The Ship of Love Read online

  Rowena gasped in horror.

  "These people have no heart," she cried.

  "No heart at all," he agreed. "Luckily she was a strong minded lady and would have none of it. She was secretly in love with an attorney, and wasn't prepared to see her happiness snatched away a second time. They eloped, and I gather are extremely happy.

  "I believe she was right in following her heart," he continued. "It's what I want to do myself."

  "But I thought you had to have an heiress?"

  "I was teasing you. I'll manage without the heiress. There are some pictures I can sell, and I will, rather than relinquish my dream of marrying a woman who loves me for myself alone, without thought of my title. There! Now I've confided to you what I've told nobody else. The others would have laughed at me. Only you, my dear sister and friend, can understand."

  He was still holding her hand. Suddenly Rowena tightened her own fingers, and laid her other hand over his.

  "Then we are the only ones who can help each other," she said.

  "I shall help you at once by taking myself off on a voyage."

  "Why that's it!" exclaimed Rowena. "That's theanswer to our problem."

  In a blinding flash an idea had come to her, and it seemed as though heaven itself had inspired her, just as she'd longed for.

  "You think my going away will solve everything?" the Duke asked.

  "We'll both go."

  He stared at her, as though afraid she'd become light headed. Then he said ironically,

  "Won't that land us in exactly the kind of trouble we're both trying to avoid?"

  "Not if we go about it the right way," Rowena said excitedly. "You will tell Papa you want to hire TheAdventurer and take some friends on a cruise around the Mediterranean. You will invite me to join the party, as an act of courtesy towards him."

  The Duke stared at her. Then he said:

  "What would you and I gain by that?"

  "Wait, let me tell you the rest. You would ask the men, who are to be your guests, and I would ask the women. Perhaps the men should have titles, not as important as yours, but it would certainly help if there was another Duke on board."

  "That may be a little difficult," he observed. "Unmarried Dukes are in rather short supply. And why must they have titles?"

  "Because we're looking for men who are being pursued in the marriage market for their status. Just like you. Mind you, if they were untitled but rich, I suppose that might do just as well."

  "You're very kind. And the girls?"

  "I'm not the only girl being pushed by an ambitious parent. I know several others who will be glad to make their escape. On our voyage they will feel free. They will not be harried. No parents will be invited."

  There was silence for a moment. Then the Duke said slowly:

  "I see what you are trying to do. Do you really believe it is possible?"

  "I not only think it's possible, but I believe some of our friends will fall in love when they no longer feel under pressure. What could be more romantic than being at sea, free from all the social bonds they have at home?"

  "It is certainly an idea," the Duke admitted. "Do you think your father will let me hire the yacht?"

  "Of course he will," Rowena replied. "When he knows I'm going he'll expect us to tell him the good news immediately we arrive home. Of course we won't have any news to announce, since we're really doing this to get away from each other – if you see what I mean."

  "I think I can follow that," he said dryly.

  "In fact, you will probably return engaged to one of my friends."

  "If I do, will you send her your condolences?" he asked with a twinkle.

  "Oh, don't remind me of what I said that day."

  "But it's one of my favourite memories. How you can possibly want to be trapped on a ship with a 'conceited, boorish, mannerless creature who doesn't know how to behave like a gentleman'?"

  "I said that before I knew you properly," she told him severely.

  "Ah! I see."

  "Now that I've met you, I think you're much worse than that."

  His eyes gleamed appreciation. "Touché, Miss Thornhill! I shall have to be on my guard."

  "You need not despair," Rowena said demurely. "Whoever you fall in love with, I promise not to spoil things by telling her the truth about you."

  "That's very kind of you. But suppose I don't fall in love with any of your friends."

  "I really think you should try to," she advised him earnestly. "Otherwise my father will start trying to match us again."

  He nodded. "And that is to be avoided at all costs."

  Suddenly Rowena sighed.

  "Oh, what does it matter what happens when it's over?" she asked. "At the very least we'll have a breathing space. At the best we may have the satisfaction of making one or two of our friends really happy, because they have found the love we are all seeking."

  She spoke softly with a little quiver in her voice, which told the Duke it meant a great deal to her.

  He had released her hand, but now he took it again and spoke with gentle seriousness.

  "I think your idea is inspired, and you can rely on me to do everything you wish about this voyage. If we can bring it off, perhaps our friends may be happy. Perhaps you or I will find, among the guests, the true love we seek. Perhaps both of us will. We must protect and care for each other as brothers and sisters do."

  "Oh, yes," breathed Rowena. "We must do that."

  He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. It was not a loverlike gesture, but a solemn pledge of friendship and trust.

  For a long moment they sat in silence, each understanding the silent pledge that had been given.

  After a while he said,

  "I have promised to do as you wish. Do you have any other ideas for our voyage?"

  "We would need a chaperone, otherwise the girls' parents will say their reputations have been ruined." She looked at him cheekily. "Then you might have to marry all of them."

  "This begins to sound dangerous," he mused.

  "You must think of someone respectable enough to satisfy the parents, but who won't interfere in any way with what we are doing."

  "An impossible combination! No, wait! I know exactly the person we need. My aunt, a delightful lady. She ran away from home when she was only eighteen and married a curate, much to her father's fury."

  His voice dropped as he added: "I believe they were blissfully happy until he was sent overseas, doubtless by the Bishop. It was there he died of some obscure disease, which he caught when tending to the sick and dying."

  "How sad," Rowena replied. "Was she very miserable?"

  "She was broken-hearted," the Duke told her. "Because of her history, she is the one relation of mine who understands what I am looking for in marriage."

  "I think she sounds very brave and of course you are quite right, she would be the ideal person for us. She would understand our feelings as no one else would."

  "I think you must be the most original young lady I've ever met," he said admiringly.

  "Well, my Lord – "

  "Do you not think you could call me Mark?" he asked. "Not in your father's hearing of course, because it would awaken his expectations. But when we are alone."

  "Very well, and you must call me Rowena, on the same conditions. I was simply going to say that I think it will be good for you to meet a number of girls, who aren't standing on your doorstep wanting you to ask them in."

  "The only person standing on my doorstep," the Duke said, "is your father. I am not a fool. I realise he's been trying to display his wealth to me."

  "In other words he is tempting you," Rowena said. "I expect a lot of your friends have been tempted too. I suppose every mother and father starts the season by hoping their daughter will marry tremendously well – either wealth or a title. It's as you said, 'preferably both, but at least one or the other.' Most of them must be very disappointed when July comes, and the season is over."

  "They shouldn't
be so greedy," the Duke said. "Money isn't everything in life, even though most people think it is. You can't buy love in hard cash."

  "Of course not," Rowena agreed. "It comes from the heart, or as the Russians say: 'from the heart and the soul.'"

  "Obviously you've considered this seriously," the Duke said. "And you are absolutely right."

  "But we must be careful how we explain ourselves to the others," Rowena mused. "I'll tell the girls this is a chance to be free, and enjoy being amongst people of our own age."

  The Duke smiled. "Then they'll certainly accept your invitation."

  "No your invitation," Rowena said. "Make no mistake, this is your party and that's how we must present it."

  "Why must it be my party and not yours?"

  "Because at all costs we must appear respectable."

  He raised his eyebrows satirically in a way she found subtly disturbing.

  "Appear? Aren't you respectable Rowena?"

  "I'm nineteen," she said with dignity. "That's too young to be respectable in the sense I mean."

  "Oh, you mean respectable as in 'fuddy-duddy'?"

  "Yes. Now you're much older than me – "

  "I'm thirty," he said stiffly, "not that much older."

  "But old enough to be respectable – "

  "Fuddy-duddy."

  "Well a little fuddy-duddy is what we need," she said, wondering why he was suddenly being so difficult. "You've even got a few grey hairs coming at the side."

  "All my family go grey early. My father was completely white by the time he was forty-five. I may add that it did not prevent women finding him irresistible."

  'Of course not,' she thought. 'If he'd looked anything like his son he must have been even more handsome and distinguished with white hair than with dark.' She wondered how Mark would look at that age.

  "He led my poor mother a terrible dance with his flirtations," Mark continued Then he seemed to pull himself hurriedly together. "I shouldn't be telling you this, it's most improper. I merely wanted to point out that a couple of grey hairs do not mean I'm staggering towards an early grave."

  "I never said it did. I merely felt they might be useful in giving you a – a settled appearance."

  "Thank you," he said, chagrined. "Well, it seems to me you have no problem. Just tell your father he can forget about matching us, as I am much too old for you."

  "Only eleven years," Rowena said innocently. "Lord Toston was eighteen years older than me and Papa said – "

  "Perhaps we could change the subject," the Duke asked, with a stiff smile.

  "Very well. I didn't mean to offend you. Of course I can see you are offended, although I can't think why."

  "No, I'm sure you can't," the Duke said, recovering his temper and regarding her with amusement. "But that's because you're very young. At nineteen I dare say thirty does seem ancient."

  "Not really, but I can understand why your family wants you to take a wife without delay," she said wisely.

  "Before I'm on crutches, you mean?" he asked with a grin.

  "You're making fun of me."

  "Only a little. I take your point about being respectable. Perhaps I could put a little flour on my temples to increase my – er – settled appearance?"

  "Nonsense! Nonsense! Flour doesn't work!"

  The Duke and Rowena both turned, startled by the voice that had come out of the shadows.

  "Who's there?" the Duke demanded.

  "I am," said Mr. Farley, coming forward. "I slipped into the conservatory some time ago. I've been standing here listening, and a more bird-brained scheme I've never heard."

  He came out where they could see him more clearly. He had a glass of champagne in one hand and a cream cake in the other, and had evidently been plundering the remains of the party.

  "A pack of young people all together on the ocean," he said, "flirting, laughing, making eyes at each other, hanky panky – "

  "There isn't going to be any hanky-panky," the Duke said at once. "Miss Thornhill is too young and innocent, and I'm too old and fuddy-duddy. We've decided that."

  "I didn't say you were old – " Rowena said quickly.

  "Of course he isn't," Mr. Farley said robustly. "Prime of life. Hale and hearty young man."

  "I've got a grey hair," the Duke offered.

  "I don't care if you've got a head full of grey hairs," Mr. Farley said. "A man of thirty is still young and vigorous, and just right for a girl of nineteen."

  "If you mean Miss Thornhill, we're doing this to avoid having to marry each other," the Duke reminded him.

  Farley gave him a level gaze. "Are you?" he said evenly. "Are you indeed!"

  The Duke couldn't meet his eyes.

  "Well you'll have to do a great deal better than flour," Mr. Farley went on. "I tried it when I was a young curate, preaching to people old enough to be my grandparents. Never did any good. One old dowager told me to go away and not come back until I'd washed my hair."

  "But we have the Duke's aunt as chaperone," Rowena said anxiously. "Surely that will do?"

  "One old lady? Not enough. She can't be everywhere. Two chaperones would be better. And if one of them was a clergyman – "

  "The perfect answer," the Duke said with a grin. "Why didn't we think of it?"

  "Oh Grandpapa, would you really come?"

  "I think I'd better, m'dear. For one thing, if I'm there I can stop your father trying to come too."

  Rowena was ecstatic.

  "Dearest Grandpapa. It's so sweet of you to sacrifice yourself like this for us."

  Mr. Farley had the grace to blush. "Nothing I do for you is too much trouble, m'dear."

  *

  The following morning the Colonel found his daughter in the morning room, where she was writing.

  She was half afraid he would demand what she meant by being up half the night, but one glance at his face told her she was safe. Last night had ended with the three of them climbing the stairs and creeping to their rooms through the darkened house. Once Rowena had closed her bedroom window, there was no evidence of her attempted escape.

  She hadn't met the Duke at breakfast as he'd gone out for a stroll. Deliberately, she suspected.

  Now her father was full of news.

  "I've just been having a long talk with the Duke," he said.

  "Really Papa?" She opened her eyes as wide and innocently as she could.

  "I must admit, my dear, that when he first asked to speak to me, I hoped he was making an offer for your hand, but it seems he has something quite different in mind. He wishes to hire The Adventurer to take his aunt on a sea voyage. It seems she's been ailing recently."

  "That's very considerate of him, Papa."

  "Yes, he seems to be an excellent young man. I only wish – but, no matter. If it cannot be, I suppose I must accept that. But I'm glad to see that you and he will still be friends."

  "Papa," she laughed, "you have no subtlety. You mean you want him to introduce me to other young men in his circle."

  "Well, I dare say he'll do that when he gets back to England," Colonel Thornhill said.

  When he'd gone Rowena sat down, puzzled. Her father had made no mention of herself being one of the party. And that was very strange.

  A moment later the Duke looked in, relieved to find her there.

  "Has your father spoken to you yet?"

  "Yes, but he seems to know nothing of my joining the party."

  "I haven't mentioned it. It would have sounded suspicious, coming so soon. You must seem to be an afterthought. Leave everything to me."

  He was gone.

  'Poor Papa,' Rowena thought. 'It does seem terrible to deceive him like this, although I'm sure it's quite an innocent deception. I simply must lead my own life, and find love in my own way, without letting him take over. Mark is right. It's better if this seems to have nothing to do with me.'

  Mark played his part with consummate skill. Having secured the ship he invited Mr. Farley.

  "As company for my
aunt," he explained to the Colonel. "She has a preference for clerical gentlemen, having been married to one."

  His next master stroke was to bring his aunt to Haverwick Castle to meet Colonel Thornhill and his daughter. She turned out to be about seventy, with a long nose and a way of looking down it as though at worms. The few words she spoke implied that the world and everyone in it was insufferably tedious.

  Rowena was astonished that this aloof, haughty woman could ever have noticed a curate, never mind married one.

  She turned a puzzled gaze on Mark. He met her eyes blandly.

  Then she gasped with shock.

  He had winked at her.

  How very improper!

  But such fun!

  The Colonel was in seventh heaven at being trodden on by the sister of a Duke. When the Lady Honoria announced that she positively doted on 'that dear child, Rowena' and insisted that she must accompany them on the voyage, the Colonel saw the door opening again to all his social ambitions.

  He would have liked to invite himself along too, but when he ventured a hint Lady Honoria fixed him with her lorgnette until he faltered into silence.

  At last Her Ladyship bade him a lofty farewell and departed into her nephew's care. Having taken her home he presented her with a huge box of her favourite chocolates, "for playing your part superbly".

  CHAPTER SIX

  After that things were easy. The presence of Lady Honoria and a clergyman laid a cloak of respectability over the party so completely, that some young people were inclined to refuse their invitations, and had to have the truth of the matter hurriedly explained to them.

  In no time at all a lively young party was assembled.

  When Rowena came to select her guests, she found she already had a mental list of girls who would benefit from this kind of trip. It was almost as though some secret part of her mind had been preparing for some time.

  First she chose the Hon. Margaret Fleming, whom she liked and pitied. Margaret had a very pushy mother who was determined she should make an important marriage, and then be able to introduce her two younger sisters to well-born men.