The Duke's Unusual Proposal

Chapter Four

        Simon stood on board the ship The Morning Star with Jordan and David Moreland watching as several carriages arrived noticing that several elegantly dressed women stepped down from the inside of one of them. The past four days had seems endless with his trying to convince Jordan and David they still needed him. Regina Stockton-Davenport made it very plain she would not work with Jordan if Simon were still involved. If that woman stood before him right now he could easily strangle the chit. Where was the chit anyway? The ship would soon be leaving and she was not aboard yet. Simon turned his attention back to the conversation between Jordan and David Moreland.

        "Reggie said she would meet with you to talk," Moreland was telling Jordan. "She knows that the three of us have to work together to solve this. She said she likes you it's Simon she dislikes." Both Jordan and Moreland turned to look at him at that statement.

        "I'm glad you at least spoke with her and she agreed to that," Jordan replied then turned to smile at Moreland. "So she likes me does she?" Jordan turned to smile at his friend. "Maybe I should be the one to marry her." Simon arched an eyebrow at Jordan.

        "Do you think this woman is capable of working with anyone?" Simon told them. "She only knows how to give orders not take them. Where is the woman anyway? The ship will be leaving soon."

        "The woman is right behind you." Simon heard Regina's voice and spun around to see her standing there.

        HIs mouth dropped open at the sight of her.

        Reggie couldn't help but smile at the look that came over the duke's face and reached out putting a gloved finder under his chin. "Your Grace, you mouth is hanging open," she told him then put enough pressure on his chin with her finger to close Simon's mouth.

        She was the most stunning woman he'd ever seen dressed in a dark hunter green traveling suit that fit snugly to her body showing off her every curve and what gorgeous curves they were. She was wearing matching leather gloves with her hair swept up on top of her head and a large hunter green hat with a large brim tilted to one side perched on top of her head. The color of the outfit made her hair seem redder and her sparkling green eyes darker.

        Simon watched as she passed him going on to kiss Moreland and then Jordan on the cheek. She was about to speak to them when a man called her name. "Regina...Regina love," the man said as he came up to her picking her up in his arms he swung her around as she hugged his neck tightly and kissed the man on his lips. Here was another man that she was overly friendly with, Simon thought. 'I saw you were sailing with us," the man told her as he put her down. "Sophia and Annabel too I see."

        "Gregory, darling, I had hoped you would be the captain of our ship," Regina told him smiling at him. She turned to introduce Captain Collins to the other men standing there watching them.

        "Regina love, you will be at my table each night during our voyage and maybe one night we will be able to have a nice quiet dinner alone. Just the two of us," Gregory told her giving her a smile that made Simon roll his eyes as he watched the two of them.

        "I think that could be arranged, Gregory," she replied smiling sweetly at the man. Reggie saw Simon from out of the corner of her eye and was enjoying the look on his face as she and Gregory conversed. So much for a duke not showing his emotions, she thought.

        "Captain...Captain Gregory," Annabel cried out as she came running to him. He picked her up and swung her around just as he'd done Reggie. "Reggie and I were so hoping that you'd be our captain on this voyage."