diced jalapeños and spicy cumin for good measure. Captain Winslow would just have to share the spicy food. As she stirred everything together she thought about the old sailor’s lecture. He was probably too crazy to know about Bryce’s illegal activities. She should be thankful that Captain Winslow had gotten hold of her? Low Tide Lars was definitely deluded.
“Lars?” called a man’s voice from the door at one end of the galley. Caitlin turned her eyes to the stranger who’d obviously come from another area below deck. Neatly dressed in chinos and a short-sleeved shirt, his brown hair parted precisely, this man hadn’t been, present at lunch. He smiled politely at Caitlin as soon as he noticed her at the stove.
“How do you do?” the man said, offering his hand. “I’m Raymond de Silva, the Sea Devil’s engineer. And you are—”
Lars moved nearer to interrupt. “She’s the girl the captain took off the cabin cruiser last night. Now she’s working for me.”
“Really? I didn’t see much from the engine room. For a minute there I thought we were hosts to a new passenger.”
“I wish I were a passenger…and that this was only one of the more colorful types of cruises around the Spanish Main,” mumbled Caitlin. “Then I’d know when and if I could get off this ship.”
The Portuguese looked uncomfortable. “You aren’t enjoying sailing on the Sea Devil ? We’re in such a beautiful area. Hasn’t Lars given you time to look at the scenery? Well, I hope things improve,” he offered lamely. “Your situation may not be as bad as you think.”
Was this pirate trying to gloss things over? He acted like Caitlin was on vacation. She looked back at the stove and stirred the beans thoughtfully.
“That smells wonderful,” said the engineer. “You must be a good cook. May I have a taste? I skipped lunch and came over here for a snack.”
“It’s not ready!” exclaimed Caitlin, moving the pot away defensively. She didn’t want to be found out now. But Lars ruined everything. Taking a bowl and spoon from the cupboard, he followed her to scoop out some beans, then handed the mixture to de Silva.
For the next few minutes there was nothing to do but try to make herself inconspicuous. Her back to the table, Caitlin carefully examined the pots and utensils that hung on the far wall of the galley. She was surprised when she didn’t hear an outcry, then turned to see the engineer eating the beans with relish.
“You’ve got a great assistant there, Lars,” said de Silva, smiling at Caitlin. “This dish is excellent. Red pepper’s just what your beans needed. The only thing that might make them better is to add some sautéed onions or scallions.”
“We’ve got plenty of onions…grunions, bunions…” chanted Lars. Opening a drawer, he threw out several bunches of the vegetables. “Can you cut these up, missy?”
“Sure.”
Slicing onions on the large cutting board near the stove, Caitlin couldn’t keep from crying. And she didn’t know if she was more affected by the potent vegetables or by her disappointment over failing to ruin Bryce’s dinner. It was too bad the seasoning had been so diluted. She should have waited and somehow gotten all the pepper flakes into Bryce’s food alone. That would have made the captain sit up and take notice. Imagining his discomfort, she grinned through her tears.
But her smile froze when she saw Bryce enter the galley a few seconds later. Staring directly at her at first, he quickly turned away, a strange expression on his face. Had that actually been a look of concern she’d seen? Surely not.
Beneath his gorgeous exterior Caitlin was certain that Captain Winslow had a black, self-serving heart. Hadn’t he almost made love to her to get her to answer his questions? Degraded her by forcing her onto his nightmare ship and threatening her? Caitlin only hoped she’d live long enough to see Bryce locked up someday!
Later that night a strong
“Lars?” called a man’s voice from the door at one end of the galley. Caitlin turned her eyes to the stranger who’d obviously come from another area below deck. Neatly dressed in chinos and a short-sleeved shirt, his brown hair parted precisely, this man hadn’t been, present at lunch. He smiled politely at Caitlin as soon as he noticed her at the stove.
“How do you do?” the man said, offering his hand. “I’m Raymond de Silva, the Sea Devil’s engineer. And you are—”
Lars moved nearer to interrupt. “She’s the girl the captain took off the cabin cruiser last night. Now she’s working for me.”
“Really? I didn’t see much from the engine room. For a minute there I thought we were hosts to a new passenger.”
“I wish I were a passenger…and that this was only one of the more colorful types of cruises around the Spanish Main,” mumbled Caitlin. “Then I’d know when and if I could get off this ship.”
The Portuguese looked uncomfortable. “You aren’t enjoying sailing on the Sea Devil ? We’re in such a beautiful area. Hasn’t Lars given you time to look at the scenery? Well, I hope things improve,” he offered lamely. “Your situation may not be as bad as you think.”
Was this pirate trying to gloss things over? He acted like Caitlin was on vacation. She looked back at the stove and stirred the beans thoughtfully.
“That smells wonderful,” said the engineer. “You must be a good cook. May I have a taste? I skipped lunch and came over here for a snack.”
“It’s not ready!” exclaimed Caitlin, moving the pot away defensively. She didn’t want to be found out now. But Lars ruined everything. Taking a bowl and spoon from the cupboard, he followed her to scoop out some beans, then handed the mixture to de Silva.
For the next few minutes there was nothing to do but try to make herself inconspicuous. Her back to the table, Caitlin carefully examined the pots and utensils that hung on the far wall of the galley. She was surprised when she didn’t hear an outcry, then turned to see the engineer eating the beans with relish.
“You’ve got a great assistant there, Lars,” said de Silva, smiling at Caitlin. “This dish is excellent. Red pepper’s just what your beans needed. The only thing that might make them better is to add some sautéed onions or scallions.”
“We’ve got plenty of onions…grunions, bunions…” chanted Lars. Opening a drawer, he threw out several bunches of the vegetables. “Can you cut these up, missy?”
“Sure.”
Slicing onions on the large cutting board near the stove, Caitlin couldn’t keep from crying. And she didn’t know if she was more affected by the potent vegetables or by her disappointment over failing to ruin Bryce’s dinner. It was too bad the seasoning had been so diluted. She should have waited and somehow gotten all the pepper flakes into Bryce’s food alone. That would have made the captain sit up and take notice. Imagining his discomfort, she grinned through her tears.
But her smile froze when she saw Bryce enter the galley a few seconds later. Staring directly at her at first, he quickly turned away, a strange expression on his face. Had that actually been a look of concern she’d seen? Surely not.
Beneath his gorgeous exterior Caitlin was certain that Captain Winslow had a black, self-serving heart. Hadn’t he almost made love to her to get her to answer his questions? Degraded her by forcing her onto his nightmare ship and threatening her? Caitlin only hoped she’d live long enough to see Bryce locked up someday!
Later that night a strong
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