Almost a Lady by Jane Feather

Author:Jane Feather [Feather, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, cookie429, Kat, Extratorrents
ISBN: 0553587560
Publisher: Bantam
Published: 2005-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Beggin’ yer pardon, sir, but I don’t think as how it’s a good idea, “the boatswain stated bluntly. “Not with the sea as foul as it is . . . and ye’ll have no one to watch your back.”

“I appreciate your concern, Bosun, but I’m going in alone,” Cosimo returned, his voice pleasant and even, but Meg, from her position behind the half-open door to the cabin, could hear the implacable note.

Obviously the boatswain did too. He said, “Right y’are, sir. I’ll have the dinghy made ready.” There was a pause, and then he said, “You won’t even take one of them youngsters? Rowing the dinghy single-handed in this sea won’t be easy.”

“No, it’s not necessary. We’ll take the ship in as close to the beach as possible, and I’ll go in from there. You’ll hold the ship for twenty-four hours, and if I don’t return by then, you’ll sail back to Folkestone with Miss Barratt.”

“Only twenty-four hours, sir?” The boatswain sounded aghast.

“Precisely twenty-four hours. And then you take Miss Barratt home.”

“Aye, sir.”

Meg ducked back into the cabin. She’d been about to leave it when she’d heard Cosimo and the boatswain talking at the base of the companionway and something had kept her listening from behind the half-open door. She knew Cosimo was going to make one more shore excursion on the way to Bordeaux, but he hadn’t said anything more about it. It seemed that now was the moment. But the boatswain was right, the sea was in a foul temper, and rain was sheeting down from a black moonless sky. Why did it have to be tonight? And surely the crew would resent her if they had to obey their captain’s orders and abandon him just to take an unorthodox passenger back to England.

Cosimo came in looking distracted and went immediately to the charts. “So you’re going ashore?” Meg said to his back.

“Mmm.”

“Tonight?”

“That’s right.”

“But the weather’s foul.”

“Can’t be helped.”

“Bosun doesn’t seem to think it’s a good idea.”

He straightened and turned around. “Now, how do you know that?”

“I was eavesdropping,” she confessed. “Just now. I heard you talking. And if the bosun doesn’t think it’s a good idea, I think you should listen to him.”

“Do you, indeed?” He quirked an eyebrow and looked amused.

“It’s not funny,” Meg said, refusing to be deterred. “Where are you going and why must it be tonight?”

Cosimo scratched his forehead, saying patiently, “I’m going ashore to check for messages. And it has to be tonight because we’re just off La Rochelle and that’s where I will find such messages.” He opened one of the cupboards and took out a black oilskin. “Stay snug and dry while I’m gone.”

“And what if you don’t come back?” She regarded him steadily.

“Then the boatswain has instructions to sail you home to Folkestone.”

“So I heard. And that means abandoning you without knowing what’s happened to you. I don’t want to be responsible for that.”

“My dear, I and only I am responsible for the decisions I make.” His tone was crisper now as he dressed in the black oilskin.

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