it.”
“I didn’t miss that point, Mac. So my dresses will have to be left behind. Certain assumptions are automatic when breeches are worn, as we found out. Put a boy in a dress and you see an ugly girl, a girl in breeches and you have a pretty boy. And after all, I did right well that night—”
“Afore ye opened yer mouth or looked anyone in the eye,” he cut in to remind her sternly. “Yer disguise dinna last beyond that.”
“Because I was trying to pass for a man, which wasn’t very smart now that I think of it, not with this face. All right.” She stopped him from interrupting again. “So you tried to tell me and I wouldn’t listen.Don’t belabor the point. This is entirely different, and you know it. A boy can have delicate features. They often do. And with my height and slimness, timbre of voice and”—she looked down at her chest—“some tight binding, I can easily pass for a boy of nine or ten.”
She got a disgusted look for that assumption. “Yer intelligence will give ye away.”
“All right, so a brilliant twelve-year-old who’s slow in maturing.” And then quite firmly, “I can do it, Mac. If you didn’t think I could, you wouldn’t have considered it.”
“I mun have been daft, I surely was, but we both ken who be responsible fer that .”
“Now, now,” she chided, grinning. “I’m only one wee lass, soon to be one wee laddie. How difficult can I be?” He made a very rude sound. “Well, look at it this way. The sooner I get home, the sooner you can wash your hands of me.”
This time a mere grunt. “That’s another thing. Ye’d have tae keep up the pretense fer a month or more. That’s a long time tae be finding a private spot tae tend nature’s calls, when a mon can just stand wi’ the wind at his back and—”
“Mac!” She actually blushed, even though with five brothers who sometimes forgot she was around, she’d heard and seen just about everything a girl shouldn’t. “I didn’t say there wouldn’t be some difficulties, but I’m resourceful enough to overcome them, whatever they are. Unlike most girls, I know a ship inside out, including the area sailors tend to avoid. I’ll manage, even if I have to make use of a rat-infested hold. And besides, if I am found out,what’s the worst that can happen? Do you honestly think they’ll kick me off the ship in the middle of the ocean? Of course they won’t. I’ll likely just get locked away somewhere until she docks, and then given the boot. And that would be no more than I deserve if I’m careless enough to give myself away.”
It took a bit more arguing back and forth before Mac finally sighed. “All right, but I’ll be trying first tae get ye on wi’out yer having tae work. They might be agreeable tae that if I decline any pay, and they think ye’re my brother who mun come wi’ me.”
One velvet brow arched, while laughter lit her eyes. “Your brother? Without a Scottish burr?”
“Stepbrother then,” he allowed. “Raised separate, which willna be questioned considering the age difference.”
“But I thought they need a cabin boy? They’re more likely to insist if that’s the case. I know my brothers wouldn’t sail without one.”
“I said I’d try . They’ve still the rest of the day tae find another lad fer the job.”
“Well, I hope they don’t,” Georgina replied and meant it. “I’d much rather be working on the crossing than doing nothing, especially since I’ll have to be in disguise anyway. And don’t think to say I’m your sister instead, because if they won’t take me on to have you for bo’s’n, then we’ve lost the opportunity altogether. So let’s get going before the job is taken.”
“Ye’ll be needing clothes fit fer a lad.”
“We can buy some on the way.”
“Ye’ve yer things tae dispose of.”
“The landlord can have them.”
“What about yer hair?”
“I’ll cut it.”
“Ye willna! Yer brothers would kill me, if they dinna
“I didn’t miss that point, Mac. So my dresses will have to be left behind. Certain assumptions are automatic when breeches are worn, as we found out. Put a boy in a dress and you see an ugly girl, a girl in breeches and you have a pretty boy. And after all, I did right well that night—”
“Afore ye opened yer mouth or looked anyone in the eye,” he cut in to remind her sternly. “Yer disguise dinna last beyond that.”
“Because I was trying to pass for a man, which wasn’t very smart now that I think of it, not with this face. All right.” She stopped him from interrupting again. “So you tried to tell me and I wouldn’t listen.Don’t belabor the point. This is entirely different, and you know it. A boy can have delicate features. They often do. And with my height and slimness, timbre of voice and”—she looked down at her chest—“some tight binding, I can easily pass for a boy of nine or ten.”
She got a disgusted look for that assumption. “Yer intelligence will give ye away.”
“All right, so a brilliant twelve-year-old who’s slow in maturing.” And then quite firmly, “I can do it, Mac. If you didn’t think I could, you wouldn’t have considered it.”
“I mun have been daft, I surely was, but we both ken who be responsible fer that .”
“Now, now,” she chided, grinning. “I’m only one wee lass, soon to be one wee laddie. How difficult can I be?” He made a very rude sound. “Well, look at it this way. The sooner I get home, the sooner you can wash your hands of me.”
This time a mere grunt. “That’s another thing. Ye’d have tae keep up the pretense fer a month or more. That’s a long time tae be finding a private spot tae tend nature’s calls, when a mon can just stand wi’ the wind at his back and—”
“Mac!” She actually blushed, even though with five brothers who sometimes forgot she was around, she’d heard and seen just about everything a girl shouldn’t. “I didn’t say there wouldn’t be some difficulties, but I’m resourceful enough to overcome them, whatever they are. Unlike most girls, I know a ship inside out, including the area sailors tend to avoid. I’ll manage, even if I have to make use of a rat-infested hold. And besides, if I am found out,what’s the worst that can happen? Do you honestly think they’ll kick me off the ship in the middle of the ocean? Of course they won’t. I’ll likely just get locked away somewhere until she docks, and then given the boot. And that would be no more than I deserve if I’m careless enough to give myself away.”
It took a bit more arguing back and forth before Mac finally sighed. “All right, but I’ll be trying first tae get ye on wi’out yer having tae work. They might be agreeable tae that if I decline any pay, and they think ye’re my brother who mun come wi’ me.”
One velvet brow arched, while laughter lit her eyes. “Your brother? Without a Scottish burr?”
“Stepbrother then,” he allowed. “Raised separate, which willna be questioned considering the age difference.”
“But I thought they need a cabin boy? They’re more likely to insist if that’s the case. I know my brothers wouldn’t sail without one.”
“I said I’d try . They’ve still the rest of the day tae find another lad fer the job.”
“Well, I hope they don’t,” Georgina replied and meant it. “I’d much rather be working on the crossing than doing nothing, especially since I’ll have to be in disguise anyway. And don’t think to say I’m your sister instead, because if they won’t take me on to have you for bo’s’n, then we’ve lost the opportunity altogether. So let’s get going before the job is taken.”
“Ye’ll be needing clothes fit fer a lad.”
“We can buy some on the way.”
“Ye’ve yer things tae dispose of.”
“The landlord can have them.”
“What about yer hair?”
“I’ll cut it.”
“Ye willna! Yer brothers would kill me, if they dinna
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