The Sandalwood Princess by Loretta Chase Read Free Book Online

left. She must be Miss Cavencourt. The Bullerhams and their staff had boarded shortly after he had, and he’d helped their servants with the trunks. That left three female passengers, and the one standing by the rail seemed far too young to be the widowed companion Randall had described. She was also, obviously, not a servant. Her dress would have told him so, even if Philip hadn’t noted unmistakable signs of breeding in her profile and carriage.
    He’d sensed something else, though, and he’d stared at her overlong, trying to determine what it was. Some nagging recollection. He swore again. If it nagged, it must be attended to, whatever it was. As if he hadn’t enough to cope with already.
    “My dear,” said Mrs. Gales, “Bella is perfectly capable of seeing to your frocks. You’d do better to nap. This morning you looked as though you hadn’t slept a wink, and our interview with the captain cannot have been restful. Padji was most thoughtless to oblige us to tell falsehoods. My conscience is most troubled.” Troubled or no, Mrs. Gales continued steadily with her needlework.
    Amanda was bent over her trunk. She’d been examining her frocks, trying to decide what she’d wear for her first dinner at the captain’s table. The blue was more fashionable, but the rose was more becoming... She flushed and pulled herself out of her fantasies. “You weren’t the one that told all the fibs, Leticia.”
    “I didn’t contradict you, though, did I? And poor Captain Blayton. Such a dreadful morning he must have had.” She sighed.
    Amanda looked up. “He seemed happy enough about replacing his cook so speedily. Nor did he seem remotely displeased to be talking with you near a whole hour after,” she added slyly.
    “My dear, I do not find endless miles of ocean nearly so fascinating as you do. We shall see enough of it, I daresay, and there is no harm in allowing a harassed gentleman to unburden himself.”Older gentlemen did tend to confide in Mrs. Gales. She was well-rounded and comfortable in form, and equally comfortable in personality. Having no pretensions to beauty, the widow was neither vain nor flirtatious, but a sensible, well-bred, and tolerant female. Perhaps that was why so many mature men were drawn to her. One could not be amazed to learn the captain had, so soon after meeting her, commenced confiding his woes.
    Amanda frowned at a crease in the bodice of the blue muslin. “I take it more than Padji harassed him, then?”
    “I’m afraid so. Captain Blayton has apparently fallen victim of the whims of the aristocracy. He was obliged to leave Mr. Larchmere behind in order to take on an invalid solicitor and his valet The Marquess of Hedgrave’s solicitor,” Mrs. Gales added significantly. “Naturally, a mere ‘Honourable’ must give way.”
    “How sick is this man?” Amanda asked. “He can’t be seriously unwell if he undertakes a long sea voyage.”
    “But that is just the point, my dear, and no wonder the captain is so provoked. Mr. Wingle was carried on board and, according to Captain Blayton, looked even worse than the cook he hadn’t dared move from Calcutta! Did you ever hear the like?”
    The blue-eyed man was the valet, then. Miss Cavencourt’s colour rose once more. She let the lid of the trunk fall shut. “It seems most inconsiderate to me,” she said, ruthlessly squelching a flutter of disappointment. “This is hardly a hospital ship, and I daresay we’ll all be tried enough with Mrs. Bullerham’s digestion.”
    “Mrs. Bullerham’s only problem is a revolting tendency to overeat,” said Mrs. Gales with a sniff. “I expect she’ll be running Padji ragged demanding special teas and broths, and complaining the whole time. When I heard the news, I was nearly as irritated as the captain. Though Mr. Larchmere is rather full of himself, he does relate the most charming anecdotes, and I had counted on him to relieve the tedium of our mealtimes at least. Not that the captain is