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.""I caught the line you threw." He grinned, white teeth flashing."So, you see, I owe you my life!"Devon was skeptical."I think you could have managed without me, but I'm glad I could help.Is the storm over?" She realized that the cabin wasn't pitching as before."We've run out the worst of it.This craft is tenuous.""I was terrified.I thought we'd all be killed!""Petite chatte, if you had been that afraid, you'd have been cowering under this table rather than sliding across the gun deck!""Where is Caleb?"Raveneau's sharp eyes monitored her expression."He fell a long way and apparently swallowed a good deal of water.When I got him onto the deck, I thought he was dead, but Mr.Lane managed to revive him.He's in the surgeon's cubicle now.""Mr.Lane?" Devon queried, perplexed."I was looking after you."Their eyes locked for a long moment.Devon was seeing a new side to the man.She would have thought Caleb's death would be a relief to him, yet he had risked his own life to save a man he despised.And he had been concerned about her.As though reading her mind, Raveneau said laconically, "I haven't put up with all this bother to see you killed.I've promised to reunite you and Maxwell, and so I shall.I consider the trials of Devon Lindsay to be my one great contribution to the cause of true love."Chapter 8***~~~***September 9, 1781Devon lay awake all night.Raveneau's sarcastic references to Devon and Morgan's engagement had rebuilt the wall of tension between them.To make matters worse, they had visited Caleb in the surgeon's cubicle and Raveneau had scrutinized her face whenever the injured man moaned, his eyes letting her know that he was fully aware of her affection for the injured man.Finally, Devon had called him on it, demanding that he stop leering, insisting that he was all wrong about Caleb, that they were just friends.Raveneau's only response had been a sharply raised black eyebrow.A moonbeam slanted in through the transom, pouring silver over the bed and its occupants.Devon turned on her side, toward Raveneau.His harsh, lean beauty was mesmerizing, but more fascinating was the puzzle of his personality, principles, emotions, if he possessed such mortal qualities.He lay with one arm thrown over his head, the other resting on his chest, so strangely peaceful that Devon found herself smiling languidly.She next awoke to late morning sunlight and the sound of Minter's voice."Miss Lindsay? Can you hear me?" He smiled with delight when she opened her eyes."I've brought your breakfast!"Gingerly, Devon propped herself on an elbow.Her headache had diminished."I don't know if I am hungry.""Don't try to get up! You'll eat right there.The captain doesn't want you to move about.He was very upset when you insisted on seeing Mr.Jackson last night, feared you might make your own injury worse."Devon mulled over this news as she watched Minter assemble her meal.She could see that it had been carefully prepared; the dishes were fit for an elderly invalid."You seem in fine spirits today, Minter.""We all are! We're thankful to be alive and dry this morning.It is a blessing! And from the sound of it, Captain Raveneau should be most grateful.If not for you, he'd have been drowned!""I doubt that.Didn't you tell me he leads a charmed life?"Minter laughed, his red hair agleam in the sunlight."So far, that seems to be true!" Spreading a linen towel over Devon's lap, he presented her with a warm dish of custard, then stood and watched until she had taken the first bite."How's Jackson doing?" he asked."I don't know.He certainly looked ill last night.I do wish Captain Raveneau would let me out of this bed!""Eat that custard!" Minter scolded."As for you and this bed, it's my opinion that the captain believes you fancy Jackson.He seems to think you want to be near him.""Rubbish! Where would he get such an idea?""That I don't know.I will say that he thinks it was Jackson you were out to rescue yesterday.And once he decides something, there's no changing his mind."Devon fell back against the pillows, wide-eyed with disbelief [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]