THE BETTER PART OF VALOR. Morgan Mackinnon
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Название: THE BETTER PART OF VALOR
Автор: Morgan Mackinnon
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Короткие любовные романы
isbn: 9781646546978
isbn:
“Myles? Here. Drink this and you’ll feel better. Don’t argue, just do it.”
He struggled up on one elbow and managed to choke down two large swallows before collapsing once again on the bed. Cresta would have preferred the man be on his back, but he’d collapsed face down into the duvet. This time he seemed to be calmer, not so agitated, and showed no sign of vomiting again. Just to be safe, Cresta patted his shoulder, told him he was not to move, and she would be right back. Then she took the chamber pot into the lavatory, emptied it, and rinsed it out. Keogh seemed to have passed out, so she momentarily wondered if perhaps she’d given him too much phosphoric acid. She didn’t want to kill him. But his breathing was deep and steady, and knowing he’d be out for some time, she staggered over to her dressing room, the ship’s decks heaving nearly as much as her passengers, and managed to pull off her clothing and get into her nightgown. Then she belted her wrapper around herself, pulled up a chair, and spent the better part of the night rubbing the back of Myles Keogh.
Towards morning, the sea calmed as the storm blew over so the pitching and yawing of the ship eased substantially. Keogh woke up lying on his stomach. He remembered being seasick but didn’t remember getting to his cabin. He could recall escorting Cresta to her cabin, but…he became aware of a hand on his back. It was not moving but it was there. Opening one eye, he saw Cresta sitting in a chair beside the spot where he lay. Her eyes were closed, and she had a light blanket pulled up to her waist. She’d obviously been stroking his back, trying to ease his sickness when she’d fallen asleep. Keogh thought about it, closed his eye, and went back to sleep.
When pale light began to come through Cresta’s cabin porthole, she stirred. Her neck hurt, her shoulders hurt, and she realized she’d spent the night sitting up in a chair. Stretched out on her green duvet, watching her, was Myles Keogh…watching her through those long eyelashes, a faint hint of a smile on his lips.
“Good morning.”
She decided her patient had recovered. “Good morning. How do you feel? Is the storm over?”
Keogh stretched and sat up. “I feel much, much better. I owe you an apology for being so much trouble. I did not want you to see me unwell.”
“Nonsense. A lot of people get seasick. I had seasickness medication in my trunk, so I gave you some. I am very relieved I did not accidentally kill you.”
Myles laughed. “As am I. What time is it?”
“Around five I think.”
“Then get some sleep, dear lady. I will return to my own cabin and see you for breakfast.”
After Keogh had taken his jacket and boots and left her cabin, Cresta closed the door, sank down into a duvet still warm from his body, and was instantly asleep.
Chapter 5
The first invitation to attend a formal dinner at the Captain’s table came two days later. Captain Haynes had been intending to host one on the fourth day out, but that hadn’t gone so well. Now small gold-embossed invitations were delivered to various cabins to please attend the Captain at 8:00 p.m. in the evening. Formal wear. RSVP required.
Lieutenant Colonel Keogh accepted for both of them; he would be happy to attend. and his dining companion would be Missus Cresta Leigh.
Upon hearing the happy news, Missus Cresta Leigh thought, Oh my god. Now I have to put on those damned hoops. Suggesting to the gallant officer she needed some time alone that afternoon, Cresta experimented. Her two best ballgowns had to be worn with the hoops and the corset. She resigned herself to torture for the evening so far as the corset was concerned, but she was not going to submit to the Iron Maiden for the correct placement of the petticoats. Imagine a lampshade on strings tied around your waist with petticoats over the top and then dream about not being able to sit down. What did these women do at balls or parties? Stand up all night?
The gown would be the blue silk. It was subtly striped, lace on the upper bodice and at the sleeves. The neckline was fairly low, and she knew the corset was going to give her more cleavage than she’d like. Well, she was supposed to be a widow, not a virgin. The back of the gown had gathers that literally made her rear look like a whale but that was the fashion. Had she donned the petticoat hoops, she’d have looked like the Queen Mary. Hair? The blue tiara. It looked as though composed of diamonds except they were blue and were not precious. Formal. The tiara would be appropriate. She seemed to remember that gloves would not be appropriate with this look since dinner had to be eaten—but a bracelet and fan would be acceptable. There were so many rules to remember, and she had probably made a mistake on that first informal supper with the Colonel because she’d worn gloves, had to take them off and keep track of them all evening.
When Cresta was finally ready, she walked down the central staircase to the formal vestibule, trying to be calm. She wore the blue silk gown with the fabric gathers in back. On her feet were watered silk dancing shoes, a wide bracelet graced her left wrist, a fan attached to the wrist by a small cord. Red hair was heaped carefully on top of her head, and the blue tiara twinkled. The shoulders of the gown were brief, and décolletage on view revealed a bit of cleavage. She was a little nervous since she had not appeared like this in public before, but gentlemen she passed along the way were giving her discreet glances of approval.
Myles had changed into his formal officer’s uniform, which was comprised of navy-blue jacket with a double row of seven brass buttons each down the front, high collar accented with gold trim. Across the chest of the jacket were draped two gold Aiguillettes with waffle cords. Two medals were pinned to the frock coat on the left side of the chest; around his waist, a yellow silken sash with ends falling to the left trouser leg. He wore a belt over the sash, and his Cavalry sword rode at his left hip. The blue military trousers were adorned with single gold stripes down the legs. Rather than the epaulettes Cresta had previously seen, this evening, he was wearing gold shoulder boards; for insignia, each with one silver oak leaf, the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
In short, he looked regally magnificent, and his smile of welcome pretty much said the same thing about her. A handsome couple who were then escorted into the elegant Grand Saloon and directly to the Captain’s table. Of course, other seated ladies and gentlemen watched the procession with interest. Once at the table, the Captain rose, and the maître d’ intoned, “Captain Haynes? May I present Lieutenant Colonel Myles Keogh and his companion, Missus Cresta Leigh.”
Everyone nodded congenially, and the other male guests at the table rose for introductions. Mr. Aloysius O’drette, legal representative for the New York firm, Mason and Mason. His companion was the society matron, Missus Antoinette MacRae. The man dressed in the formal uniform of a US Army Second Lieutenant was introduced as Gaylen Jefferson, 154th New York Infantry, with his wife, the lovely Missus Cordelia Jefferson. Finally, a jolly-looking rascal wearing a green frock coat, patterned scarf, sporting a long and expertly oiled handlebar moustache. As he was introduced as an СКАЧАТЬ