An Officer but No Gentleman by Bronwyn Scott Read Free Book Online Page A

on sank off the coast of Crete. The Mediterranean was a bit warmer that time of year than the Channel would be, though.” He smiled, letting the effort crinkle the corners of his eyes as he looked at his stallion with unmistakable affection. “Aramis and I have been through a lot and I’ve had no truer friend.”
    Grahame sobered and looked her direction. “If the worst happens, get him free and hold on to his bridle. He’ll get you to land. Do you have your knife?”
    Elowyn lifted her skirt to reveal the sheath on her calf.
    “Good. You can cut your skirts off if you need to. They’ll drag you down.”
    “Is all this really necessary?” She did not care for such grim talk, especially from the indomitable Grahame Westmore. She had no doubt that if strength of will could keep a ship together, he would be the man to do it.
    Grahame shrugged. “A crisis is always better when you have a plan. But no, I don’t think you’ll need it. Ships have crossed safely in far worse weather. Odds are we’ll be fine. Captain Anderson has no death wish. He wouldn’t have set out not feeling certain it was the best choice.”
    Elowyn managed a smile. “I’ll try to find reassurance in that somewhere.” The boat lurched and she braced herself with a hand to the wall.
    “You can go up. Anderson has his cabin set aside for you,” Grahame replied as he steadied Aramis.
    “No, I’ll be fine here.” No matter how bad the night got, she would be safe with him and his swimming horse. That might have been the moment she fell for him, right there in the dark hold of a storm-tossed ship. All else might be turmoil around them, but he was a literal pillar of strength—confident and sure, never wavering in the long night.
    So sure of that strength was she, Elowyn actually slept, her head braced against the wall, her body curled on the hay bale. She didn’t sleep well, of course, there were limits after all. She awoke once to find a blanket had been draped over her, another time to find a makeshift pillow beneath her head, and every time to see Grahame standing at Aramis’s head, a reminder that she was safe.
    It was Grahame who woke her in the morning with a gentle shake. He knelt down beside her rough bed and brushed back her hair, his voice soft at her ear. “We’ll be in port momentarily, my dear. We made it. Aramis will have to demonstrate his swimming skills another time.”
    Elowyn smiled and sat up. “Ouch.” She put a hand to her neck. “I’m stiff everywhere.” And now that the ship had stopped rocking, she was hungry, tired and must look as rumpled as she felt. But she did not dare complain. Grahame would not be impressed with complaints. He’d provided her every comfort at his disposal: a blanket, a pillow, even a bed of sorts, while he’d gone without, standing sentinel for her and Aramis all night.
    “Stiff everywhere?” Grahame teased. “And I thought I had it bad. I am only stiff in one spot.”
    Elowyn laughed and swatted at his shoulder. “You’re incorrigible.”
    “I’m alive, my dear, and I want to celebrate it.” He kissed her just as Captain Anderson came down the stairs. It was time to unload Aramis and get off the ship. Elowyn didn’t have to be asked twice. Not because she’d had her fill of sailing but because a warm bath and a room awaited her in Ostend and she had every intention of enjoying them both with Grahame.
    Traveling light had its benefits. True, she wouldn’t have her own sheets tonight, but on the bright side, all they’d had to do was walk Aramis off the ship and go straight to the inn. There was no waiting while trunks were loaded and wagons arranged. The result was that half an hour after leaving the ship, her bath was ready.
    Behind the dressing screen, she slipped off her robe and sank into the water. Ah, it felt good. This was heaven, right here in the tub next to the fire. The innkeeper had thought she was crazy for wanting a bath so early in the morning. But this was