The Admiral's Ward by Dinah Mcleod

Author:Dinah Mcleod [Mcleod, Dinah]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Stormy Night Publications
Published: 2020-08-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Delia was aware of the fact that she could not stop smiling. Her face muscles were stretched to the point that it should have hurt, but by some miracle it didn’t. Maybe this is what it feels like to be in love. The thought made her smile even wider as she fell onto her bed, closing her eyes so that she could relive every moment of the wonderful breakfast she had just shared with the admiral.

James. The thought made her giggle aloud. Though she tended to keep to sir in public, he kept reminding her to use his given name in private.

It had been so wonderful to be out of her room and in the company of others again.

“No trousers,” the admiral had told her, the corners of his lips twitching, before he had left her to get dressed.

She only had the one gown, but she brushed it down the best she could and pinched her cheeks to give them some color before joining him.

“You look lovely,” he had told her, making her blush.

He had announced her to the room at large, and though she had noticed one or two men who hung back, seeming uncomfortable by her presence, most of them had been quite genial coming to introduce themselves.

Barnabee had been one of the first to come up to her, introducing himself with a big, sweeping bow and a conspiratorial grin.

She had fallen in line with the ruse at once, not wanting to give away her friend. James had pulled her chair out for her, and then they had breakfast. Oh, the breakfast! It was a feast of pastry, crisp bacon, seasoned sausage, biscuits with savory gravy.

“I see no one eats so fine as when they dine with the captain,” she had teased.

He had kept her laughing, and it was a pleasure to see how he interacted with his men. He was kind, jovial at times, but it was clear that they respected him a great deal. It made her proud to be the one on his arm.

She had been sad when the morning ended and he had returned to her room. He had kissed her hand, his warm, soulful eyes seducing her with the promises that lay in their depths as he said he’d see her later. She was atwitter with all that had happened and there was nothing that could spoil it.

Delia sat up when she heard a knock on the door. “James?” she called out. She launched herself off the bed, giggling as she ran to open the door. He must have not been able to stop thinking about her, either. The thought made her giddy.

But when she opened the door it was Barnabee looking back at her. Her heart fell, but only for a moment.

“Good day, m’lady. May I come in?”

She hesitated, but only for a moment. James had never told her that she could not have guests, after all. “Of course.”

He stepped inside, all smiles. “It was a pleasure to see you this morning.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.