Once more, she was dressed as a young man, in a pair of trousers, a tweed coat, a plain waistcoat, and a cap. All her glorious dark hair was tucked neatly away. She’d taken a kohl pencil to her upper lip to sketch in a thin mustache. It would fail any close inspection but passed muster at first glance, though the black shading did call attention to her indecently full lips. They were currently moist and glazed from the last sip of her ale. Which made him want to lick it off her.

Not the time and place, clearly.

Rhystan studied the woman in front of him. God, he wished they were back on the Belonging. He wanted to see the hint of those freckles across her nose pop in the sun, see that jet-black hair loosened and wild, watch her be unencumbered and happy and not have to answer to anyone but herself.

The rarest ruby among prosaic diamonds.

Everything about her sang to him. Her beauty, her wit, her sense of justice as well as mischief. As evident from the current sparkle in her eye, it was obvious that she loved the subterfuge. Or perhaps it was the feeling that being back near the docks brought. He had to admit, he felt the same, as though a garrote around his neck had been loosened.

“Where did you get the togs?” he asked.

“Borrowed them from Tej,” she replied with a wink. “We’re the same size, now that he’s filled out a bit.” She paused, observing him. “He told me that you were sending him to school.”

“He deserves an education.”

She stared into her mug. “Even for a humble houseboy?”

He gave a shrug. “Tej is smart. I’d rather not let a perfectly good mind go to waste. And besides, when he does take up a trade and becomes the best at what he does, I can hire him. So it’s all in my own best interest.”

The way she was looking at him was worth everything. She stared at him as though he’d gifted her the stars and the moon, her green-gold eyes limpid with gratitude and affection.

“It’s a small thing,” he said.

She shook her head. “It’s no small thing! You’ve changed his life. You’ve given him an opportunity to make something of himself.” She drew in a soft breath. “It means so much. I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. I did it for you.”

Her eyes glittered. “Rhystan.”

Sod it. He stood, nearly knocking over the chair in his haste. He wanted to yank her into his arms and throw her over his shoulder, but instead he gave a rough jerk of his head for her to follow him. Biting her lip in a way that made him harder than he already was, she nodded. He practically limped down the corridor leading to a backstreet.