Read Online Devil's Embrace by Catherine Coulter - Free Book Online Page B

aboard, admitted that she had a fine way with her wee boat.”
    “That is quite an accolade, coming from my close-mouthed helmsman. Unfortunately, I do not believe that Cassandra would have the slightest inclination at the moment to value such a compliment.”
    “Do ye think she’ll agree to wed with ye, my lord?”
    “She will wed me,” Anthony said calmly. “Now, my friend, I must use your cabin just this once to bathe and change for dinner. See that Arturo prepares the English fare that I ordered. You will play the English butler this evening.”
    “Aye, my lord.” Scargill watched his master walk down the highly polished deck toward the companionway, his step jaunty, and the set of his broad shoulders assured.
    It was dark when the earl straightened his black satin waistcoat and unlocked the cabin door. He could make out Cassandra’s figure in the near darkness as he opened the door, seated in the same chair next to the table where he had left her. He frowned, for she had not bothered to light the lamps.
    He performed this task, and when the cabin was flooded with light, he turned to face her. She was wearing the same old muslin gown, and tendrils of hair, unbrushed, curled haphazardly about her set face.
    “Good evening, Cassandra,” he said, and sat down opposite her.
    “I see the pirate clothes himself like a gentleman,” she said, her eyes flitting over him with open contempt.
    “And I see that you are still clothed as a peasant girl. You do not find the wardrobe I have provided you to your liking?”
    “I will never touch anything that belongs to you, my lord.”
    “In that case,” he remarked imperturbably, “you will soon find yourself naked.” He saw her expressive eyes narrow in disbelief, then widen in ill-disguised fear. Obviously, she had not considered that he would make sexual demands of her.
    “Our dinner will arrive shortly. Would you care for a glass of wine?”
    Cassie nodded dumbly, aware suddenly that her throat was parched from thirst.
    He handed her a glass of French Burgundy and watched her clumsily take it between her bandaged fingers. She downed it in one long gulp and fell into a paroxysm of coughing.
    “It is heady stuff, Cassandra. You must learn to sip wine, not gulp it down like water.”
    She frowned at him from watery eyes and thwacked the delicate glass on the table.
    “Would you care for some more?”
    He saw her hesitate perceptibly and guessed that she feared that he would make her drunk. He liberally watered down another glass and placed it in front of her.
    There came a knock on the cabin door. “Ah, our dinner has arrived. Enter.”
    Scargill appeared in the doorway, dressed in an English butler’s formal attire, his arms laden with covered silver trays. The earl bit back a bark of laughter at the look of pained resignation on his face.
    Cassie moved away from the table and sat upon a blue velvet settee. She watched the earl silently as he lifted each cover and sniffed at the dishes. “You may tell Arturo that he has performed wonders,” he said to Scargill, who was looking with worried eyes at Cassie.
    Cassie said sharply, “Is it your wish to go to the gallows with your master? That is where brigands and pirates end their days.”
    Scargill turned to face the flushed girl. “If it is God’s will, lassie, then so be it.”
    She rose unsteadily to her feet and shouted at him, “I will see that it is God’s will. How can you obey a man who ruthlessly kidnaps a woman from her family and those she loves? He is a devil, without heart or honor.”
    Scargill shook his head slowly, his hazel eyes softening. “Ye’re wrong, lassie,” he said gently.
    Cassie drew a shattered breath, and without thought to consequences, took two quick steps forward and hurled the remaining wine in the earl’s face.
    “Oh, my God,” Scargill whispered behind her.
    Anthony Welles silently drew a white lawn handkerchief from his waistcoat pocket and mopped the wine from his