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Cameron took another sip of the ale, then reached down into his satchel and produced a small notebook and a pencil. “Can you describe some of the incidents that have concerned you? They may not seem like much, but writing things down can sometimes show patterns.”

As the soup began to simmer, Casey toasted several pieces of bread over the fire and thought about what to say. “Sir Samuel is a genius of naval engineering and efficiency, and he can be impatient with lesser minds. Efficiency means fewer jobs, so some of the men who work at Chatham really resent him.”

Cameron nodded. “And dockyards can be dangerous places. Have there been any suspicious incidents?”

“He was crossing the main road that runs through the yard when the harness for a team of horses drawing a heavy wagon broke and the horses bolted. They almost ran Sir Samuel down.”

“It could’ve been an accident, or it might have been a deliberate attempt to injure or kill Sir Samuel, though a chancy one,” Cameron said thoughtfully. “Have there been other reasons to feel concern?”

“A fortnight ago, he was checking the progress of a new slipway when he fell into the water and there was some trouble getting him out. He said someone had pushed him but there were a number of people jostling around, so it could have been an accident.”

“Perhaps, or perhaps not. Have there been any other dangerous incidents?”

“Not that I know of,” she said hesitantly. “But last week I overheard two of the senior men in the office talking in low voices in the next room. One said angrily that he couldn’t endure ‘bloody Bentham’ any longer, and the other man said, ‘Not long now until he’s gone,’ ” she said. “But I haven’t heard anything conclusive.”

“Could you identify the men who spoke?” Cameron asked.

She shook her head. “I could guess, but I’m not certain. There was too much other noise in the office.”

“What does your intuition tell you?” he said seriously. “Your gifts.”

She hadn’t thought to use her abilities to analyze this kind of problem, so she closed her eyes and tried to listen to what her intuition said. When she opened her eyes again, she said slowly, “When Sir Samuel is in the office, I can feel anger and resentment coming from some of the other employees. Not all of them. Most of us respect his abilities and value what he’s accomplished. But he is not an easy man, so there is also anger from some.”

“That sounds exactly right. It’s very fortunate that you contacted the Home Office when you did.” His gaze holding hers, Cameron asked mildly, “Casey, do you prefer to masquerade as a young man because that’s how you think of yourself, or because it’s safer?”

CHAPTER 4

Casey’s face turned chalk white and her hand jerked, spilling ale across the table as she stared at Cameron in horror. Her throat worked before she managed a reply. “How … how did you know?”

“As soon as I read the letter you sent to the Home Office, I intuited that there was something … hidden about you,” he explained. “My intuition kept working and suddenly I was sure. Now that I know your situation, I understand you have powerful reasons to conceal your true self.”

Voice shaking, she said, “When I was thrown out of my home, I knew I’d be much safer as a nondescript little boy than as a young girl.”

Cam suppressed a shudder at the thought of all the horrific fates that might befall a vulnerable little girl. “You were very wise. Since Jamie was also gifted, I assume he identified you very quickly.”

She nodded, her face less pale. “As I told you, we … needed each other. I learned so much about being gifted from him. As a child I’d been well educated in writing, numbers, and other skills, so when I got older he was able to find me a position in his office at the dockyard. Until now, I don’t believe anyone has suspected my true gender.”

“Probably because no one thought that a capable young clerk would be anything other than male,” Cam said dryly.

She made a face. “Luckily I didn’t grow into an obviously curvy young female. That would have been difficult to conceal. As it is, with some binding on my chest, I look sufficiently male.” Her face colored. “It’s so strange to be talking like this with someone other than Jamie!”

“Is it uncomfortable to discuss this with me?”

“Odd …” she said slowly. “But not uncomfortable. You’re very easy to talk to and, like Jamie, you feel safe.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I’ve not been able to speak freely to anyone for too long.”

The poignancy of that caught at his heart as he tried to imagine how incredibly isolated she’d been since Jamie had died. Ever since Cameron had been taken into the large and loving Tremayne family, there had always been someone he could talk to, play with, work with, and hug if he was in the mood. His sisters were an affectionate lot. He’d been blessed. Casey had been lucky to have found a man who became family, but ever since she’d lost him … The thought made him cringe.

“Is Casey your real name?”

“I was christened Cassandra at my mother’s insistence and called Cassie.” She shook her head. “Perhaps she sensed that I would know things I shouldn’t.”

Hearing the grief in her voice, Cameron asked softly, “She’s gone now?”

Casey swallowed hard. “She died when I was ten. She was the one who made sure I was well educated. She—kept me out of my father’s way. Less than a year after she died, he threw me out the evening after I accidentally told his fellow card players how he was cheating. I thought it was obvious and part of the way the games were played. I didn’t know.”

Cam winced. Most discarded gifted children had similar stories of how their talents enraged their families. “I’m sorry. But you found a wonderful foster father and have developed into a remarkable young woman. And unlike the Cassandra from myth, I believe you.”

“Jamie taught me how to survive,” she said, her silvery blue eyes bleak. “But I can’t even imagine what my future might hold.”