So their time together would have a very specific end date—namely, when he was comfortable enough in his position not to need a buffer against the young ladies. Or when they grew tired of one another.

But she strongly suspected the former would happen a lot earlier than the latter. She felt a twinge of sadness, but shut that away. She hadn’t even started to have her scandalous affair with him, so she shouldn’t already be mourning its ending.

Perhaps he would end up being a terrible lover?

Although she knew, even as she thought it, that there was no possible way that was the case.

“Griff! Look who is here,” Frederick said as Griffith entered the room that seemed to serve as Frederick’s office and bedroom all at once.

Griffith had been surprised when the butler had told him Frederick was still up and was asking for him. That Clark was here explained all of that.

Clark rose from the sofa, a warm smile on his face. “I tracked you down, and now I find that you’re some sort of lord?” Clark stuck his hand out to Griffith, who took it and shook it vigorously. “Why didn’t you ever say?”

Griffith released Clark’s hand. “Would you have said in my position?”

Clark considered it. “No, I suppose not.”

“Your first mate has been regaling me with stories of your adventures at sea. I didn’t realize you were such a rascal, Griffith.”

Griffith grinned at his cousin. “Sure you did, Fred. Your Grace,” he amended, at which Frederick shook his head. “You were the one who rescued me when we were young.”

“Sit down, sit down,” Frederick commanded. Griffith and Clark both sat on the sofa, Griffith crossing one leg over the other.

“Where did you come from anyway?” Griffith asked Clark. “I went to the docks to see if I could find you, only nobody knew where you’d gone after that pub.”

“No thanks to you.”

“You mean my heir left you on your own without a word?” Frederick demanded, his eyes glinting with humor.

Griffith had missed his cousin. Even though being with him required being on dry land.

“He did, Your Grace,” Clark replied, shooting a wry glance toward Griffith. “But I was a bit under the weather at the time, so it wasn’t as though he had much of a choice.”

“Not to mention I was being pulled away by the naval police,” Griffith added. “If it had been possible to stay there until you awoke, Clark, I would’ve.”

“Ah, so that’s when you were arrested.”

“Arrested?” Clark echoed.

Griffith shrugged, shooting a conspiratorial glance toward his cousin. “Arrested because of what happened in Africa, I believe. Once they found out who I was, the charges were dropped.”

“The benefit of Griffith’s position,” Frederick said pointedly.