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and grabbed at the leaping dog.
    For the second time that day, pandemonium reigned.

5
    “D own, Raleigh! I’ll stand no more of your nonsense, sir!” Matt roared, thoroughly exasperated as he seized the frenzied animal by the scruff of his neck. Recognizing the voice of authority, the dog ceased his deafening howls in midcry and dropped to grovel on the ground at Matt’s feet. From the roof of the barn, Millicent looked down with malevolent satisfaction at her tormentor’s comeuppance. Then, assured that he was thoroughly cowed, she proceeded to sit and calmly wash her face. Caroline struggled to a sitting position and surreptitiously rubbed her abused posterior. Suddenly realizing that she was a source of extreme amusement to her audience, she stopped, embarrassed.
    “Damned cat! I should have had one of the seamen toss it overboard. Thing’s been nothing but a passel of trouble from the start.” Captain Rowse—who, besides Matt, was the only one of the many males present not choking back laughter—came over to offer Caroline a hand as he spoke. Scowling at the captain—he’d been almost as unpleasant over the smuggled-aboard Millicent as over the worthless brooch—she coldly declined his offer of assistance and got to her feet on her own.
    “Millicent caused no trouble aboard ship,” she protested hotly.
    “Oh, no? Is it not a fact that we were becalmed for four days, and had to break out the oars? Did the flour not become moldy, and have to be thrown out? Did Goody Shoemaker’s specially bespoke chair not split its back when a barrel tipped over on it? Did my quartermaster not cut his leg to the bone while doing something as simple as slicing a rope? Eh, missy?”
    “None of that can be blamed on Millicent!”
    “Cat on board ship’s bad luck, as everyone knows. Black cat’s worse. I’ve never had such a string of calamities befall a craft of mine in a single voyage. Had to be the cat.”
    “What utter nonsense!” Caroline exclaimed scornfully.
    “The mistress, more like,” Matt said under his breath. Caroline was not sure whether anyone besides herself could hear his words. “She’s caused enough havoc here.”
    He had tied a rope around Raleigh’s neck. Even as Caroline turned fuming eyes on him he was beckoning to the older of the two boys. Like his little brother, this child had a shock of stick-straight black hair and blue eyes. But he was far taller than the younger boy and thin as a reed. As close as Caroline could judge, he looked to be about ten years old.
    “Take him and tie him out back of the house.” Matt handed the rope to his son.
    “But, Pa …!”
    “Just till things get straightened away. He’ll take no harm. Do as you’re told now.”
    “Yes, sir.” The boy was sullen but obedient, and a visibly reluctant Raleigh was partly coaxed, partly dragged away. Caroline gave an audible sigh of relief as the animal disappeared from sight.
    “You can’t lay the blame for this morning’s upheaval at my door!” Caroline said indignantly to Matt. “ ’Tis all the fault of yon ill-trained monster, and you know it!”
    “You should really strive to get over your fear of dogs,” Daniel observed, grinning, before Matt could reply.
    “Any but a fool would be afraid of a great ferocious beast such as that!” Caroline snapped, her eyes swinging around to him. Daniel was flanked by both his nearly identical brother and the sandy-haired man. On all three faces were lunatic grins. She raked the three of them with dagger looks.
    “Ferocious! Raleigh is not! You’re just a coward, is what it is!” The younger boy scowled at her. Caroline had to resist an impulse to scowl right back. The child couldn’t be more than five years old, and to take umbrage at a barely breeched babe was certainly beneath her, but she’d had about enough of each and every one of these arrogant males!
    “Hold your tongue, David Mathieson.” Matt silenced him with a stern look. “You’ll be polite to