Page 26 of Saving a Scoundrel
“Have you been on a boat before?”
“Just a rowboat on the pond behind Markham House.”
“And sailing the open sea was on your list?” He bumped his shoulder against hers. Perhaps he could distract her by annoying her. It was easy enough; Ellie relished scolding him.
Her eyes narrowed just as he hoped. “That is exactly why I wished to go sailing. It’s something I have never done. Besides the Thames is hardly the open sea.”
“True.” He stopped teasing her as she pressed a hand to her stomach. “But the Thames does have a strong current, and with all the other ships, there is quite a bit more wake to rock a boat this size.” He winked. “Perhaps you should let me see that list. You may be getting yourself into too deep water with these adventures.”
“Nice try.” Ellie sucked in a deep breath through her nose. “I am not sharing—” She bolted up and rushed to the railing.
Lucius winced as he listened to her vomit over the railing once more. He came to stand behind her as her shoulders sagged, and she took several deep breaths in through her nose. “Here, sit down.” He helped her back to the crate. Lucius dug into his pocket to find a handkerchief to offer. Damn, he had been in such a rush this morning he had forgotten it.
Ellie reached into her bodice and pulled a crisp white handkerchief. Lucius’s lips twitched. “You know most ladies carry a reticule for such items.”
She wiped her mouth. “Lucius, I’m too worn out for your teasing.”
“Sorry, kitten.” He brushed back a curl that escaped her pins and clung to her pale cheek. “That was my sad attempt at humor. I’ll just go get you some lemonade.”
Turning, he made his way back to the group. Danvers approached him. “Is she still ill?”
He nodded. “Yes, a terrible case ofmal de mer, I’m afraid. She’d never been sailing and had no idea.”
Danvers shook his head. “What a shame. Perhaps she’d like to lay down in the stateroom below?”
“No.” Lucius would let Ellie go down to that stateroom with Danvers over his dead body. “She needs fresh air. But even more, she needs to get off this boat. Where is the first place we can disembark?”
“We weren’t planning to dock until Windsor.”
Lady Dearborn walked over to join them. “Ellie needs to get off?”
“Yes, she is feeling ill. She has discovered boats are not for her. With your permission, I would like to take her home by carriage,” Lucius said.
“Of course, dear. I know I can trust you to get her home safely.” She patted his arm.
Danvers’s gaze narrowed thoughtfully. “I did not know you were friends.”
Damn it, caught in his lie, Lucius nodded tightly. “Miss Spencer and Lady Susanna are my sister’s closest friends.”
“Oh, I see.” Danvers’s smile became positively feline. “Well, I’ll have us dock at Hampton. And you can disembark there. It is maybe another twenty or thirty minutes.”
“We’re disembarking?” Katy appeared at Lucius’s elbow.
Bollocks.He’d forgotten all about Miss Macdougal. He turned to face her. “I’m sorry, but Miss Spencer is ill, and I need to take her home by carriage.”
“I can watch over Miss Macdougal and bring her safely home,” Lady Dearborn said. “There is no use for her to miss out on this lovely afternoon.”
“Excellent!” Lucius grinned. “Would you like to stay with Lady Dearborn and Lady Susanna?”
A furrow appeared between Katy’s eyebrows. “But why must you be the one to take her home?”
Lucius took her elbow, and they moved aside to the railing. “Who else? I wouldn’t want to have all three ladies missing the boat ride if Lady Dearborn took her home. Best if it’s just me. Unless you aren’t comfortable staying?”
Katy shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I prefer to have fun this afternoon.” She spun and stalked back to the group.
Lucius returned to Lady Dearborn’s side. “Thank you.”
“No problem, dear. You just get Ellie home. She’ll feel better once she is on dry land.”
