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“Have you ever wished to live your life as a female?” he asked. “To wear silk skirts and dance at balls and flirt with young men?”
She sighed, her expression uncertain. “I sometimes think about it, but I can’t imagine how it might happen. All I know is how to be a male clerk, and at the moment, all my thoughts are on ensuring that Sir Samuel is safe and able to continue making the Royal Navy the finest in Europe. Britain needs him.”
“Indeed it does.” Cameron’s brows drew together as he considered what to do next. “Will you take my hand? Together we might have a clearer idea of what must be done.”
He held out his hand. Warily, Casey clasped it—and energy flared around them like an invisible lightning bolt. She gasped and dropped his hand as if it was on fire. He didn’t blame her.
He had to draw a deep breath as he steadied himself. He had sensed profound danger. And under that was a light, clear note that said, This one!
He buried the second message as too confusing to think about yet, and concentrated on the warning. “I have a very clear sense that Sir Samuel is threatened. Did you feel it also?”
She swallowed before saying, “Yes. Danger, and very soon, I think.”
“If I go to the dockyard in the morning and talk to Sir Samuel about the threat to his safety, how is he likely to react?”
“He’ll most likely brush you and your words off and turn back to his work,” Casey said with a sigh.
“Does he think he’s immortal?” Cameron asked dryly.
“Quite possibly. But since you’re from the Home Office, perhaps he’ll listen to you. I hope so.” Casey smothered a yawn. “I’m sorry! It’s been a tiring day.” She looked at Cam uncertainly. “You still think it’s necessary to stay here to protect me?”
“I most certainly do.” He smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, the first thing a Tremayne son learns is to respect all females and never, never do anything to make one feel uneasy. I’m quite harmless.”
“Except when engaging with murderous attackers, for which I’m profoundly grateful.” She collected the used dishes and moved them to the kitchen area for washing. “There are two small bedrooms. You can use the one that was Jamie’s.”
“I’d like that.” It would give him a chance to feel Jamie’s energy. He wanted to know anything that would help him understand Casey better.
Casey, Cassie. She looked like a Casey to him. The name was rare and special, as she was.
She began cleaning the dishes with brisk, efficient movements. Cameron had always been fond of women, starting with his varied, clever, and mischievous sisters. Now that he’d confirmed that Casey was one, he couldn’t help but admire her grace, and wonder what she would look like if she were dressed as a young lady.
This one! Again, he buried the thought. He was sure she’d be slimly feminine and alluring. Beyond that—he’d wait and see. For now he was her protector. Anything more must wait.
There were two doors in the wall behind the kitchen and living area. Casey led him to the left-hand door and opened it to reveal a painfully neat room with a crisply made-up bed, a comfortable chair, and two shelves of well-worn books.
Cameron opened his senses. “I can feel Jamie’s energy here. His kindness, his humor, his wit.”
Casey bit her lip. “Yes. I like to sit here in the evenings with Gentleman Jack. We both miss him.”
“He’ll always be part of you. But think about what you might like for your future. Gifted people help each other, so we Tremaynes can help you toward what you want.”
She gave him a startled look. “I don’t even know what I would like that’s different from what I have! I have work I’m good at and a peaceful home. That’s been enough for me.”
“And you have a fine cat.” Cameron bent to scratch the dark furry neck and was rewarded with a purr. “There’s no hurry. First we must deal with the threats to Sir Samuel Bentham. Then we can discuss your possible futures.”
“Possible futures. I can barely imagine a different life.” She shook her head, her expression unreadable. “Good night, Cameron Tremayne. I hope you sleep well.”
She quietly closed the door after she and Gentleman Jack left the room. As Cameron stripped off his outer garments and prepared to go to bed, he wondered what kind of life Casey would want if she had a choice. Living as a young man had been a practical decision that gave her safety and a livelihood, but after years of living with male freedoms and choices, she might feel constrained if she had the chance to live a female life.
His sisters seemed quite comfortable with their lives, but they were an independent lot. Once the threat to Sir Samuel Bentham was resolved, he needed to persuade Casey to visit Tremayne House in London. Meeting the Tremayne females would give her an idea of the possibilities.
Casey managed to hold herself together until she retreated to her bedroom, but then she sagged onto the side of her bed, shaking at all the changes in her world. Gentleman Jack jumped on her lap and bumped her chin with his head comfortingly. He’d always been good at sensing moods. She stroked his sleek coat, grateful for the warmth of his familiar purr.
Cameron Tremayne had seen her for what she was, accepted her, and suggested that a different kind of life was possible. It had been many years since she’d thought of herself as female. Her safety and her livelihood required that she act, dress, and think of herself as male. She’d suppressed any sense of her own femininity.
Now she wondered what it would be like to wear a silken gown with skirts that fluttered around her ankles. To laugh with female friends who accepted her as one of them.
To have an attractive man look at her with admiration.
