Free The Hawk and the Jewel (Kensington Chronicles 1) by Lori Wick Page B
Authors: Lori Wick
there. He was on his way out the door before he even seemed to notice them. His dark eyes pinned them in place as he assessed their clothing. Upon the inspection and after a brief nod, Brandon moved into the companionWay and toward his cabin. He would have laughed at his own seriousness had he seen the grins on the men's faces at his departure.
* * *
Sunny peered into the mirror in her room and reached for her hairbrush for at least the tenth time. The feathery strands of hair over her forehead would simply not behave. She fussed a bit more and then heard the cabin door open. After a quick look down the front of her dress, she moved to the doorway of her room.
Brandon, looking taller than ever and resplendent in all black save a snowy white shirt and cravat, was waiting patiently for her
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appearance. He smiled with genuine pleasure at the sight of her in a dark burgundy velvet gown. The collar and cuffs were pink satin, and Brandon thought she looked adorable.
Sunny didn't feel adorable at the moment; she was confused. Why had she never noticed before how good-looking Brandon was? She realized suddenly that he'd been dressed this way the first time they met, but she'd been too taken with the ship to give much notice. Suddenly Brandon's deep voice broke into her thoughts.
"I realize you don't want any presents," he teased her, "but I hope you will still do me the honor of having dinner with me and a couple of my men."
Sunny's eyes widened in surprise over both comments, making her forget her previous thoughts. They had never eaten with anyone else, and she abruptly realized how rude she must have sounded earlier that day.
"Brandon, I'm so sorry-" she began with true remorse, but broke off when he moved toward her.
Sunny's eyes dosed, and Brandon's arms came around her small frame. His hugs always had a way of making her feel like the most cherished girl on earth. He held her dose, and then pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
"I'm only teasing you," he spoke as he now held her at arm's length. "You will of course receive your gift as soon as we eat."
Sunny's smile was brilliant as Brandon moved away from her, stood at attention, and then offered her his arm, using his best court manners to escort her to supper.
She caught her breath when she saw the captain's dining room. A cream-colored tabledoth was spread on the large table, and the room fairly sparkled from the china and crystalware at each place setting. Candles burned in the center of the table, and the lanterns were turned high.
Kyle was the first to approach, and he came over to Sunny with a grave face. She watched as he produced a star, made from fine white rope, knotted so intricately that it was only three inches across. He handed it to her, pointed to the center, and spoke. "Happy birthday, my lady. I tried to get 15 knots in the center here, seeing as you're 15, but only 14 would fit."
"But I am 14," Sunny told rum with a wide-eyed innocence.
Kyle's own eyes widened with just the right amount of conviction.
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**I thought you were 15. You look 15."
Sunny beamed up at the man as she uttered a soft word of thanks and thought she'd never met anyone so kind. Kyle was forced to turn away swiftly. She so reminded him of his own Mary, who had turned 14 just last month. She felt just as Sunny did, that growing up couldn't happen fast enough. For this father, who was away most of the time, it came all too swiftly.
Flynn's gift came next. He gave Sunny a slim volume of poetry. She reacted as though she'd never had a gift so treasured. So effusive was her thanks, the older man went away feeling as though she'd given him a gift.
Billy entered the room at that moment with the first course. Sunny was growing more accustomed to the fare, and the meal was eaten with pleasure. All three men did their best to entertain the birthday girl, and Sunny was a marvelous audience as they told stories of previous sailing days.
Brandon had been to sea for only three
* * *
Sunny peered into the mirror in her room and reached for her hairbrush for at least the tenth time. The feathery strands of hair over her forehead would simply not behave. She fussed a bit more and then heard the cabin door open. After a quick look down the front of her dress, she moved to the doorway of her room.
Brandon, looking taller than ever and resplendent in all black save a snowy white shirt and cravat, was waiting patiently for her
76
appearance. He smiled with genuine pleasure at the sight of her in a dark burgundy velvet gown. The collar and cuffs were pink satin, and Brandon thought she looked adorable.
Sunny didn't feel adorable at the moment; she was confused. Why had she never noticed before how good-looking Brandon was? She realized suddenly that he'd been dressed this way the first time they met, but she'd been too taken with the ship to give much notice. Suddenly Brandon's deep voice broke into her thoughts.
"I realize you don't want any presents," he teased her, "but I hope you will still do me the honor of having dinner with me and a couple of my men."
Sunny's eyes widened in surprise over both comments, making her forget her previous thoughts. They had never eaten with anyone else, and she abruptly realized how rude she must have sounded earlier that day.
"Brandon, I'm so sorry-" she began with true remorse, but broke off when he moved toward her.
Sunny's eyes dosed, and Brandon's arms came around her small frame. His hugs always had a way of making her feel like the most cherished girl on earth. He held her dose, and then pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
"I'm only teasing you," he spoke as he now held her at arm's length. "You will of course receive your gift as soon as we eat."
Sunny's smile was brilliant as Brandon moved away from her, stood at attention, and then offered her his arm, using his best court manners to escort her to supper.
She caught her breath when she saw the captain's dining room. A cream-colored tabledoth was spread on the large table, and the room fairly sparkled from the china and crystalware at each place setting. Candles burned in the center of the table, and the lanterns were turned high.
Kyle was the first to approach, and he came over to Sunny with a grave face. She watched as he produced a star, made from fine white rope, knotted so intricately that it was only three inches across. He handed it to her, pointed to the center, and spoke. "Happy birthday, my lady. I tried to get 15 knots in the center here, seeing as you're 15, but only 14 would fit."
"But I am 14," Sunny told rum with a wide-eyed innocence.
Kyle's own eyes widened with just the right amount of conviction.
77
**I thought you were 15. You look 15."
Sunny beamed up at the man as she uttered a soft word of thanks and thought she'd never met anyone so kind. Kyle was forced to turn away swiftly. She so reminded him of his own Mary, who had turned 14 just last month. She felt just as Sunny did, that growing up couldn't happen fast enough. For this father, who was away most of the time, it came all too swiftly.
Flynn's gift came next. He gave Sunny a slim volume of poetry. She reacted as though she'd never had a gift so treasured. So effusive was her thanks, the older man went away feeling as though she'd given him a gift.
Billy entered the room at that moment with the first course. Sunny was growing more accustomed to the fare, and the meal was eaten with pleasure. All three men did their best to entertain the birthday girl, and Sunny was a marvelous audience as they told stories of previous sailing days.
Brandon had been to sea for only three
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