regular and vigorous exercise for adults?"

"I am a proponent of
appropriate
exercise for adults as well, Captain. Of course, one is limited in the small space of a vessel. There are only so many times you can stroll around the deck without becoming dizzy from going in circles," she finished with a smile.

He was about to say something dazzlingly witty when he paused, thrown off stride by what that smile did to the governess's face. She had a charming gap in front,
"les dents du bonheur."
Her "teeth of happiness" changed her as no cosmetic or fashionable attire could, rendering her approachable and attractive. She saw some of what he was thinking in his face because the smile disappeared as quickly as a flower chopped from its stem.

"I will do my best to ensure you get all the regular and vigorous exercise you could possibly desire," he finished.

He really was going to have to work on his "dashing rogue" smile because she seemed singularly unaffected.

They dined on swordfish fritters and peas, a pie of crabmeat, and, for Mattie, fresh goat's milk from the four-legged crewmembers. She made a face but dutifully drank it when Mr. Fuller solemnly assured her the most bloodthirsty of the buccaneers all drank their milk as lads. The meal ended with cheeses from St. Martin and the last of the fresh bananas.

In response to Miss Burke's question, Robert confirmed there were ample oranges and limes aboard to stave off illness.

"If we make the passage in good time that fruit will be part of what we sell in England. Fresh fruit from the tropics can bring a good return for a businessman."

Miss Burke paused from where she poked at her cheese. "I remember my grandfather's orangery. The fruit from those trees always seemed like little bubbles of sunshine in the winter."

She appeared about to say more, then stopped abruptly. It was too late, for Robert's mind was already speculating on how a threadbare governess had a grandsire who could afford to maintain an orangery.

She was silent for the rest of the meal, only responding to Mattie's queries about lessons and what was planned for the morrow. Robert studied the puzzling woman. Well spoken and well mannered, as one would expect from an English governess. Was she some gentleman's daughter fallen on hard times? There were few options for gentlewomen who did not marry, and becoming a governess was the most respectable of those options. Following Nanette's path did not seem like an activity suited to the lady, though with that stern demeanor he still felt she could offer specialized service in certain establishments.

Unwrapping the mysterious package that was Miss Lydia Burke promised diversion on what could otherwise be a tedious Atlantic crossing.

As the ladies rose so Mattie could be put to bed, Robert said, "Do not forget, Miss Burke, you wished to talk with me this evening. I will await you in my cabin."

Her back pokered up, but before she could respond Mattie chimed in. "Papa, you said you would read to me at bedtime. That was a promise."

"So it was, child. You get under your covers and I will be in shortly."

After the females left, the talk revolved around ship's business until Robert thought enough time had passed. He scanned the few books in his cabin. None of them were really suitable for a child--especially the illustrated ones--but he could edit while he read.

He entered the ladies' cabin without knocking, but regretfully did not catch Miss Burke disrobing. She was still fully clothed, sitting on her bunk.

"Do you wish me to wait above while you read to Mattie?"

"Oh, stay and listen with us, Miss Burke!"

"Yes, do stay, Miss Burke."

Robert sat on Mattie's bunk next to her. She was propped up against the bulkhead, her hands around her knees. He angled the lantern for more light, then cleared his throat.

"I believe we left off with the story of the pirate Captain Davis, Mattie. Ah, here we are... 'Early in the morning, the man at the mast-head espied a sail. It must be observed, they keep a good lookout, for, according to their articles, he who first espies a sail, if she proves a prize, is entitled to the best pair of pistols on board, over and above his dividend...'"

"Really, Papa?" Mattie's grew wide. "If I'm the lookout and spot a prize I will get a brace of pistols? Your best ones?"

There was some rather obvious throat clearing from the bunk across the cabin, but he ignored it.

"Either Mr. Fuller or I decide who shall be the lookout, Mattie. When the time comes for you to take on that task I will expect you to serve as zealously and capably as any other crewmember aboard the
Prodigal Son
. That will
not
happen until you are ready for the responsibility. Is that clear?"