The Ice Princess (Princes #3.5)(19)

"Easily done," the soldier replied. "For whilst on my journey I stayed the night with the oldest man alive. He was a jolly fellow and after I'd mended his smoking pipe he gave me a book in which he'd written down everything he'd learned in all his long life. I have it here."

And the soldier withdrew an old and battered book from his sack and gave it to the Ice Princess. . . .

--from The Ice Princess

Isaac opened his eyes with the realization that he held a soft warm weight against himself. Coral still slept, her pale fingers threaded through the hair on his chest, her golden-red hair spread over his shoulder and against his cheek. He listened to her exhaled breaths and felt a peace such as he'd never imagined before. And in that moment he made his decision: he would marry this woman, no matter their differences and her past. He would care for her and live with her and love her until she let down her defenses and loved him back. Until they were both happy and at peace.

She opened her green eyes at that moment and blinked sleepily, yawning delicately like a cat. Her eyes focused on his face and narrowed in sudden suspicion. "What is that look on your face? What are you thinking?"

He leaned over to kiss her nose and then grinned. "I'm thinking that I could eat an entire joint of beef for breakfast."

She wrinkled her nose as if the kiss had tickled her. "I don't know about a joint of beef, but I'm sure we can find a gammon steak and some eggs for you."

"And coffee and toast?" he asked hopefully.

"Of course." Her voice was cool, but her lips curved in a shy smile. "I'll ring for breakfast."

To his disappointment she rose immediately from the bed, modestly pulling on her worn green silk wrap. He'd rather hoped to make love to her again. But as he watched her quickly yank the bell-pull and then nervously straighten the little mirror and portrait on her dresser he understood. She needed time. He must school himself to patience, win her over bit by slow bit.

So he rose as well and donned his breeches and shirt, moving slowly, feeling as if he trod delicately about a wild animal who might be frightened by sudden movement.

The maid came to the door and Coral went to consult with her before returning to the middle of the room. She stood twisting her pale hands together.

Isaac smiled. "Come sit with me at the table."

She nodded and sank into a chair.

He took a seat opposite her. "When I was a boy my mother would make me runny eggs for my breakfast."

She wrinkled her nose. "Runny eggs?"

"With the yolk still liquid." He stretched his legs under the table. "She'd toast me slices of bread, butter them well, and cut them into sticks and I'd dip them into the yolks."

She seemed to relax a little. "Where did you grow up?"

"On the coast of Cornwall."

"Really? I would've thought London or nearby."

He shook his head. "I grew up near the wild windy cliffs. My father was a mining foreman and my brothers still work managing mines. But I always loved the sea. My mother's father was the captain of a ship and he bought me my first commission."

She looked at the table, placing her hand flat against the surface. "Is she still alive, your mother?"

"Yes." Someday soon he'd take her to meet Mother, but he didn't tell her of that. "And the sister you once spoke of? Is she alive as well?"

"Pearl." She smiled a little sadly. "Yes, she's still alive. She's married, in fact, to a land steward in Essex. She seems happy."

"Seems?"

"I haven't seen her in years," Coral said softly.

Isaac frowned, but before he could question her, the maid entered with a full tray of food. There was a pause as the maid set the table and arranged their repast, and then Coral thanked her and she left.

Coral placed a large ham steak on a plate and handed it to him. "At what age did you go to sea?"

"Twelve." Isaac helped himself to coddled eggs from a dish and some toast as well. "And I was so homesick the first month that I thought I'd die before I ever saw land again."

"Truly?" Coral paused, the teapot half-lifted toward her cup. "I can't imagine you uncertain or afraid."

"But I was just a boy like any other," he replied in amusement. "All boys miss their mothers when first they go to sea."

"All boys may miss their mothers, but I doubt very much that you were like all the other boys. You became a captain—surely they don't all rise so high."

"No, of course not." Isaac buttered a piece of toast. "I was fortunate to serve my first commission on a ship with a wise old captain. He took me under his wing."

"You were fortunate."

"Yes, I was. He made me into the man I am today."

"Then I would thank him if I met him, for I like very much the man you are today," she replied quietly.

Isaac looked at her, wondering at the sad undertone in her voice. "You'll put me to the blush."

"Yes. well." She stared down at the table, fiddling with her silverware. "I wonder that you haven't heard that quite often from other females."

"Not so very often," he said gently.

"You said your wife died years ago," she said, still to the table. "Haven't you thought of marrying again?"