"Yes, I think so. Now, give me the wheel before your arms become useless sticks. Like most females, the Seawitch needs a strong hand upon occasion. Actually, most of the time." He gave her a rakish grin, but she found herself wondering if he weren't utterly serious. Did he dislike women for some reason and was forcing himself to be kind to her because of Lyon? Could Charlotte's Disease be that prevalent?
"I think, Captain Carstairs, that you will probably meet a violent end. At the hands of a woman."
To her surprise, he reacted to her simple jest with thinned lips and his expression grew so grim that it frightened her. Then he smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "That, my lady, is a distinct possibility."
She left him in complete disarray. She would never understand men.
She found Lyon perched on a thick coiled rope talking to Rollo. He was obviously enjoying himself. She observed him a moment, unnoticed. He wasn't so darkly tanned as Rollo --- or Rafael, for that matter --- but to her jaundiced eye, he looked beautiful. His shirtsleeves were rolled up and she looked at his forearms. He had, she decided, a manly tan and very strong manly muscles. She shook herself. She was being silly and perverse. Lyon saw her at that moment and paused in his speech.
Rollo stared, taken aback by the intense hunger he saw in the earl's eyes. He said a bit nervously, "Your lady is here. I shall see you later, my lord."
"You are a beautiful creature," Lyon said as she approached him, "despite the freckles that are proliferating at a great rate." He stretched out, leaning back on his elbows. "Stay there, if you please, Diana. I am hot and you are blocking out the sun."
"I want to talk to you, Lyon."
"Behold a man who awaits your every utterance with utmost attention."
"Be serious!"
"Why?"
"Lyon, Rafael knows. I demand to know if you told him."
"Told him what, Diana? That instead of being my loving wife you are my panting mistress?"
Diana slapped down her skirts at a gust of wind. Sighing, she sat down beside him. She didn't look at him. He enjoyed her profile for several moments. Damn her, he even admired the shape of her small ears.
"Yes," she said at last, turning to face him, "that is what I meant. Is your plan to add the poor captain to your campaign?"
"Is that what Rafael told you?"
"No, from his tone, I just knew that he knew."
"Actually, Rafael spoke to me some time ago. The man isn't a fool, Diana. I shouldn't be surprised if both Rollo and Blick also were aware of oursituation."
Diana picked up the end of the rope and began practicing some knots. Her fingers were long and nimble. He thought of her fingers stroking his body, caressing him, holding himHe wished he could groan.
"For some inexplicable reason," he continued thoughtfully, swallowing both the images and the groan, "they seem to hold you in some esteem, thus their show of respect for you even though you sleep with me."
"I don't sleep with you, Lyon."
"Close enough. Three feet of distance isn't much, is it?"
"It is enough for a continent."
He chuckled. "You know, it has been a long time since I was this relaxed. A sea voyage, I think, is a great restorative."
She said in a nasty voice, "Restorative from what? Overindulgence with your little amour?"
"Jealousy, my dear? It pleases me, I suppose, though I do grow tired of the game."
"I am playing no game, Lyon."
"Are you not? Well, perhaps you aren't. I have decided that you are likely right. Why should I care, after all, if you are ostracized by your close-knit little society? If you are called trollop, whore, or slut? I shall endeavor to escape your father's ire, I think, conduct my business, and return home. What you will do is your business."
"You are finally showing signs of intelligence," she said, but her tone lacked conviction. Indeed, to his sensitive ears, she sounded upset, perhaps bereft. Excellent, he thought. Deliberately he raised his hand and lightly stroked his fingertips over her ear. She grew very still, then jerked away from him.
"You know, Diana," he said thoughtfully, watching her closely, "it might be to your best advantage to gain some experience before you are hurled as a labeled trollop among the males. Perhaps if one of them touched your ear as I just did, you could learn not to react so strongly. You mustn't show interest, you know, or pleasure, as you just did with me."