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"This is only to stop you if you fall," he said "They won’t be pulling you up You’ll be doing that on your own" He explained the cli her notches and handholds

She did wish that she hadn’t been so pri up, that she’d followed after her brothers, racing barefoot across fields and cli trees But then, if she hadn’t been so prirets and so she wouldn’t be here now She would have said yes to Walter when he asked of her what he did She would have scoffed at Society’s rules as he’d wanted to Instead, she’d reround

Yet here she earing clothing that outlined her for anything at all Nothing prim or proper in that

But then as to see except for the four males in view of her now, Martha, and the occasional porpoise that leapt out of the sea?

At the captain’s urging she pressed against the mast and used his wrists as her handholds She didn’t kno this would work at all if he wasn’t so ht foot into a notch, then instructed her to place her foot on his She did--

And froze

The top of his bare foot arh her Naughty, wicked sensations She’d never touched aat the same time It was marvelous It was--

"The other" His silky voice danced around her ear

"Pardon?"

"Place your other foot onforever, you know"

Why not? Why couldn’t she stay here where his nearness distracted her fros?

"Yes, of course I’o," he murmured "Now, just relax and climb withto him as much as she was to this cylinder of wood?

"If you’re afraid of heights, I’d advise you not to look down," he added

She didn’t think she was afraid of heights, but then she’d always looked out through aThis, she realized as they slowly made their way upward, was a very different kettle of fish