Free Stormy Persuasion by Johanna Lindsey Page B

wagons show up.”
    “I’d agree, ’cept this one might be for us.”
    Corky was talking about an approaching coach, not a wagon. Yet it did stop and the
     driver called down, “Are you with The Maiden George ? If so, I have passengers who want to board now.”

Chapter Ten

    L ast night, Nathan had thought the couple were an odd pair, as he and Corky rowed them
     and an inordinate amount of heavy luggage out to The Maiden George . The man had introduced himself as Count Andrássy Benedek, a relative of the ship’s
     captain. The woman’s name hadn’t been mentioned. They spoke English but the man had
     a foreign accent. And they didn’t seem to like each other. Although the pair had been
     whispering to each other, Nathan had gotten the impression that they were bickering
     and didn’t want to be overheard. The woman’s pretty face had looked angry.
    Nathan had felt sorry for the bloke, though. A henpecked man if he’d ever seen one,
     and he looked no older than twenty-five, his own age. Far too young to be stuck with
     a shrew for a wife, pretty or not, if that’s who she was to him.
    But this morning as the dawn sky brightened, Nathan was surprised to see Benedek joining
     him at the rail. Escaping the shrew? Nathan might have remarked on it, one man commiserating
     with another, if he didn’t want to avoid drawing attention to himself on this trip.
     Besides, the man was titled.
    Class distinctions didn’t used to mean anything to Nathan. Having an earl for an ancestor
     probably accounted for his attitude, not that he’d ever mentioned that to anyone or
     ever would. It was galling that Burdis had found out. In fact, if someone called him
     gentry these days, he’d probably punch him in the face. He preferred to simply treat
     all men as equals whether they wanted to be or not, but most nabobs felt differently.
    His reticence turned out to be a good decision because the count wasn’t alone for
     long. His companion from the night before arrived a few moments later, saying, “You
     can’t ignore me, Andrássy!”
    “Can’t I?” Benedek shot back. “Not another word about it, Catherine. I am not going to ask them for any more favors when I only just met them.”
    “But one of them could have the insight, could tell me if my father really is alive,
     or even where he is. You could at least ask.”
    “And have them think I’m crazy? The supposed magical abilities of Gypsies is just
     superstitious nonsense and trickery. That’s what Gypsies do. They prey on the hopes
     and dreams of the gullible. They tell you what you want to hear and get paid for it.
     None of it is true and I’m not going to insult this branch of my family by mentioning
     these notions of yours. My God, do you listen to yourself, spouting such nonsense?”
    “Of course I believe it, when I’ve seen you display the Gypsy gift occasionally. Deny
     it all you want, but you know it’s true.”
    “All I have is the instinct of a tracker and luck. There’s nothing mystical about
     that, Catherine. And I’ll use those instincts to find your father, if just to be rid
     of you for good!”
    “How dare you! You wouldn’t even know about these relatives of yours if not for me!
     I found that journal that mentioned them. You owe me!”
    “I owe you nothing, although I will honor the obligation my father saddled me with
     when he married your mother!”
    “Perfect, luv. You really are a master of improvis—”
    Nathan couldn’t hear any more as the pair moved farther down the deck, but the woman’s
     voice had changed to a purring tone there at the end, as if she really was offering
     praise.
    But glad to be alone again at the rail, Nathan raised the spyglass he’d borrowed from
     Artie, the crusty, old first mate, for a closer view of the wharf. A longboat had
     been dispatched for the passengers because there were so many of them. Quite a crowd
     of well-dressed people were on the dock, waiting for it. But he wasn’t