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He made his way to the quarterdeck Mouse had cleared away all evidence that she’d been with his neat and tidy Tristan wondered if she’d finished eating the orange He thought hethe joy of her laughter as the juice burst forth, surprising her with its abundance

He leaned back against the railing and crossed his ar the sails They were er visible They would reach the Mediterranean within a few days He was tee to the ship that would require they head to the nearest port for repairs He wanted to walk through foreign cities with her, through crowded streets

He wanted to wipe ahatever it was that was causing the sadness reflected in her eyes

She’s reed to giveto kiss you in order to get to him

If he were an honorablethe kiss--all in the name of true love Mary would expect it of him Which was the reason he hadn’t told her more about his journey She wouldn’t approve Not that he cared for her approval

He suspected he ht be a very different man if he’d not been forced to leave his horew to manhood very quickly

He’d tried to return to what had been--to being a lord, to living within Society, a there, any more than Rafe did Sebastian had no choice He held the title, but Tristan was free to return to the life he loved, to the sea And he did love it The s of the wind He enjoyed the ca his

He shifted his gaze over to Peterson as he ca to a lot of trouble to get beneath a woh not to complain about it"

"She’s different You could hurt her"

"I’ to hurt her"

"Not intentionally maybe, but it can still happen"

"When did you beco ht any reat progress

"You know the maid is Johnny’s sister," Peterson "

"He sent the you would protect them"

"His mistake"

"Jack, she’s nobility"

So was he, but his ht the offered pouch, the clinking of the coins inside had signaled the severing of Tristan’s bloodlines None of his ins Even when he returned to England and helped establish his older brother’s place in Society, Tristan had kept his two distinct lives separate With a foot in both worlds, he wondered if hehis balance

"Relax, Peterson I’ve never yet incurred a woman’s wrath"