Enticing Temptation

Chapter 15

            “We should arrive in Trivandrum sometime tomorrow afternoon,” Myles informed Cat as he stood near the side of their bed. She moved to their cabin only a few hours ago when Doc finally gave his consent after she spent two days without fever. Myles had gently picked her up and carried to their cabin where Doris awaited, all smiles, to help settle her in.

            It was a good thing she told Doris to pack more nightgowns and robes then what Myles wanted her to bring, Cat thought. She would need them until they reached England. She couldn’t very well greet visitors to their cabin with just a sheet wrapped around her. That thought almost made her chuckle to think how surprised their expressions would be at the sight her of in just a sheet.

            “What has Uncle Trey decided?” she asked her husband when they were alone. The last time they talked, her uncle was unsure about whether he would leave the ship to see the Viceroy or not. One thought was to send the Viceroy a written report when the others left the ship which was Cat’s suggestion, since her uncle did not really need to make any reports to the man in person. She felt he wanted the Viceroy to know about the shooting and their suspicions about one of the three men having shot her.

            But still after many days they were only suspicions as to who it might have been. Neither Cat nor her uncle had confronted any of them face-to-face, since all the men had to do was deny any involvement in the shooting. The four men’s alibi was their returning her uncle to the ship since Myles and his men had seen them all leave together. They decided after a long talk that maybe they were just jumping to conclusions about who had tried to kill her and would leave the questioning of them to the Viceroy.

            Lin Mee visited her in sickbay yesterday to tell her thank you again for the hundredth time for her rescue. She understood why Zheng Ping purchased Mee from her father; the young girl was beautiful, just as beautiful as her cousin. Even with what she’d been through, there was still a sweet innocence about her. She was excited to be going to England to start a new life there and leave her bad memories behind in China. None in their party would ever tell anyone what Lin Mee had gone through in the hands of Zheng Ping. Cat spoke with her about the possibility of attending a girl’s finishing school once she settled in and maybe later to a woman’s college, if she wished. Lin Mee never had to worry again about anything because of her help with her uncle’s rescue and relationship to the future Duchess of Markham.

            “He still plans to see the Viceroy, if the man is still in Trivandrum. He wants to be present when the Viceroy questions the others about what they know of your shooting,” Myles told her. “I’ll send two of my men to learn if he’s still there before allowing Trey or the others to leave the ship.”

            “Good. He doesn’t need to be traveling around town if the man’s no longer in Trivandrum. I wish I could see Val again but I know she’s not supposed to know where or with whom Bruce was with.”

            “You’re not going anywhere,” Myles told her with force, his eyebrow raised. “I will not allow it Cat. You’ve only been able to sit up for barely twenty-four hours.”

            Cat snickered. “Aye, Captain,” she said giving him a salute noticing it hurt less now to move her arms and shoulders then even yesterday. “I have no intention of jumping ship, Captain.”

            “Just so we understand one another,” he added grinning at her. “Now I have to see Jackson about our docking tomorrow. Doris should be back shortly with the tea tray but don’t worry I have Scotty guarding the door if you need anything just call out.”