The Indebted Earl by Erica Vetsch (love letters to the dead TXT) 📕

“Why do you want to leave us?”

He didn’t. Not exactly. He sought to divert the conversation. “Why are you so crotchety?”

“I’m not crotchety. I’m sad. My owl is gone.” Thea put her forehead on her knees. “I went to check on him, and he’s gone. He’s always been there in the daytime before.”

“You went to the shore? You’ve been told on more than one occasion to go nowhere near the stairs, the boathouse, or the beach without an adult.” She might have fallen on those rickety stairs, or caused a rockslide, or decided to go wading and gone in too deep. All the dangers lurking on that particular stretch of sand loomed up and made Charles angry. Not to mention there were smugglers about that still needed apprehending. “You will return to the house and tell Sophie our guests have arrived. After that, you will go to your room and stay there.”

“For how long?” Her jaw set, and her eyes glared hot.

“Until you learn to obey commands without question.”

The fire went out of her eyes, replaced by resignation. Thea rose to her feet slowly and trudged toward the house. What was wrong with that child? Up to this point she had been full of high spirits, yes, but she’d never countermanded an order of his.

Frowning, he watched the cutter’s approach. The admiral had a mission for him. Once more to be a captain of men, to command a ship of his own. Would it be the Dogged? Or would he have a new vessel to learn? Each ship, be she rowboat or frigate, was unique with her own foibles and quirks and abilities and charms.

Like women.

Charles snapped the telescope shut and jammed it into his pocket. It was high time he was away from Gateshead and all the females that surrounded him. He was losing his reason.

That evening, when Sophie entered the parlor before dinner, Charles could barely get to his feet, his knees felt so weak. She was stunning. A dress of pale lemon with blue trim that brought out the clarity of her eyes, and a blue ribbon threaded through her complicated hairstyle. How long had it taken her to fashion such perfect curls?

He looked closely for signs that Sophie had been crying, but she looked calm, even radiant, as if a newfound confidence bubbled just under the surface. Perhaps she had heard Charles was to be offered a command soon and looked forward to his departure.

Penny followed Sophie into the parlor, with Betsy and Mamie in tow. Thea remained upstairs. He had decided that missing dinner with guests would be her punishment for disobeying his orders, relaying his wishes through Mrs. Chapman. He regretted having to discipline her, but she must learn that rules were established for her safety and breaking them had consequences.

Marcus, Admiral Barrington, and Alastair Lythgoe arrived, and they went in to dinner. Sophie took Charles’s arm, and he tried not to think of her acting the dutiful wife merely for appearances’ sake. Being near her distracted him. Thankfully, she sat at the foot of the table, so he could think clearly.

Halfway through the first course, the admiral finally shared his news.

“Charles, I’ve finally gotten the word for which you have been waiting.” He tugged a document from his pocket. “The Prince Regent has appointed several new diplomats who need to be delivered to their positions in the Caribbean. The navy is assigning the Dogged to the task, and the ship will leave in ten days’ time. I don’t envy you traveling with civilian passengers, but hopefully having a command again will make up for that drawback. You’ll transport the new men to their posts and bring the replaced civil servants back to England.”

A trip to the Caribbean. He did a few basic sums. At least seventy days there and back, depending upon several factors. Possibly as many as ninety days if the trip required much interisland travel or the weather didn’t cooperate. Three months. That would put him back in England just before the first of December?

Christmas at Gateshead. With a family. He hadn’t celebrated Christmas with family since he was a boy. Visions of Christmas with Sophie and the girls filled his mind. He would bring back gifts from the islands. That should please them.

“I had to fight hard, what with your family history and then these charges being filed against you. But I was adamant. The Dogged is your ship, and you were just the man for the job. The council said if the charges proved false, I could offer you the position.” He patted the document. “These are your orders.”

Charles glanced at Sophie. For once he couldn’t read her face.

“How long is a voyage like that?” Marcus asked, also looking at his sister.

“Three months, give or take.” The admiral helped himself to more fish.

“You’ll be enjoying a warm climate while the rest of us brace for winter.” Marcus smiled. “I’m heading home in a couple days, Sophie. I’ve been away too long as it is. Of course, you have Mother’s visit to anticipate. When Charles sails to Kingston and Nassau, you won’t be lonely.”

Sophie nodded, but she didn’t smile. She toyed with her fork. “I hate to think of you being gone so long, Charles. Three months. We will miss you.”

If only he could believe she meant that.

“Are you leaving?” Betsy’s voice quivered. “You just got home. I don’t want you to go.” She flew off her chair, past Lythgoe and the admiral, and threw herself into Charles’s arms. “No. You’re my captain. I don’t want you to leave.” Her wails produced real tears, and she clung to him.

Sophie and Penny rose at the same time, each coming around the table from opposite directions.

Sophie arrived first and knelt to console the child. Charles sat frozen, unsure what to do.

Betsy continued to cry, but she transferred her grip to Sophie, wreathing her neck with her little arms, burrowing