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"Shall I send up the alarm, Captain? Ready the cannon?"

"No!" Sophia cried

The captain and officer turned on their heels to face her

"I … I believe I ht I borrow your spyglass?"

She took it fro for permission, then fitted it to her eye and looked sharp toward the horizon There it was, the schooner Through the narrow lens, she stared down the ship’s prow Scanning the sails, the rigging, the deck The jib blocked her view, drat it There, they tacked the sails and the ship pivoted slightly She could alure of a man on the quarterdeck

Beside her, the firstpardon, ure cae She directed the spyglass up to the rigging, searching … searching… Quinn There was no doubt in her mind The man had hams where his fists should be

A shot boomed across the waters, and Sophia jumped "No," she cried

"You mustn’t fire! They’re not pirates" She swiveled to face the first mate

"That is … they may be pirates, of a sort But I promise you, they’re no threat to this ship"

"That was only their signal shot, miss" The first mate called over to the captain "Do ish to speak with therumbled, "Whether ish it or not, it appears they’re determined to speak with us Square the yards and co pirouette, and Sophia went dizzy with anticipation Had he truly come for her? She supposed Levi and Quinn could have taken employment with another ship Perhaps Gray wasn’t even aboard Despite her best efforts to re a blush to her cheeks and s back stray locks of hair If only there were tiown

The officers strode toward the bow of the ship now, and Sophia hurried after them The forecastle was croith curious sailors, obstructing her view of the clipper as it drew near

"Ahoy!" a seaate Polaris, ten days out froua, bound for Portsue She’d never heard sweeter music "This be the clipper Sophia, of no particular country at the moment Seven days out from Tortola, bound for … well, bound for here Captain requests permission to board"

Gray It had to be Gray

The officers of the Polaris exchanged wary looks

"Oh, for Heaven’s sake" Sophia pushed forward to the ship’s rail and cupped her hands around her ranted!"

A cheer rose up froht!" a voice called Stubb’s, Sophia thought

Oh, but she hardly cared as on the other deck She cared only for the strong figure swinging across the watery divide as the two ships ca back toward the center of the ship, she pushed her way through the sweaty throng of sailors, desperate to get to hiht on a rope, and she tripped--

But it didn’t matter Gray was there to catch her

And he was still wearing those sea-weathered, fire-scarred boots No doubt for senti her by the elbows She looked up to reen eyes "I have you"

"Oh, Gray" She launched herself into his arhed and spun her around "You’re here"

"I’, solid, handsome inch of hi in his scent Lord, how she’dher hands on his shoulders to study his face "I can’t believe you came after me"

"I can’t believe you actually left" He lowered her to the deck, and her hands slid to his ar with that bit I’d have never allowed you to go"

Sophia shook her head "I didn’t say a word in that courtroom that wasn’t true I didn’t want to lie to you anyether… I just couldn’t leave without telling you the truth"

"Who says we can’t be together?" His brow furrowed

"Surely you hly You’ve worked so hard to regain your family’s place, you have such hopes for your sister If you marry me, all those plans will be ruined, too I couldn’t ask it of you"

Her eyes fell to his lapel, and she lowered her voice "Unless … I could stay on as your ement quiet, it would not reflect on Bel It’s what the ton will expect of me, now that I’m a fallen woman"

He cupped her chin and lifted her face "Don’t ever speak of yourself that way" His voice was fierce; his gaze, intent "And don’t ever refer to yourself as "

She let her hands fall to her sides "Then I suppose it will have to be nothing"