Almost a Lady by Jane Feather Read Free Book Online Page B

bare feet. She passed a pair of sailors fishing over the side, and climbed the short flight of steps to the quarterdeck. No one stood at the lashed helm, but a couple of young men dressed rather more formally, if shirt and britches could be called formal, than the sailors below, sat playing cards on the opposite side of the deck from the captain. They jumped to their feet as Meg appeared.
    She waved them down again and ducked beneath the boom with its tightly furled sail, making her way to where Cosimo still sat, comfortably ensconced on a coil of rope and seemingly oblivious to her arrival. However, he opened his eyes as her shadow fell across him.
    “Ah, Miss Meg,” he said with a lazy smile. “You decided to take the air after all.”
    “Gus wished to come on deck,” she said.
    He laughed. “And we all know that Gus is incapable of going anywhere unescorted.”
    She gave him a rueful smile. “I admit it. I was suffering from acute cabin fever.”
    “Well, sit beside me.” He shifted a little on the coil of rope to make room for her. “In the absence of chairs, we make do. But you’ll find this quite comfortable.”
    “I’m sure I shall,” she said, lowering herself to the rope. It was surprisingly comfortable, warmed by the sun and oddly supportive, like an overstuffed cushion. The deck rail made a natural backrest.
    “A little wine?” he offered, gesturing to the glass and decanter on the deck beside him.
    “There’s only one glass.”
    He shrugged indolently. “If you wish for another, call one of my officers over.” He gestured across the quarterdeck to the card players.
    Meg hesitated. Ordinarily she wouldn’t think twice about sharing a glass with an acquaintance, but in these far from ordinary circumstances it seemed to smack of dangerous intimacy. But she had the impression that Captain Cosimo would be amused if she made something of the issue. Instead she said casually, “I don’t like to disturb their game.”
    He nodded and reached sideways to refill the glass, handing it to her, observing, “Wine and sunshine. Two of the greatest aphrodisiacs in the world.”
    Meg nearly choked on her first sip.
What was he playing at?
Did he view flirtation as an automatic reaction to the presence of a member of the opposite sex, however inappropriate the setting? Was he some kind of lecher? A Casanova rather than a Cosimo. Non-response once again seemed the most dignified response. She ignored the comment.
    Cosimo smiled as he tipped his head back to the sun again. He was enjoying himself. Miss Meg had bested him verbally all too often in their short acquaintance and pressing the attack seemed like a viable tactic. It had certainly caught her off balance and that gave him a little advantage. If she was discomposed by his pointed flirtation, all the better. Even if she did accuse him of clumsiness, he reflected with a slightly caustic edge to his smile.
    He realized that his present enjoyment was enhanced by the proximity of her slight frame. Ana’s gown was a little big for her, giving her an appearance of frailty that he was confident was merely an illusion. He liked the fact that she’d come shoeless on deck, a lack of interest in the propriety of her appearance that was in keeping with the outspokenness of her personality, as he’d encountered it so far. And a quality that boded well for the use he would like to make of her. She seemed unconcerned by the hopeless tangle of tight red curls that flew every which way around her angular face. The previous day’s rain had given her an unruly and distinctly frizzy halo.
    As if aware of his reflective assessment of her charms, Meg sat up and adjusted the loose bodice of her gown, retying the sash rather vigorously beneath her small breasts. She glanced sideways at him and didn’t know whether to be reassured or not when he didn’t even open his eyes.
    Gus flew down from the railing, creating a welcome diversion. He hopped onto Cosimo’s knee and