‘Do you already have a mistress?’
He thought of Jane – not a mistress, not Jane – but Jules saw the expression in his eyes and wanted to strike this unknown woman. ‘No,’ he said firmly, ‘I don’t have a mistress.’
Jules stared up at him, not really believing him, but knowing that Michael had never lied to her. What would he do if I kissed him? she wondered. She raised her hand and lightly touched her fingertips to his cheek. ‘I’m glad you don’t wear a beard,’ she said.
He felt his body leap in response. It wasn’t her touching him, or her words. It was the look in her vivid emerald eyes that made his loins tighten. She’d had the same look when he’d stroked his hand between her thighs and felt her and caressed her. It was a vivid image in his mind: her long lashes sweeping down as she moaned softly, arching against him in a frenzy, as if she wanted to become part of him.
He released her abruptly, disgusted with himself. He tried for a smile. ‘I’m glad you don’t wear a beard either.’
Her smile was as forced as his. ‘You said that I would get married and have babies.’
‘Yes, I said that.’
‘So I’m not too young for that.’ ‘No, you’re not.’
‘Then I’m an adult.’ ‘Yes, an adult.’
‘Then, Michael, you have no right to tell me what to do. I’m a woman grown and I will make my own decisions. I want to stay in San Francisco. And if you don’t want me, I’ll just have to – ‘
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‘Wilkes would have you within twenty-four hours.’
Her chin went up. ‘I’ll buy a gun and shoot him.’
He looked at her as if he wanted to throttle her. ‘You’ve become quite a talker in the past five years, haven’t you?’
‘I’ve always been a talker, and you know it. And don’t think you got away with throwing in a cormorant to distract me. I wasn’t distracted and you don’t know anything about cormorants.’
‘Jules, the subject is closed. You will do as I say.’
‘But –‘
He placed his fingertips over her lips. ‘No. Trust me, please.’
He was implacable and she knew she’d lost.
Lahaina
Lahaina didn’t have a natural harbor, only
an open roadstead. Ships could always approach or leave it with any wind that blew. No pilot was needed. The Carolina approached through the channel between Maui and Molokai, then let the trade winds carry it close to Lanai and in toward Lahaina. Saint and Jules stood on deck watching the harbormaster climb aboard to give Captain Rafer a copy of port regulations. Chase boats and tenders waited to take the few passengers and sailors into the town and to sell goods to those who remained aboard.
‘I’d forgotten how beautiful it is here,’ Saint said, gazing at the lush green hills that rose behind the town of Lahaina. Jules said nothing, but now he didn’t expect her to. ‘And there’s the taro patch. Is it true, Jules, that Kamehameha worked there to show his subjects the dignity of labor?’
‘Not that I ever heard,’ she said, her voice clipped, ‘but I suppose it’s a nice story. Makes him sound noble and all that, which, I suppose, he was.’
He fell silent. He’d tried every ploy he could think of to make her less resentful of coming home, but nothing worked. His laughing, bright girl had withdrawn into herself.
He felt the now familiar surge of impatience with her. It was as if she’d built a very firm, impenetrable wall between them. During their voyage, she’d been firmly polite, and a stranger.
And she’d said not a word about the two weeks she’d spent with Wilkes, even when he’d asked her three evenings before, following the only storm they’d experienced
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during the two-week voyage. He hadn’t seen her for nearly twenty-four hours, his services as a doctor in demand from the moment the storm hit. ‘I’m tired as hell,’ he’d said, joining her at the railing.
‘You look it,’ she said, not turning. ‘Thanks for your concern,’ he said dryly. Jules turned to face him, and shrugged. ‘I