The Virgin Huntress by Victoria Vane

Author:Victoria Vane
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781771018289
Publisher: Breathless Press
Published: 2012-06-27T21:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

“You must be hungry by now,” Vesta said. “There is a lovely basket here with bread, cheese, meat pies, and wine.”

“No, thank you.” He snarled but then in almost the same breath, snatched up a bottle of wine, pulled out the cork with his teeth, and took an angry swig. Vesta seated herself alone at the table and nibbled on some cheese.

“Do you intend to share?”

He only glared his response and continued pacing with pauses only to pull on the bottle.

She shrugged and opened another one, making a great production of pouring it into a glass. She took a sip and made a face.

“What is it?” Hew asked.

“Nothing, really. I’m just accustomed to drinking it with water. Papa does not approve of young ladies drinking spirits of any kind full strength. Would you care to play some dominoes or cards?” she asked. “I know All Fours, Casino, and Piquet. I am also quite adept at Matador too, but my favorite games are backgammon and chess. Although luck is a great part of the former, I find that one really cannot win without also employing a stratagem in the long run.”

Hew chuckled despite himself. “I can see how games of strategy might be your forte.”

“Do you care to play?” she asked brightly.

“No, I would not.” He growled in answer.

She sighed. “Then I suppose it shall have to be Solitaire.”

For the next hour, Vesta dealt cards to herself and sipped wine while Hew paced the confines of the cabin, feeling like a caged tiger until he suddenly spun on her. “With us locked in like this, what do you suppose would happen if the ship were to wreck?”

She replied as if he was a simpleton. “Then I suppose you would have to break the windows if we really needed to escape. But I agree. This arrangement is much more tedious than I had imagined it would be. I’ve never been on a sailing ship before and would very much like to be above deck,” she said wistfully.

“Then what is to stop you?”

Vesta considered the question and suddenly brightened. “Well, I hadn’t considered it until now, but given we are well at sea, there’s nothing, I suppose! It’s not likely that you would jump into the ocean now, is it?”

“Then you can open this door.”

She grinned. “I only needed to ring the bell.”

He looked flummoxed. “The bell?”

“Over there.” She indicated the bell pull he had overlooked in his agitation. Before Vesta could even rise, Hew had already given the cord a violent tug. “Et tu, Brute?” Hew exclaimed when the elderly jockey answered the call. “Even you knew about this?”

“Aye, Cap’n Hew,” Pratt said, looking mighty green about the gills. “But when my lord commanded I was to be Man Friday to the little miss, I ne’er imagined ‘twould be shipboard.”

“You get no sympathy from me, old fellow. Let the punishment fit the crime, I say. Now, pray bring me my clothes!”

Pratt handed the captain a bundle with a rueful look. “I was expectin’ ye might be callin’ for ‘em.

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