“Thank you,” he said. “Don’t mind if I do.”
“You know my sister, Irene. This is my new bride, Byrony. Ladies, this is Brent Hammond, a relatively new business addition to San Francisco.”
“Mr. Hammond,” Irene said.
Brent nodded. “Miss Butler. Mrs. Butler.”
“Sorry business,” Ezra Lacy said, shaking his head as he passed a cup of steaming coffee to Brent. “Ira was wondering if he shouldn’t take the ladies off, given what happened last night.”
“I understand, Mr. Hammond,” said Irene, “that you saved Mrs. Saxton’s life.”
“It was fortunate, ma’am, that I was still on deck at the time,” Brent said. He didn’t imagine that Del wanted the story bruited about, and said in a dismissive voice, “The fellow is likely long gone by now. An unhappy experience for Mrs. Saxton.”
“It is what I thought,” Irene said. “The wretch probably wanted to rob her.”
Brent blinked at her conclusion, but decided it was for the best. “Undoubtedly you’re right, ma’am,” he said. He felt Byrony’s eyes on him and slowly turned toward her. She looked strained, as if she hadn’t slept well, her eyes shadowed. Good, maybe her conscience bothered her enough to keep her awake. He said aloud, his voice tightly controlled, “You’re looking a bit peaked, Mrs. Butler. I hope the excitement of last night didn’t upset you too much.”
Arrogant, mean bastard. “Not at all,” she said.
“My wife was tucked safely in her bed at the time,” Ira said, patting Byrony’s hand.
Brent wanted to strike the man. The thought of him touching her, taking her, made his guts cramp. I’m losing what’s left of my meager mind. All over a woman who was nothing but an insubstantial dream. He heard Ezra Lacy laugh and say wistfully, “What a bore you new husbands are, Ira. How can I conduct any business with you with your lovely bride about?”
“We accomplished rather a goodly amount last evening, if I recall correctly,” Ira said. “But knowing you, Ezra, you want to talk my ear off all the way to Sacramento.”
“Well, actually, old man, there are some papers I’d like you to see, if you have the time. Perhaps Mr. Hammond would entertain the ladies for a bit?”
Brent saw Byrony’s eyes fly in consternation to his face, but he said easily, “It would be a pleasure, gentlemen. I should be delighted to point out all the sights of interest and make myself generally pleasing.” He turned to Irene. “For example, did you know, ma’am, that we’re quite close to Hock Farm? Mr. Sutter is in residence, you know, and one of his sons with him. He’s much changed, I understand.”
“Do you mind, my dear?” Ira asked Byrony. “I shan’t be overlong.”
What could she say?
“I think I shall return to my room,” Irene said. “Enjoy the lovely morning, Byrony. Gentlemen.”
Ira helped her to rise and it seemed but a moment later that Byrony was staring at Brent Hammond. She felt as though they were the only two human beings in the world even though other passengers were within three feet of them.
“I think I will also go to my cabin,” Byrony said, beginning to rise from her chair.
“What? Afraid? I assure you, Mrs. Butler, that I won’t attempt anything so injudicious as kissing you in front of the world or touching your breasts.”
She closed her eyes for a moment. “Mr. Hammond,” she said finally, “I do not understand why you are being so outrageous and insulting to me. To the best of my knowledge I’ve never harmed you, never done anything, save spill flour on you.”
“It would appear a mystery, wouldn’t it?” He lounged back in his chair, crossing his long legs at the ankles. “I believe, however, that we do have some unfinished business.”
“What is that, sir?”
“I believe I told you that if you struck me again, I would retaliate in kind. If you recall, you very nearly unmanned me. If your aim had been better, I venture to say I wouldn’t have been able to save the fair Mrs. Saxton from her attacker.”
“You were the attacker, sir! I was only protecting myself!”
Brent sat forward. She saw the dark brilliance of his blue eyes drawing her toward him. He wanted to touch her, wanted to jerk out all those damned pins, and sift his fingers through her hair. “Were you really, Byrony? It is quite odd, you know.” He continued after a moment, “I thought your name so very charming and unusual. Perhaps I even believed for a brief while that you, like your name, would be different from other women. Despite what I knew in my experience to be true. You look quite well surrounded by wealth, so much more sophisticated than the girl I saw in San Diego.”
“Mr. Hammond, I cannot address your so-called experience. Whatever disappointments you have known have nothing whatsoever to do with me. Will you please just leave me alone?”
“I have been thinking of retaliation,” he continued. “My fingers itch to bare your bottom and thrash you.”
“Stop it. I won’t listen to any more of this.” She jumped to her feet, nearly upsetting the small table.