An Officer but No Gentleman(31)

“Was he like that as a child, too?”

Charlie was fascinated by families and stories of people’s childhood. She never knew other children growing up, except for a cabin boy or two. And by the time she was old enough to relate to them, she became the cabin boy and there were no more until she was older.

“Do you know the story of Esau and Jacob?” Daniel asked.

“From the Bible?”

Daniel nodded. “Jaxon is Jacob.”

“He’s a twin? I’ve never met a twin before. Do they look alike?”

“Exactly alike. Or they did before….” Daniel made a gesture toward his face.

“Well a least the scars didn’t hurt his looks.”

Daniel looked at her like she had lost her mind then he realized she meant it. She was as attracted to his brother as Jax was to her. It had taken Daniel a couple of years before he only saw his brother when he looked at him and not the scars. With Charlie that trait seemed inherent. Daniel knew the way women avoided Jaxon in social gatherings. He never knew how vapid the upper crust was about looks until then. It had been nearly impossible to watch as Jaxon tested the water of society after his injuries—to see one twin flourish while the other was ostracized. It was the first time Jaxon had not been able to outshine, Grayson.

“If you’re finished I’ll see you to….” It occurred to Daniel he had no idea where Charlie would sleep.

“The captain was going to have a hammock put in the corner of his cabin for me.”

Talk about the fox guarding the hen. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“I think that shiner you’re wearing should tell you I can take care of myself. If it had not been three against one, you would not have bested me. Besides your brother is injured making him no threat at all.”

He laughed, showing his dimples. “I believe you.” Daniel knew his brother well enough to know Jaxon would not take a woman against her will. But what if she were willing? He was truly torn. He loved his brother and would love to see him settled down with any woman, but Daniel felt responsible for Charlie being here and therefore she was his responsibility. He just wished he could get into Jaxon’s mind and make sure his intentions were honorable. He was still seething over the way Jax had kissed her on deck. If he treated he like a trollop in front of the men, how would he treat her behind closed doors? If only Charlie had slapped Jaxon after that kiss. He certainly deserved it.

“Shall I take his meal to him?” she asked drawing Daniel out of his reverie. “He needs to eat if he’s going to heal properly.”

“If tis your wish.”



Jaxon sat at the large desk, his charts rolled out on it. The sextant rested on one side preventing the chart from rolling up. In one easy movement, Charlie replaced the sextant with the plate. Her father would have never set the sextant in place where it could be knocked off and damaged. It was too important. She placed it in its padded box and closed the hinged lid, securing it with the small clasp.

“Here?” she asked spotting an opening on the bookshelf about the correct size.

“Aye,” he said.

She worked it into place behind the turned dowel which spanned the length of the shelf preventing the books from falling in rough seas.

“Jaxon,” Daniel spoke from the doorway. “May I have a word with you?” He was glad to see the hammock installed in the corner with two folded blankets and a pillow on top.

It took Jaxon a moment to realize Daniel wanted him to step outside. “Wait for me on deck,” he said to Daniel. “I’ll be there in a minute.” Jaxon waited for Daniel to leave before he addressed Charlie.

“Will thirty minutes be long enough for you to take care of your needs before bed?” he asked. “There’s a nightshirt in my locker. I still have work I need to do before I can turn in so I hope the lamp won’t disturb you.”

“I’m so tired I could sleep through a hurricane—on deck!”

“Take the bunk. I’ll take the hammock.”

“Actually, I was looking forward to sleeping in the hammock.” Hammocks reminded her of her childhood. She had slept in one in the corner of her father’s cabin. When she was small, she used to pretend that the cradling sensation of the hammock was her parents cradling her in their arms. She could use that today.

“Before you go, Captain, may I check your wound?”

It seemed to annoy him, but he quickly pulled his shirttail from his pants and unbuttoned it.

Gingerly, she touched the area with the back of her fingers. “It’s a little warm,” she said more to herself than him. She glanced up at his face realizing she’d said it aloud. “Nothing to worry about yet, even a scrape feels warm to the touch when it’s new. I’m going to press on your other side, so I can feel what normal feels like on you, then I’m going to press the area around the wound. I’m trying to make sure you’re not bleeding into your belly.”