laughed. “As if I don’t know.”
“Are we going to argue again?” she cried, dismayed. “You have been so terribly preoccupied since your return, we have hardly had a word. I was hoping I might even have a dance with you,” she said. She felt her cheeks flame at the idea of having to ask him for a dance—and all because she wanted to be in his arms. She did not want to discuss Montgomery now. “You haven’t called.”
He avoided her eyes. “I have been busy.”
She hated Louisa Cochrane. How had that fat old hen caught his attention? “Were you planning to call and say goodbye, or did you mean to simply sail away for another two years?”
His gaze shot to hers, filled with surprise. “You sound accusing. Did you miss me, Elysse? Surely you were too busy with your five marriage proposals to ever think of me!”
She fumbled with her beaded purse. She had missed him, and she would miss him even more when he left this time. “I never expected you to stay away for so long,” she said, at a loss. His brows rose and she whispered, “Two and a half years is a very long time.”
After a long moment, he said, “Yes, it is.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him to forgo the short run to Cyprus and back. “Why didn’t you come home?”
“I meant to do so after I returned from Canada, but I was offered a bonus for a timely run to Jamaica, and I could not refuse the agent.”
It had been business, she thought, but that did not make it any easier. “Are you ever homesick, when you are away?” What she wanted to know was if he had missed her.
His gaze widened. “Of course I am. I am homesick all of the time. It is lonely on the high seas, Elysse, especially on the night watch.”
She imagined him at the helm on his clipper ship in the Indian Ocean, the night black but bright and starry, the ship’s mainsails full, canvas moaning in the breeze. “I know how much you love the sea, how you love adventure.”
“Loneliness is a small price to pay,” he agreed. “The sea will always be my mistress.”
A naval captain’s daughter, she understood. “Don’t stay away again for so long,” she heard herself say. She flushed.
“Why would it matter, when you are so preoccupied with your parties and balls, and with your endless parade of suitors?”
“Of course it matters,” she said, his stare making her uncomfortable. “We are friends.”
“I wonder how many new suits there will be, by the time I next return?”
His tone was mild and she did not know what to say. “I am unwed. Of course there will be new suitors.”
“But every suitor does not rate a tour of Adare and a rest in our neighbor’s stables.”
He knew about her two outings with Montgomery. “It was raining,” she managed. “We had to escape the rain.”
His eyes flickered. “Of course, he behaved properly.”
She almost told him that Montgomery had looked at her as if he wanted to kiss her. “He was a perfect gentleman.”
Alexis glanced away. “Then you are very fortunate.” His gaze lifted to hers. “I asked you not to play him, Elysse.”
She was filled with guilt then. Was she “playing” William? “I do not play gentlemen. I am merely enjoying his suit. We have become friends.”
“Yes, you do play gentlemen, all the time, and you are excellent at it. I have watched you toy with male affections since you were a child.” He ignored her gasp of protest. “Now you are friends?” His tone was incredulous. “As we are friends?”
She felt as if she were being backed into a corner. “William is a friend. Of course, I hardly know him as well as I know you.”
“You do not know William at all.” He stared, his face hard.
She knew this was dangerous territory, but she couldn’t help herself. Their gazes locked, she said, “And I suppose you think that you know Louisa Cochrane well? And I am certain it is Louisa, not Mrs. Cochrane!”
“Do not bring Mrs. Cochrane into this.”
“Why not? She is obviously a fortune hunter,” Elysse cried, her gaze unwavering on his. “She is desperate to marry above herself, and soon! Why can’t you see that? Why do you even bother with her?”
He glanced aside. “I have made it very clear that I am not marrying anyone anytime soon.”
She felt her cheeks flame. She did not need him to remind her that they were lovers. She turned aside. Why did his affair bother her so much? When had she become so jealous? But all she could think of was Alexi and Louisa in a passionate embrace. It hurt so much. “She is undoubtedly planning on trapping you into marriage, even if it is a year from now.”
He caught her arm. “I am not discussing Louisa with you.”
“I knew it!” His familiar way of speaking of his mistress added to her hurt.
He didn’t release her. “Montgomery is besotted with you. But there is more. He is calculating his chances for a legitimate courtship. He is the one who is the fortune hunter here.”
She was taken aback. “That is absurd!”
“Is it? Have you told him that you could never fall in love with him? He knows that your father wants a love match for you. And men like Montgomery marry up all of the time!” His blue eyes sparked with anger now. “You are lucky he did not seduce you in the stables—then you would have been forced to marry him.”
She gasped. “What is wrong with you? William would never seduce me! He is a gentleman, Alexi. He is kind and sincere and, in fact, he thinks very highly of me!”
“Why won’t you listen to a single word I have said?”
“Because you aren’t making any sense!” Why did she feel like crying? “Why are you doing this? You have done nothing but ignore me since you have come home, while chasing after that hussy, and you would deny me a serious suitor.”
“Aha! So now you admit that he is seriously pursuing you?” he demanded.
She crossed her arms tightly and he looked at her cleavage. She flushed and managed, “Have you finished nagging at me? My dance card is full tonight.”
He dragged his gaze upward. “I thought you wanted a dance with me.”
“That was before you decided to be a boor.” She turned to rush away.
He took her arm, restraining her, and turned her back to face him. “I am not finished, Elysse.” His gaze hardened. “I want you to end this tonight, before you find yourself in jeopardy—the kind you cannot smile and laugh and flirt your way out of.”
She tried to jerk her arm free and failed. “You cannot order me about, as if I am one of your crew—or your sister.”
“You are making a mistake. Sometimes, Elysse, I feel like taking you over my lap and giving you the kind of spanking reserved for small children. You are truly the most stubborn woman I have ever met. You are playing my pilot and it is selfish and dangerous.”
She shot back, “You are playing Louisa, are you not? I wonder why you are so set against William but not my other suitors like James Ogilvy? Could it be that you are jealous?”
His eyes widened. “I am not jealous of you. I think of you as family. Not as anything else. We have known one another for thirteen years!”
She stepped back, stricken. “We aren’t family. We aren’t related at all!”
“Oh, ho! Wait a moment—are you jealous? Do you want my attentions?” He was incredulous.
“No,