The Duke's Daughter -Wattys2014 Collector's Dream Award Winner-

Chapter Seventeen

Arianna watched from her post, tucked into a corner in her cabin boy garb. Miser's face distorted and took on a red hue. Derek swung down from his perch, he began yelling orders to his crew to turn the ship back to their original course.

Alejandro had already gone below where a warm bath and dry clothing awaited him. Derek made to follow. He passed by Arianna without so much as a look, and Viscount Whitmore came running up to him. He was not exactly running, it would probably be described as more of a quick hobble. Arianna was impressed with the old man's speed.

"Captain, are we truly to leave her to drown?"

"She has already done so, Whitmore. Skirts are deadly things in currents such as these." Derek made to continue walking, but the Viscount placed a hand upon his arm.

"Surely there is something more we can do, my lord."

Derek sighed, his shoulders visibly dropping. "I wish there was, Whitmore, but short of risking another life by swimming through these cold currents, after a lady we can no longer see below the waves, I see no option. Have I missed any course of action that might be taken?"

The Viscount dropped his head, "Nay, my lord, I suppose you are right. What a shame."

"Aye, you are correct, a shame it is."

The Viscount moved toward his own cabin with his head down and his shoulders slumped. His pace was nowhere near as impressive as it had been when he had approached the captain. Arianna felt a moment of regret for the Viscount's obvious turmoil. Perhaps she had been too harsh on him previously. Perhaps his misguided intentions truly were a want to see her safe.

Arianna slipped from her spot and made her way across the deck as she had practiced earlier. To her surprise, no one gave her a second look.

*******

Frank Miser was livid. He had returned to his quarters, after ordering his crew to return to their previous course, as he had no better idea of where they should now go. He supposed he could send the necessary correspondence from New York just as well as from any other port.

He had been so close to obtaining her! It felt like a slap in the face from God that she had drowned less than a mile away from him.

His lordship would not be pleased.

No, not in the least.

As Miser drained his glass of brandy and fetched another, he wondered what would happen to Marlborough, now that his bargaining chip was dead. He did not envy the man his plight.

*******
Miss Jolene Bridger hurried into the cabin she shared with her little sister Jessica. Her chance was finally here! With the other woman out of the way, she had a clear path to the handsome captain. And, after the scene she had just witnessed on deck, she now knew he was the Earl of Trent. Could a catch get any better?

Oh and wouldn't her mother be pleased once she caught the captain's attention!

"Jessy, I need you to do my hair up pretty."

Jessica Bridger looked up from her novel at her sister. Had she lost her mind? They were on a boat in the middle of the ocean, who was there to impress?
Jessica sighed, folding the corner of her page before putting the book aside and rising from the bunk.

"Whatever do you need your hair done for, Jolene?"

Her sister turned from the mirror, glaring at her with a spiteful twist to her mouth.

"There is an Earl aboard as well as a Viscount's heir, why would I not need my hair done, little sister? You may be too young to think about marriage yet, but I am eighteen years old, Jessica. I can not stay with mummy and daddy forever."

Jessica wanted to ask her sister if she truly thought men like that would want a plain, lowly physician's daughter. Jessica took in her sister's dishwater blonde hair, her mousy features and her board straight figure. She sighed again, knowing that voicing such thoughts would not do any good.

"Did you say there was an Earl aboard, sister?" Jessica asked instead.

"Aye, the captain is the Earl of Trent."

"The captain? But what about the widow White? The captain seems very interested in her."

Jolene smirked at her sister. "She fell overboard this morning and was not recovered. The captain will need consoling."

Jessica was flabbergasted. How could her sister take a woman's death so lightly? Jessica had liked the widow White. Though she had only spoken to her the one time the widow had joined them in the dining rooms, they had laughed and talked, Jessica had found her quite pleasant.

Jolene turned to the mirror again, applying a thick layer of powder to her face and rouge to her lips. It did not help her appearance any, Jessica noted, it actually made her look older and almost pasty.

Jessica began to twist and curl her sister's hair, pinning most of it up, but allowing a few curls to cover her large ears and her temple. Once she was done, Jolene hopped up and hugged her.

"Oh, thank you, Jessy. And do not worry, I will not tell Mummy that you were reading one of those novels again."

Jolene left the cabin as quickly as she had flounced in. Jessica shook her head and stretched out on the bunk once more. Retrieving her novel, she opened it to the page she had left off on.