To Love a Horseguard Read Online Free

and gliding alongside the ship and a desperate plan formed in her head. Pushing open one of the windows she leaned out and looked down at the water. With a glance at the door she climbed onto the narrow window ledge. Taking one last deep breath, she jumped.
    The shoc k of the cold water made her gasp and take in a mouthful of salty sea water as she sank beneath the waves. She struggled to the surface, her petticoats pulling her down. Panic set in with the realization she could not fight the weight of her sodden garments. I am going to drown! Her lungs began to burn with the need for oxygen. She closed her eyes.
    S omething touched her. Oh God! I am going to be eaten by some terrible sea creature! She opened her eyes. A hand grabbed her arm and she was pulled toward the surface. Just when she began to black out her head popped free of the water. Coughing and sputtering she struggled to fill her lungs with air. A wave hit and her petticoats pulled her downward again. There was a splash beside her and then something tugged at her skirts. She kicked with all her might. A hand grabbed her legs and her skirts suddenly floated away. When she bobbed to the surface again she took a big gulp of air. A strong arm wrapped around her chest and pulled her backward. Her attempt to scream only resulted in a waterlogged croak. The ship loomed above her. Exhausted she lay still as she was hoisted over someone’s lap. With a lurch they cleared the water and began to inch up the side of the ship. She coughed up more sea water and lay matching the rasp of the other person’s breathing. Hands reached out and pulled them both over the railing and onto the ship’s deck. Rose swiped a soggy lock of hair from her eyes.
    Sergi crouched beside her on the deck and scowled at her. His clothes clung to his body, water dripping down his face and onto the deck. He grabbed a blanket offered to him by one of his crew. “That…was the most…foolish…thing…I have ever…seen.” He gasped, his chest heaving. “What were you… thinking?”
    “I thought...I could swim...to shore,” Rose mumbled, huddling almost skirt-less under a skimpy blanket a crew member tossed her.
    Sergi’s eyes widened. “Next time you might want to try it naked so you do not drown.” He staggered to his feet towering over her.
    Rose lifted her chin and glared at him. “There would not be a next time if you would just turn this ship around and take me home.” Her teeth chattered and she clenched her jaw shut to stifle the noise.
    “If I remember correctly you were the one who did not want to marry the French prince.”  He grabbed her by the arm and jerked her to her feet, his eyes glittering with anger. “You should thank me because now you have got your wish.”
    Rose pushed her fury to the surface to hide her fear of him. “I did not ask you to kidnap me or agree to become your prisoner.”
    “Well, get used to it P rincess, because you will be my prisoner until I have no further use for you.” He shoved her into a burly sailor’s arms. “Take her back to her quarters and this time nail those windows shut.” He turned on his heel and stomped off.
    “My brother will find you and kill you.” Rose shouted at his retreating back. The men on deck began to snicker and laugh. She glared at them before she was dragged shivering back below deck.
    Once back in her bedchamber Dinah helped her out of her soggy costume and into a dry pink morning dress. A couple of sailors entered a few minutes after she had changed, nailed the window shut and then left without a word.
    “What am I going to do, Dinah?”
    “I don’t know my lady.” The maid tucked her back into bed and then handed her a cup of tea. “Drink this, it will warm you up.”
      Rose took a sip and wrinkled her nose at the bitter taste. “This tea is terrible.”
      The maid gave her a strange look and shrugged.
      Rose finished the tea finding the warmth soothing to her chilled limbs. She was very tired