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time James stepped up next to her, his hand lightly touching her back. She grinned in return.
    “You like the sea.”
    “I must admit, I have always found it exciting.” She turned her face to the open ocean but she could feel his eyes drinking her in.
    Abigail stood next to them both. “I have done a great deal of ocean travel too, I just…” She stopped and a quick glance told Regina that the girl was about to be sick.
    “Oh dear,” she took Abigail’s hand and led her away from the group. She pressed her fingers to the other woman’s wrist. “Find something and look at it without looking at anything else.”
    “Very well,” Abigail said weakly. Regina closed her own eyes. Why did she insist on helping everyone? Why couldn’t she just leave Abigail to her fate?
    “Whatever you do, don’t get sick. You’ll never recover if it happens.”
    “I believe you.”
    “Breathe slowly and deeply, keep looking at one point.” Regina brushed a curl out of the girl’s face.
    “Thank you for your kindness,” Abigail mumbled.
    “Everything all right?” James stepped up to them.
    “Fine,” Abigail smiled brightly, using her free hand to reach out to James.
    Regina cursed under her breath. This woman was a traitor. James' hand came to Regina’s back again. “It was kind of you to help her, Miss Lafayette.”
    “Happy to do it.” She looked at James to find him staring back at her. It gave her a great deal of satisfaction until Obediah stepped between them. “How about a stroll around the deck, Regina?”
    Her eyebrows arched. Where had he been the past half hour? “Of course.”
    He took her arm and tucked it into his elbow. Then he began walking with her towards the opposite end of the boat. She looked back to see Abigail placing her hand in the crook of James’ arm. An irritated sigh escaped her lips.
    Obediah glanced at her and then picked up the pace. He steered them away from the crowd. “My cousin has approved our match.”
    “I see,” her voice remained neutral though her insides jumped. She resisted the urge to pull away. She didn’t want to get any closer to marrying Obediah.
    “I see the way you look at him. I know you don’t love me.” Regina tried to step away from him then, but his hand came down on top of hers, trapping it against his arm. “I understand, but it doesn’t matter. We will be married.”
    “And I see the way you look at Clarissa. You could marry my sister and still be part of my family’s business.” Even as she said the words, he shook his head.
    “My feelings for your sister are of no consequence. You are the eldest daughter. You will inherit the family business.”
    “It will be shared—”
    “That is not a risk I am willing to take.” His hand tightened.
    “Obediah, you are hurting me.” She tried again to pull away but his hand only tightened causing her to cry out.
    “This chance is everything to me. Neither you nor your sister is going to—”
    He squeezed harder and pain radiated through her arm. “Obediah, stop!” Her voice grew louder.
    “You heard the lady, she told you to let her go.” James walked up to them, clamping his hand on Obediah’s shoulder.
    “Obediah, what are you doing?” Clarissa came to stand next him.
    “It’s none of your concern. Go back with your—” James must have squeezed because suddenly Obediah freed Regina. She took a step back and bumped into a solid form. She jerked her head around to see the calculating eyes of her father.
    “What is going on here?” his voice was low and calm.
    “Nothing, Regina and I were simply talking. I—”
    Her father held up his hand for Obediah to stop. Then, his eyes looked her up and down. His eyes stopped on her hand she cradled in her other arm and he slowly reached for it, lifting it up for inspection. He neatly removed her glove then turned it to see the angry welts forming on the back of her hand. He gently let the hand go.
    “We need to speak, son.” Her father looked at