An Officer but No Gentleman by Bronwyn Scott Read Free Book Online

Anderson isn’t going to wait. He doesn’t want to chance the weather. He has a private mail pouch that has to get through.” That wasn’t all. There was more. Something he wasn’t telling her.
    “He’ll be back. We’ll go in a couple of days when he returns.”
    Grahame shook his head. “Anderson isn’t scheduled back in Dover for another month. If we stay, we’ll have to find another boat.” She knew how onerous that would be. It would have to be a big boat, one that could hold the cargo of a household. Anderson’s boat had been perfect.
    Elowyn blew out a sigh. The situation was becoming impossible. “New boat or not, we can’t possibly have all our things loaded in forty-five minutes. It will take that long to get the wagons to the docks.” Not even the amazing Grahame Westmore could magically whisk the wagons down to the docks in time.
    “I’m not talking about taking your things, Elowyn,” Grahame began slowly. His grip tightened on her hands. “Just you. You and I can cross tonight and continue on. Annie and Christopher can bring the other things later and travel at their leisure. Christopher is more than capable of seeing the goods transferred and the drivers returned.”
    Something moved in Grahame’s gray eyes. For reasons she could not guess, he needed this. He needed her to go with him now. Yet how could she leave all this responsibility?
    Annie stepped forward. “You needn’t be concerned on this end, miss. We can handle everything here. Christopher and I have moved with you before. Think about your father. He’ll worry if you’re late and there’s no way to get word to him.”
    She did think of her father. Annie was right. He would worry himself sick. He would think of her mother, how she’d been late on that last trip and what it had meant. He had not worried back then, thinking her delay a natural consequence of travel in winter and that she was likely tucked up in a cozy inn. To this day, he still blamed himself. If he’d gone out searching for her earlier, he might have been in time. Elowyn could not put him through that doubt again.
    Her decision was made. “We’ll go. I’ll be downstairs shortly.” Was that relief in Grahame’s eyes? Again, she had the sensation that he needed this beyond simply fulfilling his job for her father, beyond adherence to Captain Anderson’s desire to leave early.
    Grahame gave a tight smile. “I’ll make the necessary arrangements with Christopher.” He glanced about the room. “No trunks, just the one bag. It’s all there’s time for.”
    She drew a deep breath and looked about the very nice room with a fire and her good sheets. Neither of which she’d get to enjoy. “Quickly, Annie, help me pack.” If she stayed busy there’d be no time to think about what she’d just done. There was no question of who was in charge now. She’d given up control of the trip when she agreed to travel alone through Europe with Captain Grahame Westmore.

Chapter Nine
    And his horse. She got to bring a valise. He got to bring his horse! “How is it that I only rate one bag?” Elowyn tried a halfhearted attempt at humor down in the hold where Aramis was stabled. But it was hard to be funny while the water rolled and pitched beneath her feet. They might be ahead of the storm coming down out of the North Sea, but it certainly didn’t ensure smooth sailing.
    Grahame gave a little chuckle and stroked Aramis’s dark mane. She allowed herself a moment’s jealousy, imagining those hands on her. She could use a little stroking about now. She’d been in difficult spots before but that didn’t mean she liked them, or excelled at them. “If this ship goes down, you’ll be glad he’s here.” Grahame crooned to the big stallion. “You’re a fabulous swimmer, aren’t you, old boy?”
    That was too intriguing to let pass. Elowyn scooted forward on the bale of hay she sat on. “And we know this how?”
    “He and I swam to shore after a transport we were