Destiny's Daughter by Ruth Ryan Langan Read Free Book Online Page A

paused a moment. He had the feeling that the man who had walked away so quickly had been standing outside this very door. Something about that figure had been unsettling. Chase felt a quiver of unease, then, intent on his mission, he dismissed all thoughts but one.
     
    *  *  *
     
    At a soft tap on her door, Annalisa turned. Her heart leaped to her throat. For some minutes now she had sensed someone listening outside her door. This was the moment of reckoning. They had come for her.
    The knock sounded again, this time a little louder. On bare feet she padded to the door, then paused. Her hands shook slightly. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
    "Who is it?" She leaned against the door, feeling the gentle rocking of the boat.
    "Chase."
    Her eyes widened. Completely unaware of her state of undress, she flung open the door to confront him.
    "You. How dare you come to my cabin. How can I make you understand that I want nothing to do with a cheat and a liar?"
    Surreptitiously glancing around the darkened deck, he stepped past her and closed the door. Casually lounging against it, he watched as she began her attack.
    "I have nothing but contempt for you. Because of you an innocent man was caused great embarrassment. Because of you my good name has been sullied. How could you calmly sit there tonight and allow another man to pay for your crime?"
    Crossing his arms over his chest, Chase studied the wild-looking creature as she paced in front of him. In the narrow stream of moonlight coming through the porthole, her slender figure was visible beneath the translucent chemise and petticoat. He felt a tightening in his midsection. Reality was even sweeter than his imagination. Her breasts were full and ripe. Her waist was so tiny, his hands could easily span it. Her long hair fell in tangles about her back and shoulders. Her skin was pale, almost iridescent in the eerie silver light. She seemed smaller, younger, as she unleashed all her anger and frustration.
    "Are you finished?" His voice was low, devoid of expression.
    "I’ve just started." She turned away, paced to the window, then faced him for another volley. "I made it very plain this afternoon that I wanted no part in your little game. When you winked tonight, I looked away. You knew I was ignoring you. Yet you persisted in watching me."
    "And how would you know that unless you were watching me as well?"
    "Oh." She stormed around the cabin, venting her frustration.
    Chase removed a cigar from his breast pocket and bit the end. Holding a match, he puffed until the tip glowed red. Releasing a cloud of smoke, his eyes narrowed, pinning her. His voice when he spoke again was barely a whisper.
    "I’m a man of my word, Miss Montgomery."
    She gave a strangled sound of derision. "The word of a cheat."
    Reaching into his pocket, he held out a handful of money. "This is your half."
    "Half of what you stole?" She swung away. "Keep your filthy money, Mr. Masters. I won’t be a party to cheating."
    His voice warmed with unspoken laughter. "You’re quite an actress."
    "Actress." She stopped in mid sentence to stare.
    "You pass yourself off as a nun."
    "I never ..."
    He held up a hand. "An almost nun then." His gaze raked her. "But I’ve never seen a nun look like this."
    For the first time Annalisa realized how she must look to him. Frantically she caught up the crumpled dress from the bunk and held it up to her to cover her near-nakedness.
    "Get out of my cabin this minute."
    He shot her a dangerous smile and took a step closer. With a flick of the wrist he tossed the cigar out the window. Dropping the money on the bunk, he caught her arm and pulled her against him. Her heart slammed in her chest. Her breathing stilled. Stunned, she felt the dress fall from her hands, dropping to the floor at her feet.
    He bent his head, inhaling the delicate floral scent that enveloped her. "And I never knew a nun who smelled like a French whore."
    Her heart began beating double time. She couldn’t