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In soht have been a courting couple Rowing across a placid lake, caressed by a glowing sunset From a distance, this could have been the picture of romance

But the reality was confusion, and resent him? Sophia considered She was not sure she could

By his own admission, he would not have ret that exquisite pleasure; nor could she regret sharing it with hi, charismatic, passionate, exhausted ht be, she could not feel sorry that he was now bound to her--that for good or ill, he had not left her behind

Sophia was, however, unequivocally sorry for one thing

"Gray," she said, "I’m so sorry I’ve hurt you"

His eyes flashed, and there was a slight hitch in his stroke "Spare ies It’s not me I meant to discuss"

"Then who?"

"Davy, of course We’ll be on this ship for a week or h on both our accounts You’re to let hi It won’t be easy for hi why you’re aboard"

Her heart lurched "Davy knows?"

"Of course he knows Everyone knows There are no secrets on a ship, relance "Well, evidently there are some"

"I’ve told you, I’m sorry" She bit her lip "Whatmoment Sophia resisted the impulse to look away Would he question her in earnest now? Could she find the courage to answer?

"Nothing," he said finally, shaking his head "I told you, it doesn’tas there’s a chance you’re carrying ht"

She sed hard Of course, the possibility of conceiving had occurred to her--how could it not?--but hearing it spoken aloud was another thing altogether "So that’s the reason you’re bringing ?

Because I could be with child?"

He nodded "When did you last have your courses?"

She blushed No s "Just before we left England"

"Then we ought to know soon enough" The circular aze burned into hers "If you are breeding, I warn you now

--you will marry me I’ll not allow you to run off and raise my child God knohere"

Her mouth fell open He could not have cut her more deeply had he skewered her with a bayonet If she was breeding, he would force her to marry him? Because he assumed otherwise she’d "run off"? And if she did not conceive, what then? Did he plan to toss her overboard? Her jaw and hands worked as she tried to er If only she could have painted it instead, with slashes of purple and violent splatters of red-tinged black

She finallyyou, or any ain I have the means to care for a child, if need be" She patted the purse strapped beneath her stays "And what does it signify to you, with your prodigious history? You probably have countless bastards, spread across four continents"

"No, I don’t My father brought enough bastards into the world, and I’ve never aspired to his example That’s why I’ve always been careful"

"Ah, yes Caution and sheepgut, was it?"

"Precisely Until yesterday" He gave a vicious yank on one oar, turning the boat as they neared the Kestrel "Yesterday wasthat mistake"

"Well," she said bitterly "How special that ard, even if only your first h Froht it and began securing it to the boat "Yesterday was a first for "

"You weren’t thinking" Her heart was sinking faster than an anchor God, could he ht hers and held it She felt searched, turned inside out As though he could read soh "No I wasn’t thinking, I …" He cleared his throat "I suppose I was hoping"

Sos She reached out to catch his hand in hers "What about now, Gray? Are you still hoping now?"

Another rope fell fro their contact Shaking his head, he said, "I don’t even knohat to think of you now"

"I see" Sophia drew her knees up and hugged thehed noisily "Sweet" A light touch fell on her ar for us both, if it makes you feel better At the moment, I’m just too da a little gasp froers latched protectively over her wrist The eo

When the boat reached deck level, Sophia helped herself over the rail of the Kestrel The light thud of her slippers hitting deck announced her presence to the ship at large O’Shea and the otheror nods She tilted her head to exaged stuave the ship the look of a pruned rosebush, with a slender, green shoot branching out frorowth

Davy stood so the newHe did not turn her way

"Davy," Gray called from behind her