Page 88 of Teach a Rogue New Tricks

“Only on days that end iny,” Jackson said.

Ada shook her head and turned back to the railing. The port bustled before her, busy even in darkness, gas lamps lighting the labor of many a sailor.

She sighed. It would be a long trip if her companions were at each other’s throats constantly. Bickering siblings seemed to plague her everywhere she went. First her own, then Cass and his brother, and now these two. They were not siblings, but they sure fought like it.

“What’s that?” She leaned over the railing and peered at the shadows of passing carts on the dock. Something, someone, seemed to be leaping over them. A horse? Too small. But too large to be a dog.

“Ada!” a voice screamed. “Ada!” The leaping shadow still scrambled forward, calling her name.

She knew that voice, even raised to its highest notes, though she most remembered it whispering seductively in her ear.

“Cass?”

Jackson and Gwendolyn joined her at the ship’s rail. Jackson leaned over far and narrowed his eyes, trying to see into the darkness. “What’s this all about?”

Gwendolyn frowned. “Did someone shout your name, Ada?”

Ada clutched her bonnet to keep the wind from whipping it away. “Yes. I… I think it’s—”

Running footsteps rumbled up the gangplank. The screaming shadow surged forward, but two burly sailors caught it, threw it back on the dock.

The shadow—Cass—fought them. “Oy. Let me go. I just want to speak with her.”

Ada’s heart accelerated at the almost sight of him. Why had he come?

“Ada,” Cass yelled again, waving his arms. He seemed to have caught sight of her.

Jackson turned to face her and cocked his head to the side. “Well, are you going to wave back? Or would you like me to throw him into the Thames?”

Gwendolyn put a hand on Ada’s shoulder. “Who is he?”

“Viscount Albee. A… friend.”

Gwendolyn peered into the darkness. “Is he handsome?”

Ada turned back to the railing and leaned over to get a better look at him despite the darkness. Her body wanted to reach as far forward as possible, get as close to him as possible.

Cass’s voice cried out. “Get away from the railing! You’ll fall over.”

A laugh formed in her stomach and bubbled out of her mouth.

“You can’t be too angry at him if you’re laughing,” Gwendolyn said.

“I like his attention to safety,” Jackson added. “Well, cousin, what shall I do with him?”

“Let the chap go,” a voice boomed like thunder in the dark. Surely the waters of the Thames rippled backward at the sound.

“Papa?” Ada said. “What are you doing here?”

“Here with the viscount. Are preparations going smoothly? Make sure you tell the captain to—”

“Lord Eaden,” Cass said, “these fellows have still not unhanded me, do you think you could—”

“Let him go, I say!” her father roared. “Zeus. You know who I am, don’t you?”

The two large sailors dropped Cass to the ground, and he jumped quick to his feet, running toward the gangplank once more.

“Here he comes,” Jackson said. “And you’ve still not answered my question. What should I do with him?”