May 7, 1819

London, England

Adrian Warble considered himself to be a reasonable sort of person. Perhaps with a slight reputation as a former rake and for having a hot temper, but... reasonable. Still, he could not help but stare at his friend across the table where they shared some tea and biscuits in her garden.

Miranda Dashcombe, the Duchess of Winterbourne, was the picture of elegant poise. Lustrous chestnut curls framed her face, and her blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight.

"Excuse me," he said. "I just want to make sure I understand you correctly. You want me to take on a cabin boy for my personal use for one voyage only? And he's the son of someone you know?"

The duchess nodded before having another sip of her tea. Something about the innocent look on her face set off alarm bells in the back of his mind.

"Does this boy have any experience as a cabin boy?"

"None."

He groaned. Great.

"Any ship experience at all?" he asked, even though he suspected he knew the answer.

"Afraid not."

"So why, exactly, should I take him on?"

Rain smiled. "Because you owe me. And you mentioned having recently lost your cabin boy."

Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "I do need a new cabin boy, but I was rather hoping for someone with experience. Training a newcomer will be a hassle, especially if he's only joining for one voyage."

"Come now, Adrian." Rain leaned forward, her eyes twinkling. "Where's your sense of adventure? You've always been one to rise to the challenge."

It was hard not to chuckle at her persistence. No one could accuse the Duchess of Winterbourne of not being stubborn. "You know me too well. But I have to ask, what's so special about this boy that you're calling in a favour for him?"

Waving a hand dismissively, she set her cup down. "Oh, just a promise I made to his family. They're keen for him to see a bit of the world. Gain some life experience. And I thought, who better to guide him than the intrepid Captain Warble?"

Adrian raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced. "And there's no other reason you're being so cryptic about this boy?"

"He needs to get to America and you need a cabin boy. It's your next destination anyway, is it not? Seems like providence to me." She smiled again. "You trust me, don't you?"

Meeting her gaze, he saw the sincerity beneath the playfulness. She had been a true friend since he got to know her, even if somewhat unconventional at times. Which was probably exactly why they got along so well. Rain would often take care of his pet iguana when he had business in London. His family refused to house the lizard. Rain, on the other hand, accepted any creature under her roof—something he suspected often frustrated her husband.

"Of course I trust you," he said. "I just hope I won't regret it this time."

She clapped her hands in delight. "Excellent! I knew I could count on you. As I'm sure you understand, I can't have a family friend's son travel across the Atlantic with just anyone. I'll have the boy sent to your ship first thing tomorrow morning."

Draining his tea, Adrian was already mentally preparing himself for the challenges ahead. "I hope you know what you're asking for. And if this all goes sideways, I'm holding you personally responsible."

His threat met with nothing but a pearly laugh. "Please. What can a lone cabin boy possibly do to ruin your voyage?"

Many things. Dump his dinner in the ocean. Forget to keep his clothes clean. Only offer cold baths—one of his former cabin boys had considered himself above lugging hot water from the kitchens to the captain's quarters because he was the fifth son of a viscount. He had never made another voyage aboard the Amelia.

Growing serious, Rain sighed when he didn't respond. "Adrian, please know I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't think it was important. I need to know the boy is well looked after. And it could do you good as well."

He frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You've been running from something ever since you took to the sea. Don't think I haven't noticed. This life of adventure, of constant motion... it's been an escape for you."

This was not a direction he wanted the discussion to go. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said stiffly.

But of course he did. Catherine. He'd been running away from London—from her—for years. He'd been ready to give up his life as a rake, commit himself to one woman only... But Catherine had not loved him the way he did her. She'd married someone else. Rather than staying there and watching her with her new husband, he'd taken charge of one of the ships in the shipping company he had invested in together with his brother Richmond. And he hadn't looked back since.

Rain reached across the table, placing her hand on his. "I've known you for quite some time now... and I'm sorry if this is too forward, but I don't want you to give up on love. You deserve it, same as everyone else. Don't let your bruised heart keep you from finding the future you want."

"Not everyone can be as lucky as you and your husband." He stood, not wanting her to say anything more.

"It took us quite some time to get there though." Rain stood as well, a wry tilt to her lips. "All I'm saying is to not close yourself off. You never know when the right person will land in your lap."

"Your Grace," Adrian said, reverting to her formal title even as his tone was anything but deferential. "If a woman lands in my lap, I'm quite certain she is a different type of woman all-together."

Rain rolled her eyes at his crudeness.

"I should go," he continued. "I have a ship to prepare and a crew to inform about our new addition."

"Of course."

He made to leave, but stopped for a second. "Oh, what's the boy's name?"

"Ol—" She cut herself short as she coughed. "Oliver. And I'm sorry, but I must ask another favour."

"Dare I ask?"

"Please let him sleep in your quarters and not with the other crew."

"Excuse me?"

"It doesn't have to be your bedchamber," she added quickly. "He can sleep in the other part of the captain's quarters. There are some partitions or something, right?"

"Yes, but why can't he sleep in the fo'c'sle with the others?" One of the advantages to being captain was the privacy offered by having your own private cabin, and Adrian didn't love the idea of sharing it with someone else. Least of all some young boy.

"He's from a fine family. Coddled. It's only one voyage." Rain's lower lip pouted, and he was quite certain her husband would give her anything she asked for when presented with that look. It was not as effective on him. "Please, Adrian?"

He groaned. "Fine! But bloody hell, Rain. You're setting me up with some coddled, spoilt brat for a cabin boy?"

"It's only for one voyage?" she repeated, more questioning this time.

"You owe me," he grumbled, and with a final bow, he turned and strode out of the garden.

Rain watched as Adrian nearly bumped into her husband on his way out. She could only hope she'd made the right decision today. A noise by her feet caught her attention, and with a smile she picked up the calico cat and cuddled it in her arms, stroking the feline across the back.

"Lord Adrian was muttering under his breath more than normal today," Marcus said as her tall husband came up next to her. "Have you angered him?"

"No, I just asked him a small favour." Well, maybe not that small. "It'll do him good, I'm sure."

Marcus let out a soft scoff. "This wouldn't have anything to do with what you and your sister were whispering about earlier, would it?"

Burying her nose in the cat's soft fur, Rain mumbled, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"And don't act like I didn't see your friend Miss Newton here this morning." His hazel eyes narrowed. "I sincerely hope you are not playing matchmaker, Rain. Are you?"

She grinned up at him. "Would it be so awful if I was?"

A loud groan escaped him. "You cannot possibly know if they are well-suited for one another."

"Lady Match is not the only one who can see a potential match," Rain huffed. "They are both dear friends of mine, and they deserve to find love. It's been escaping them for so long."

Marcus shook his head, a wry smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I know you mean well, darling, but in this case you may have overshot. Lord Adrian is not interested in love. He hasn't been for some time. And Miss Newton? She only has eyes for one man. Even I know that much."

"Well, maybe it's time for them both to look a little beyond their comfort zone." She nudged him with her hip. "Like you did."

He chuckled. "Let's hope not. It took me far too long to confess how I felt for you. And these two are strangers to one another. I cannot begin to fathom how you are planning to make this happen. Lord Adrian's ship is due to leave soon."

"Oh, I think they will meet soon enough."

At her cryptic remark, her husband raised a dark eyebrow. "Rain? What have you done?"

"Nothing Olivia hasn't asked me for herself," she said breezily.

"She asked you to introduce her to Lord Adrian?"

"Well, not exactly..."

His brows knotted further. "Rain..."

She giggled. "Fret not. They will be fine. And they will both thank me later."

"Or they will curse you."

"Only time will tell."

Following her husband into the house, Rain knew what she hoped the outcome would be. If only the two stubborn people could see that the future she had in mind for them was far better than what they had decided for themselves. Was that really too much to ask?

~~~~~~