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He fought back the jubilation as she becaive her the upper hand in this encounter She was fortunate that he hadn’t already cast off Stuffing the glove back into his pocket, he strolled nonchalantly across the quarterdeck and descended the steps to the way to the dock just as she caht, he could see she was flushed She would be even more so when he claimed his kiss

"You’re late," he said in as flat a voice as he could muster

Her silvery eyes widened "I daresay, not even ten led her chin "Yes, well, as I’e, I expect it to run on my schedule If you didn’t understand that wasyou, then perhaps I should look elsewhere"

He couldn’t stop the size "Unfortunately, any schedule involving a ship is subject to tides and winds"

"Oh, ht?"

He wondered at the urgency, but didn’t coe for them to be under way as soon as possible

"I think we can e" A dark-haired wo slightly behind her, her eyes blinking continuously as though she couldn’t quite believe she was here Her maid, her chaperone no doubt He nodded toward the twowith you?"

"No, only the trunk"

"Peterson! Get the lady’s trunk on board"

"Aye, Captain"

Peterson was a big brute of a h it contained little more than feathers As he passed back by, Tristan said quietly, "My cabin, Peterson"

"Yes, sir" He trudged up the gangway

"He doesn’t sound pleased," Lady Anne said

"He’s a gruet used to it The men who are on board are there because they choose to be Those ruled by superstition are re behind"

"Will that cause a hardship for you?"

"For you, Princess, I’d suffer any hardship"

She laughed, a sweet sound that wove around hiht he ladly crash upon rocks just to hear that clear pure tinkling "You’re not going to wait until we’re at least on the ship before beginning your absurd flirtation?"

She wasn’t going to fall easily, but then he’d known all along that she wouldn’t "Your words are like a dagger through my heart"