Noble Intentions

31. Weathering the Hurricane

"As much as I wish this to never end, Jarvis, we should soon make ourselves proper. Go out there and join them. Be sociable."

I shook my head. "Ummm, no. That would not be appropriate."

Gillian looked up from her continuing examination of my self. "What? Why not?"

"Think of the relationship with your household staff. Friendly and respectful, but you do not mingle with them socially."

She pursed her lips and nodded. "Yes, of course, the separation."

"And aboard, interactions between the captain and the officers are primarily for matters of the ship." I swept an arm around us. "Thus, these private quarters. And out there, the officers are similarly separated from the mates, as are the mates from the hands."

"Yes, that makes sense." She tilted her head. "But we have socialised with them – dined with them both on the strand and aboard."

"Of necessity. We had no choice with the devastation from the attack. But also, it is tradition for the captain to invite an officer, a mate and a hand to dine with him every few days. This prevents him from being completely remote, and the relaxed setting allows him to get to know the crew better – and them, him."

She nodded. "The reason for the table and chairs."

"Indeed. And being round adds to the sense of informality."

"So, I will eat out there with Judith and the officers on those occasions."

"What? Most certainly not. Being with me, you are of equal standing. Additionally, your standing as Baroness wants the separation."

"Yes, of course. Father discussed this need with me. But he said he preferred to blur the edges – to be informal except in situations requiring adherence to rules of deportment or ceremony."

"As was Father's manner." I heaved a loud sigh. "And we shall do this. The entire ship's company is enamoured with you, and they will delight in –"

"What? Enamoured? Surely, you exaggerate."

"Oh, enamoured most certainly. It was your clever and bold ruse that enabled us to overcome the guards and retake the ship. And the way you stood up to Mister Stawell showed them your brilliance, power and confidence. You are like a goddess to them, an exquisitely beautiful one, and they are enthralled by you."

"Oh!

"Indeed, oh. And I am the most enamoured, enthralled and captivated of them all." I chuckled as I watched her manipulation. "And I do not say this because you have me by my dangling parts."

She looked up from her knees and blushed. "With it now approaching fully limp, I have thought to tie it into a knot."

"A knot? Why?"

"To hold it up from your thigh. Prevent it from being trapped by your breeches leg."

I laughed. "A knot is no longer possible with it."

"No longer?" She grinned. "So, you used to tie it."

My face warmed as I nodded. "Coming of age explorations. I had no information about what was happening. The governess was embarrassed by my questions, saying it was for my father to inform me. And Father offered nothing but vague generalities and vacillation, so while the changes happened, I explored."

"As was my recourse." Gillian sighed as she bent it into a loop. "So, you used to be able to tie this – why not now?"

"It grew in length much faster than it thickened, and as it approached this length, it remained lean and pliable." I shrugged and grabbed it by the head. "It was not a knot of my self alone, though. I would wrap it down behind my scrotum like this and up around to the top and tuck it beneath the root here. But see? With stretching, it still makes it around, but the head is now too large to pass through."