Stormy Persuasion by Johanna Lindsey Page B

with a grin. “But what’s she being stubborn
     about tonight?”
    “Wouldna let me touch her hair. Wasna going tae concede on wearing a dress either
     till I put m’foot down. Told her I wouldna be washing those breeches she loves sae
     much if she didna at least dress proper for your dinners.”
    Jacqueline had also had ship togs made for Judith, not that Judith planned to wear
     them if she didn’t need to. She’d rather deal with her skirts whipping about in the
     wind than feel self-conscious in sailor’s garb. But Judith had already braided her
     hair for tonight, quite in agreement with Jacqueline that putting her hair up in her
     usual coiffure on a ship was just asking for it to be blown apart by the wind. However,
     she moved straight to her little vanity and sat down, just to make Nettie happy, and
     the old girl did smile as she unbraided Judith’s hair and started arranging it more
     fashionably.
    Although Judith’s cabin was a decent size, it was still rather cramped with a full-size
     bed, a wardrobe, and a comfortable reading chair, a little vanity, even a small, round
     table for two, and her trunks, which had been pushed up against one wall. But she
     didn’t plan to spend that much time in her cabin. Today had been an exception. With
     most of the family unpacking and recovering from the party last night as well as the
     early-morning departure, she’d spent most of the day reading and resting. And getting
     her sea legs, as Jack called the adjustment to the constant motion of the ship.
    Judith didn’t mind that at all. In fact, she was exhilarated to be on a ship again.
     Possibly because she liked sailing even more than Jacqueline did. It was too bad Judith’s
     mother and sister didn’t, or she might have had more opportunities to sail with her
     uncle over the years.
    She was looking forward to joining her family for dinner tonight in her uncle’s much
     larger cabin and seeing their new cousin again—well, she assumed Andrássy and his
     stepsister would be invited to dinner. And Nettie made sure Judith looked as if she
     were going to a formal dinner at home. Her gown, sheer white over blue silk and embroidered
     with lilacs, wasn’t new, but her new wardrobe for the Season hadn’t yet been finished
     because her mother hadn’t expected her to need it for another month. She’d still brought
     all of it along, which was why she had twice as many trunks as Jack did, clothes to
     wear on the ship and for the first few days in Bridgeport, and a full wardrobe that
     still needed a seamstress to put the finishing touches on it.
    “There, you look lovely as always, lassie,” Nettie said when she had finished putting
     up Judith’s hair. “I’ll get a sailor in here tomorrow to dig out your jewelry box.
     I’m no’ sure why it’s packed wi’ the unfinished gowns.”
    “Because I didn’t think I would need it until we get to America and I don’t, not just
     for family dinners, so there’s no need to unpack it.” Judith hurried out of her cabin
     before Nettie disagreed with her.
    Closing her door, she jumped in surprise when a woman behind her said much too sharply,
     “Move out of my way!”
    Judith immediately stiffened and turned to see stormy gray eyes pinned on her. The
     woman’s brown hair was bound up tightly, and the angry expression on her face prevented
     Judith from determining whether she was pretty or plain. The woman was angry because
     her way was blocked for mere moments? Judith couldn’t imagine who she was, and then
     she did. Andrássy’s stepsister, Catherine?
    She opened her mouth to introduce herself, but Catherine was too impatient to let
     her get a word out. “Nearly knocked me over and now you just stand there gawking?
     I asked you to move!”
    She was about to shove Judith aside when Jacqueline yanked her own door open behind
     them and snarled into the narrow corridor, “No screeching on the ship! Learn the bloody
     rules before you embark or