Lady in the Mist - Laurie Alice Eakes [63]
“I didn’t know you were a sailor, Tabitha,” Dominick said. “But you looked right at home on that floating slop bucket. I mean fishing boat.”
“And you looked right at home on that British sloop,” Trower shot back.
“Me on a boat?” Dominick shuddered. “I dislike small spaces.”
“We saw you,” Trower persisted. “No one else around here has hair like yours.”
“But the English aren’t from around here, are they?” Dominick looked at Tabitha. “Do you think you saw me, my dear Tabitha?”
“She isn’t your dear Tabitha,” Trower interjected.
“Is that for him to say, my dear?” Dominick continued to address Tabitha.
“As far as I know,” she said, freeing her hand from Trower’s and crossing her arms over her middle, “I’m no one’s dear anything.”
“But you are,” Trower exclaimed. “Tabbie—”
She silenced him with a glance.
Dominick suppressed a chuckle. “Forgive me my familiarity, madam.” He bowed. “I use the term as an honorific, not an endearment.”
And he was a liar of the worst order.
“So, regarding my alleged presence aboard that sloop,” Dominick continued, “why, do you suppose, would I be aboard one and then remove myself?”
“You’re passing information to them,” Trower said without hesitation.
“Information about . . . ?” Dominick gave the other man an encouraging smile.
“Don’t act the fool, Mr. Cherrett,” Tabitha snapped. “You know as well as we do what’s going on around here.”
“He possibly knows more about it than we do.” Trower took a step toward Dominick. “Were you setting up the next shipment of young men for your country?”
“That’s quite an accusation, Mr. Trower.” Dominick kept his tone neutral as he glanced at Tabitha to see what she thought of her former fiancé’s bold query.
She gazed back at him with clear, blue-gray eyes, their directness telling him precisely what he did not want to hear—she wondered the same thing.
Heart feeling as though Trower’s hobnail boots had trampled on it, Dominick heaved a sigh. Now was the time to apply the adage of: when caught, tell as much of the truth as possible.
“All right. I was aboard the sloop. But it was neither arranged nor to pass information about how the Navy can acquire more human fodder for their guns.” He held Tabitha’s eyes without a blink. “The commander of the sloop put in to take on some fresh water, as they had a leak in a main water butt. I admit I headed their way when I saw them.”
“You were headed that way before you saw them,” Trower said. “I saw you when we first set out to sea.”
Oh, he had been careless.
“I was out for a walk, yes. That’s how I saw the sloop put in to the cove.”
Tabitha broke eye contact, and his tension eased. She was beginning to believe him.
“Believe me, Mr. Trower,” Dominick pushed forward with his advantage, “if I were a spy, I wouldn’t meet my contact in broad daylight.”
“Then why did you deny being aboard?” Tabitha asked. “Since you’re here, it’s obvious you weren’t trying to run away from your indenture.”
A glance at her face showed more concern than suspicion. Dominick smiled at her. “You have such a kind heart, Tab—Miss Eckles. At least I believe you understand my motives. I didn’t want to give the appearance of improper behavior. I am a man of honor. I gave my word not to run away before my indenture ends, and I will stand by it regardless of the circumstances.”
“Tabitha, you don’t believe him, do you?” Trower sounded frustrated.
“Well, yes, I do.” Tabitha glanced from Trower to Dominick. “If I were nothing less than enslaved in England, I’d take any chance I could to talk with my countrymen.”
“But he could be passing information to them,” Trower persisted.
“I could, but you have no proof of it,” Dominick said.
“Unless someone else vanishes in the next few days,” Trower said, his eyes narrowing. “How would that look?”
“Very bad for me,” Dominick admitted with complete sincerity. He felt like praying for God to protect him. But God wouldn’t protect a man who was getting only what he deserved. Possibly getting far less than what he deserved. “I’d say you’ll just have to trust me,” he added.
Trower laughed. Tabitha looked