LITMIR.BIZ

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       Chapter One

      ‘Capt’n. There’s yer mermaid.’

      At his first mate’s words, Benjamin’s head snapped around and his eyes locked on the form slicing through the Aegean Sea.

      Benjamin took two steps closer to the edge of the craggy rocks overlooking the water. The sea air took some of the rotted-egg smell of the island from his lungs and the shape reaching the shoreline took all thoughts from his head.

      He reached to his side and took the spyglass from the hanging sheath, and peered. His movements must have caught her attention, because as soon as her head appeared in his eyepiece—she treaded water. Her eyes locked on his, capturing him.

      Then she turned, long arms finishing the swim quickly. Everything else in the world disappeared but the vision in his spyglass. His breath caught. He’d truly found a mermaid.

      ‘Ah, she saw us,’ Gidley grumbled. ‘Now she’ll go and turn into a reg’lar woman. Blast the luck. Once a mermaid sees a man, she sprouts legs. Happens every time.’

      The woman stepped on to the sand. Benjamin grunted in disappointment, realising he’d been lost in a fantasy.

      He tipped the end of the glass downward to ascertain she did have legs. She wore a chemise, but the thin, wet garment viewed through a strong imagination left little covered. He braced himself, keeping his knees from giving way, while he leaned forward, trapped in his thoughts.

      Gidley nudged Benjamin. ‘Lend me that glass, Capt’n. Want to see if she be sportin’ a tail.’

      Ben pulled air into his lungs, giving himself time to relearn to speak. ‘No,’ he said. And then he murmured. ‘No fins.’ Breasts, yes.

      ‘Bet she’s the one we’re looking for,’ Gidley said.

      ‘I hope so,’ Benjamin spoke softly. ‘She’s...’

      ‘Mermaid like or reg’lar woman like?’

      Benjamin paused. He’d not really studied her face. He raised the view of the glass, taking in the sculpted lines of her jaw and moving up to the graceful cheekbones. ‘I would say—better than either.’

      Then he saw her pulling clothing on and he lowered the spyglass. He turned and slapped Gidley on the arm. ‘Turn your back. We’re gentlemen.’

      Gidley grimaced, shuffling around until he faced the opposite direction. ‘Speak for yourself. I be an able-bodied seaman. And that’s a mermaid. Had to look and so did yer. Would be wrong not to appreciate, like spittin’ out good ale. Don’t let her get close enough to spit at yer, though. They’ve venom in their mouths.’

      Benjamin shook his head. ‘She’s not a mermaid. She’s a woman. And if she’s Melina’s sister, then she’s not someone to dally with.’

      ‘Then I need to find the little treasure that I left behind last time. Bouboulina or Alenakous or something like that. Would ’uv remembered if I’d known we was returning. I brought more coin this time—so I’m expectin’ true love.’ He dropped the canvas bag of gifts they’d brought to give Melina’s sisters. Gidley tugged up his trouser waistband, puffed out his chest and straightened the rag of a cap that stuck to his head even in the roughest squalls.

      The island breeze blew across them and Benjamin waited on the woman to scramble upwards through the rocks.

      ‘This ol’ island’s not a bad place, if yer don’t mind breathing in the whiffs of an old volcano demon’s breath.’ Gidley peered around the area. ‘But we need us a real voyage under our legs—not bouncin’ around to make yer brother happy. Just seems wasteful.’

      ‘Not if I make good on the deal,’ Benjamin muttered half to himself. He wanted to leave as badly as Gidley. Sailing was his life—not running errands for his brother, the earl, who just happened to share ownership in Ascalon with Benjamin.

      But the earl had made a solemn promise. If Benjamin returned with Melina’s treasure—some artefact that neither of the men truly gave a whistle about—Benjamin could own the Ascalon from port to stern.

      Marriage. His brother was so besotted with his wife that he was willing to trade away half a ship just to make a woman happy.

      ‘Yer snarlin’.’ Gidley’s words broke Benjamin’s reverie, while the first mate scratched his head and made his hat wiggle. ‘Thought seeing a real live mermaid would put a smile on yer face.’

      ‘I’m thinking of my brother losing his mind.’

      ‘Some women are worth losing a mind for. Just never seen one myself, ’cept that mermaid climbin’ this way.’

      ‘Don’t be daft, Gid. She’s just another island lightskirt.’

      And at that moment, Benjamin heard her scrambling footsteps bounding up the rocks beside him, turned to her and lost his grip on the spyglass.

      Even Gidley didn’t comment on the glass dropping, tumbling to rocks far below them.

      Ben saw the resemblance to his brother’s wife—but this woman caught his eyes in a way no one ever had before. She might not be a mermaid, but Benjamin wouldn’t rule out her being descended from Aphrodite.

      * * *

      Thessa pushed back the dripping tendril of hair she’d not managed to capture in her bun and let her eyes linger over the agklikos who’d had that looking piece trained on her.

      She waited for him to speak. She’d heard his last words. He was English. Like her father, a man who believed lies would feed his family.

      ‘I’m Benjamin, the captain of the Ascalon. I took your sister to England.’ This from the one who had weak fingers and too-strong eyes.

      So many questions pounded into her mind at once that she couldn’t speak. She couldn’t put the words into the English she’d learned at her father’s knee. She couldn’t ask what she wanted to know most—her sister’s fate. If the ship had returned and her sister wasn’t with them, then she must be dead. Thessa shoved the thoughts from her mind and stared at the man in front of her. He had taken Melina to her death.

      He lifted the bag at his feet and moved towards her. She didn’t take the offering. She knew not to accept anything from one of the sailors. Gifts were not without cost. And never would she take something from a man who’d caused hurt to Melina. She’d die first.

      ‘Captain. Vessel. Melina. Away.’ He spoke carefully, snaking his other hand up and down in a bobbing motion to indicate a ship sailing.

      ‘We.’ He touched his friend’s arm and then his own chest. ‘Are here.’ He pointed to the ground. ‘Searching.’ She thought he mimicked digging. ‘Melina sent...for treasure.’ He touched the gold ring and she noticed both his smallest fingers had rings.

      She shook her head. But he’d mentioned her sister. And he spoke as if she were still alive. The thoughts darkening her vision vanished. The world around her reappeared and she stared at the two men.

      ‘Try French, Capt’n,’ the straggly one said. ‘’Cause of all the French ships that dock here, whores has to learn it early.’

      ‘Whores?’ Thessa snapped out the word.

      ‘See, Capt’n...’ The silver haired one smiled so big she thought his face would burst. ‘Just have to find the right words. Melina told me both her sisters can speak King’s English better’n me. ‘

      ‘I did not learn it by choice,’ Thessa said. ‘My father forced us.’

      ‘I must be grateful,’ the younger man said. ‘To see a woman swimming and then to be able to speak with her is indeed a treat. Women in London do not prefer to swim.’

      She searched his

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