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"Well, " he continued cheerfully, "I could rid you of this problehtlyathis words, but shook her head "I never reconsider adecision That wouldood or bad, it stands"

"Thatsoundsincredibly foolish"

Valoree shrugged, vaguely annoyed but unswayed She had spentmostof her lifeon a ship, and the last five years as its captain She wasn’tgoing to allow one s

"Whatif there was some bit ofinformation that you did not know before you ested "Surely, should you learn so new, and of import, you would reconsider - "

"That’s not reconsidering; that isa new consideration entirely, "

she toldhi!"

"What is twoplus two, my lord? "

He blinked at the non sequitur "Four, but - "

"And what is two plus twotake awayone? "

’That would bethree, but - "

"ExactlyYouseeTwo separate mathematical problea similar portion"

He staredat her blankly fora an to shift over his face "Why, you clever little witch I believe you couldtwistsohts Are you always sological? "

Valoree blinked at the question No one hadevercalled her logical before A knock atthe front door savedher fro, she watched as Bull moved toward the door, positive it would be more damn suitors like thosetheyhad trappedinthesalon

"Oh, my!" a female voice cried out in surprise, but Bull blocked Valoree’s viehoit was"Oh, hello, umIamhere tosee Lady - "

"Mother!"

Valoree blinked atDaniel’sirritatedvoice, thenleft hier shook, the suitors apparently resigned to wait in peace She moved curiously to Bull’s side to seethat it was indeed Lady Thurborne

"Oh, Lady Ainsley, " Daniel’smother exclaimedwith relief as Valoreetown house Danieljustwaved downthe street He did not pointout exactly which one it wasand - Oh, hello, Daniel, " she said, easing cautiously pastBull and into the entry

Her son did not look i in his expression "What are youdoing here, Mother? "he asked

"Oh, well, I thoughtmayhap Icould help"

"Help? " Valoree asked withamazement Surely hismother had notcome to plead his case asto whyshe should marry her son?

"Yes, dear" Lady Thurborne whirled toward her, shtly "Daniel mentioned that he had stopped at the apothecary’s to collectsomesalve for your poor face because you had reacted to - Oh, the door wider for a nervous young htspilled over Valoree, illu, you!"she cried, hurryingforward to catch Valoree’s facegently in herhands, turning it this way and thatto examinethe blisteredskin "Oh, Daniel You didnottell ot from the apothecary will beuseless"

Then she turned to scowl ather son"Didyou know aboutthis last night? " she asked sharply, and read the answer in his expression "Well, you shouldhave told hing, she turned back to stareat Valoree one more time, then released Valoree’s face and shook her head"Itis agood thing I stoppedbyto see as about Nohereis your kitchen? "

"Kitchen? " Valoree repeated blankly Her mind was still taken with the factthat Danielhad stopped atanapothecary’s to pick up some salvefor her "poor face" For some reason, that factshe wasn’t sure sheliked, but was farbetter thanthe irritation allthe false co on herhad caused

"Yes, dear Bessy will need to mix up Grandmama’s remedy"

Shefrowned now "I wish I hadknown about this soonerI would have brought the ingredients, but hopefully yourcookwillhave them on hand Where is the kitchen? "

"Uhwell" Valoree glanced uncertainly down the hall

Petey hated anyone in his kitchen At sea or on land, it wasthe one thingon whichhe tended tostand firalley Not even her

’Thisway, isit? " Lady Thurborneasked, lanced "Co, Bessy, " shesaidto her maid "There is notimeto waste"

"Damn, " Valoree said underher breathas the woht like to call your aunt in on this one, " Daniel suggestedwith a repressedslanced to where hestillstood with his back tothesalondoor

"My aunt? "

"Aye, " he said with so that seemed oddly like syht overyou if youdo not have plenty of support"

Valoree blinked in amazement at the claim, then shook her head She was the captain ofa pirateship! The dayshe could not handle one little old lady Her thoughtsdied as a clatter inthe kitchen was followedby so, she started up the hall, but paused halfway there when Lady Thurborne stuck herheadout The woout cheerfully, not even wincing ata secondround of oathsbehindher"He is the temperamental sort, I see So isfamously"

Her headdisappeared back into thekitchen, there was a great racket, and then there was complete silence Valoree hesitated, unsure at that point whether she really wished to knoas going on Danielspokefrom behind her "Your aunt wasnotin there, was she? "

Valoree glanced over to see hiuarded, but shookher head "Nay, she wentup to herroo forether"

Valoree paused, then sighed and nodded to Bull The giant left his post by the door and started up the stairs at once "Find Henry, too, "shecalled after hi "I suppose I had best tend to my suitorswhile Iam at it"