My Lady Vixen by Connie Mason Read Free Book Online Page A

bleak and forbidding with tall turrets pointing skyward in splendid artistry.
    Catching her breath in wonder Alexa hurried into her clothes and rushed topside to the small wardroom where Hayes, grinning toothlessly, served her breakfast. She reached the deck just as a longboat was being prepared to be lowered into the sparkling blue water. Adam was waiting for her.
    His eyebrows arched mysteriously as he asked coolly, “Did you sleep well.”
    Alexa froze in terror as he searched her face. Did he suspect something? she wondered bleakly. What would he do if he knew Fox had come to her bed last night and made love to her? Aware that Adam was waiting for her answer, she stammered, “I … yes, of course I did.”
    “Good,” he answered, his mouth twisting wryly. “When I noticed those dark shadows beneath your eyes I thought perhaps you had trouble sleeping.”
    Automatically her hands flew to her flushed face, her dark sooty lashes lowering to hide her embarrassment. But she was saved from responding when the longboat hit the water with a splash and Adam gripped her elbow. “Shall we go over the side, milady?” he asked smoothly.
    “O-over the side? You mean climb down to that boat in the water?”
    “Exactly. Shall we go?”
    “No! I can’t!” refused Alexa stubbornly. “This ballgown I’m wearing is hardly suitable for such activity.”
    Adam eyed her narrowly, silently agreeing with her. Suddenly he turned and marched her back to her cabin. “Wait here,” he ordered brusquely, “I’ll be back directly.”
    Curious as to what exactly he had in mind, Alexa patiently waited for Adam’s return. Fifteen minutes were to pass before he re-entered the cabin carrying an array of sailor’s garb over his arm. “Put these on,” he ordered. “It’s the best I could do on short notice. At least they are clean.”
    Alexa grimaced at the white pants and shirt as she held them gingerly between her fingers, but realized they were far better suited to climbing ropes than a ruined ballgown. She began to remove her dress until she suddenly remembered that Adam was still in the room. She looked at him pointedly.
    “Soon your body will hold no secrets, milady,” he bowed mockingly. “But if it will make you feel better I will wait for you topside.”
    Changing swiftly, Alexa returned topside, glancing around for Mac so she might bid him good-bye. But he was nowhere to be seen. Instead her eyes came to rest on the Fox standing loose-limbed on the bridge, his mask firmly in place. His hand raised in a gesture of farewell and she managed a tremulous smile before Adam came forward to help her over the side. If he noticed her wistful expression he said nothing. And then she was far too busy concentrating on descending the side of the ship without mishap to worry about anything else.
    The longboat set them off on the narrow strip of sandbelow the cliffs and returned immediately to the ship. Alexa gazed about her forlornly, feeling as if she were stranded in another world.
    “Come along, milady, Adam urged, pushing her forward.
    Alexa eyed the cliffs warily, fully aware that she could not scale those lofty heights. Not even comfortably clad in her sailor’s garb, which surprisingly was a fair fit. The pants were too big in the waist but hugged her hips enticingly while the shirt was a snug but adequate fit if she rolled up the sleeves. The look on Adam’s face when he first saw her dressed assured her that she was not unattractive in her new clothes.
    “Adam,” she finally said, exasperated. “There is no way I’ll be able to climb those cliffs.”
    “I know,” he smirked confidently. “But there is no need for such tactics. Follow me.”
    Keeping close to Adam, Alexa was astounded when he led her toward a small cave whose yawning mouth was completely hidden behind a huge boulder. When he crouched to enter, Alexa obediently followed. Taking a flint from his pocket Adam struck a light to a torch conveniently placed in a