Page 57 of Tempting a Gentleman

Christopher was considering the captain’s suggestion when Emma stepped between them. At her full height, the top of Emma’s head barely came level with the man’s shoulders. Christopher grinned at the stubborn set of his wife’s chin.

With all the poise of a queen, Emma said, “It’s not the rollin’ of the ship, Captain Bane, that has me ill. And I’ll not hear of subjectin’ everyone to a longer journey.”

“As you wish, madame.” Red faced, the captain bowed and took his leave.

Emma whirled about and poked Christopher in the chest. “’Tis all yer fault.”

His pectorial muscles flexed at his wife’s prodding. “How am I to blame?” He stepped closer to wrap his arms about her waist.

“Ye’re too bloomin’ tempting to resist.” Emma grazed her hands up his chest around his neck. “Mayhap we should have waited until after our weddin’ to begin a family.”

“Emma Lennox Neale, you are the one who tempted me.” He kissed her forehead and unwrapped her arms to turn her about to look out to sea. “Three more weeks, and we should be ashore.” The moonlight glistened off the waves. Widening his stance, he drew her back, and she sagged against his chest. She was exhausted, but the tension in her body remained absent since the day of their wedding.

Emma sighed and rested her head back against his shoulder. “Goin’ by me mum’s pregnancies, that’s about when this queasiness should end.”

“Are you ready for what is to come?”

“I don’t miss strainin’ me eyes late at night and sortin’ bloomin’ buttons. But I’ve been finkin’ about our mission. Do ye fink Lord Burke will want our aid?”

Christopher chuckled. “I highly doubt it. We will be a reminder of what he left behind—a tainted title, duties to the Crown, and a desolate estate.” He rubbed her arms to ward off the chill of the sea breeze. “However, if we succeed in executing my plan, he might come to understand we’ve come to help and not impede his goals.”

“From all reports, this Eliza woman is rather determined to remain unattached, and not one to trust strangers easily.”

“Hmm. Sounds like a woman I once knew.”

Emma nodded her head. “Aye. Bronwyn was a mule about gettin’ married.”

Christopher laughed. “You know I wasn’t referring to my sister-in-law.” He retrieved a hard peppermint treat from his pocket and popped it in Emma’s mouth to stall her retort.

“Oh, really?” Emma inhaled and leaned back against him. “Who were ye talkin’ about then?”

He placed a kiss upon the top of her head. “You, my pet.” Lucky for him, Hereford had provided the right amount of motivation for her to marry.

“Me? It wasn’t that I was determined to remain unwed.”

“No?”

“No. I’d simply not met a man who tempted me to consider a union in which the man legally took over all me possessions.”

“Ah. I understand. You didn’t want to give up your independence, yet here you are upon a ship, sailing away from it all.”

“I believe in ye and yer plans.”

Her humble words of faith in him filled holes in his heart he hadn’t known existed until now. No one other than his deceased cousin Baldwin had ever expressed such total loyalty and faith in him.

She turned and captured his face in her chilled hands. “I love ye.”

“And I love you.”

* * *