“And if he does get to musing,” Clark added, “I’ll knock him over the head.”

Frederick’s smile widened. “Excellent.” He paused. “But not too hard, or we’ll be out another duke. You don’t have a child somewhere about to inherit, do you?” he said, addressing Griffith.

Griffith swallowed. “Uh—no.” A good reminder that since he was planning on taking Lady Della up on her offer, he had to ensure that his answer remained accurate. He’d have to ask Clark to figure out where one might go to purchase some discreet items.

Likely his first mate wouldn’t anticipate “find out where to buy condoms” as one of his first on-shore duties.

“So not too hard, then,” Frederick admonished Clark.

“Aye, aye, Your Grace,” Clark replied.

“Bring the decanter over, Mr. Clark,” Frederick said. “Let’s have a toast to our new situations.”

“Your cousin, has he always been ill?”

Griffith and Clark had spent another hour with Frederick, swapping stories of life aboard ship as Frederick listened, his face alit with curiosity and excitement.

Now they were upstairs in Griffith’s bedroom, a room at least five times larger than his captain’s berth.

“He was fine when I left,” Griffith replied. His hands reached up to his cravat, only to have Clark swat them away.

“That’s my job now.”

“So you want to be my valet?” Griffith asked, lifting his chin so Clark could more easily undo the fabric around his neck.

Clark shrugged. “I’ll be both valet and secretary, at least until we figure out what either job is. If that’s all right with you, my lord,” he added in an obsequious tone.

Griffith glowered, at which Clark laughed. He bowed, then stepped in front of the wardrobe and began to open various drawers.

“What are you looking for?” Griffith asked.

Clark turned to regard him. “Well, I see some clothing here—yours, judging by the size—but you don’t have any of your own items here, as far as I can tell. Should I send to the ship for them?”

Griffith nodded. “Yes, thank you. I—things have happened so quickly I forgot.”

What with being hauled off to prison, just as suddenly released, and then made heir to a dukedom.

“And I’ll need to send an official letter to the Royal Navy letting them know I am resigning my commission. I forgot about that too.”

“That is why you need a valet-secretary. Or secretary-valet, I’m not sure of the right sequence of words,” Clark said with a grin.

It was good to have his friend around. He hadn’t realized just how off he’d felt being on his own. Was that why he was so interested in Lady Della? Because he was lonely?