Miss Minerva's Pirate Mishap by Maggie Dallen (to read list .TXT) 📗

and danced and charmed every officer in the room.

She would be able to have her pick of officer’s when the day came. Of that, Minerva had no doubt.

Sally, not surprisingly, was standing with their father and his friends. Her father looked more intimidating than ever as he presided over the event, waiting at the door for their esteemed visitors to arrive. Her sister was engaged in conversation with the doctor from town, their expressions so serious that Minerva had no doubt they were discussing the newest medical journal or one of the science tomes that so fascinated Sally.

Sally had her science and her outdoor adventures to keep her occupied. Abigail had her children to teach and nursing when anyone fell ill. Rebecca had her neverending fetes to plan and her clothes to embellish. Hattie, of course, had her books.

And Minerva had...

What, exactly?

Her maudlin thoughts were fortunately interrupted by the long-awaited arrival of the earl and his visiting friends.

The sense of ennui and the disarming sadness she could not seem to shake disappeared in an instant when she spotted the newcomers. Not because she was so very overwhelmed by the high and mighty—though it was amusing to see Hattie, Rebecca, and some of the younger officers gaping as they craned their necks to see the new arrivals enter.

“Well, I certainly never saw anyone in Billingham dress in such finery.” Roger’s tone held a hint of mockery as he joined her near the dance floor.

Drat. She shot him a quick sidelong look. He’d kept his distance from her all evening as he’d mingled and talked with his friends and the men who served under him. Why now, of all times, had he decided that he ought to be an attentive escort?

Her gaze darted around the room to take in the crowd.

Why now, when the fun was about to begin?

No, not fun. It was hardly fun to discover a traitor in their midst.

Excitement had her heart racing. No, this was not fun at all.

She bit her lip. Oh, how she wished she could talk to Marcus right now. She glanced over at Roger who was so calm and civilized beside her.

There was the guilt her sister had referred to.

But it didn’t have anything to do with the lie she’d told. It had everything to do with how ardently she wished that it was Marcus standing beside her instead, that it was Marcus who was now turning to her and asking her to dance.

Minerva could find no reason to refuse, and so she allowed Roger to draw her onto the dance floor as the music swelled. Between her sisters and the ladies from town, there were plenty of women here, but still not enough to dance with every officer. Her sisters would be exhausted from dancing by the end of it all.

Rebecca whirled past, clearly not exhausted yet as she tipped her head back to laugh at whatever the young officer was telling her.

Minerva did not laugh. Roger barely spoke.

Their shared silence was...comfortable, she told herself.

Excitement wasn’t everything. There was something to be said for comfort and loyalty.

Yes, loyalty. That was what she wanted. That was what she aimed to be. Loyal. Level-headed. Practical.

Everything her mother was not.

While her mouth remained shut, her eyes moved, her gaze flitting over the crowd, ignoring the new arrivals in favor of the townspeople. The officers and the store owners. Anyone who could have been behind the smuggling.

While she knew that their plan could fail—word could not have spread the way they’d hoped, her criminal might not be as desperate as Marcus believed, or they may have hired someone else to do their bidding—Minerva was still alert and ready, watching everyone as well as she could.

For what? She wasn’t quite certain. Perhaps a look of tension or a sudden disappearance?

“Are you searching for someone in particular, Minerva?” Roger’s amiable voice had her gaze darting up to meet his.

“No, no,” she said quickly. “Just taking it all in, I suppose.”

Roger’s smile was sweet and tender. “You and your sisters have outdone yourselves tonight.”

Her answering smile felt tepid. “It was mostly Rebecca’s doing,” she said.

His arms around her tightened. “You are too modest.”

I’m really not. She merely continued to smile. Protesting would only prolong his compliments, and they were decidedly undeserved. Rebecca was the mastermind behind all party planning, while Abigail and Hattie were happy to help. Even Sally was helpful with the manual labor involved, helping to put up decorations or unloading the crates of refreshments.

As for Minerva...?

Well, she cavorted with pirates.

Pirate hunters.

Privateers?

Whichever title Marcus was going by, it changed nothing. He changed nothing. For he would be gone by dawn if all went according to plan.

Her feet stumbled as her stomach pitched as though she was on a dinghy at sea during a storm.

“Minnie, are you all right?” Roger asked, his handsome features creased with concern.

“Yes, of course,” she managed. For a long moment, she studied him, wishing that the sight of his affectionate gaze made her warm, that the sound of his voice made her heart swell.

She desperately wished that his arms about her might feel like home. Why couldn’t she want this? Want him?

Why, even now, did she yearn to race down the shoreline and to the cave where he would be waiting?

Because he personified excitement, she told herself. Because he offered adventure.

She dipped her head down, temporarily unable to catch her breath as she let Roger guide her through the steps.

Lies. She was telling herself lies.

She’d never been much good at lying, and never to herself.

Yes, she loved the excitement he’d brought into her life, and there was no doubt that she craved the adventure that he’d offered. But that wasn’t why she wanted to see him again. They were not the reasons her heart ached at the thought of him leaving without her, and they weren’t what made her feel as though her heart might rip in two if she were to never again see those laughing eyes, never hear him tease...

This is madness.

She