Megan's mate

Besides, she'd taken seasickness pills, so, logically, she couldn't be seasick.

The children cheered as the boat made its long, slow turn in the bay. Megan's stomach turned with it.

Alex was generous enough to allow Kevin to blow the horn. Megan stared straight out the bridge window, her eyes focused above the calm blue water of Frenchman Bay.

It was beautiful, wasn't it? she told herself. And it was hardly tilting at all.

You'll see The Towers on the starboard side, Nathaniel was saying.

That's the right,

Jenny announced.

Starboard's right and porf s left.

Stern's the back and the bow's in front, said Alex, not to be outdone.

We know

all about boats.

Megan shifted her eyes to the cliffs, struggling to ignore another twist in her stomach.

There it is, Kevin.

She gripped the brass rail beneath the starboard window for balance.

It looks like it's growing right out of the rock.

And it did look like a castle, she mused as she watched it with her son beside her.

The turrets spearing up into the blue summer sky, the somber gray rock glistening with tiny flecks of mica. Even the scaffolding and the antlike figures of men working didn't detract from the fairy-tale aura. A fairy tale, she thought, with a dark side.

And that, she realized, was what made it all the more alluring. It was hardly any wonder that Sloan, with his love of buildings, adored it.

Like something you'd expect to see on some lonely Irish coast.

Nathaniel spoke

from behind her.

Or on some foggy Scottish cliff.

Yes. It's even more impressive from the sea.

Her eyes drifted up, to Bianca's

tower. She shivered.

You may want to put your jacket on,

Nathaniel told her.

It's going to get chillier

when we get out to sea.

No, I'm not cold. I was just thinking. When you've heard all the stories about Bianca, it's hard not to imagine what it was like.

She'd sit up there and watch the cliffs for him. For Christian. And she'd dream guiltily, I imagine, being a proper lady. But propriety doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell against love.

She shivered again, the statement hit much too dose to home. She'd been in love once, and had tossed propriety aside, along with her innocence.

She paid for it,

Megan said flatly, and turned away. To distract herself, she wandered over

to

the charts. Not that she could make heads or tails of them.

We're heading north by northeast.

As he had with Alex, Nathaniel took Megan's hand and guided it along the chart.

We've got a clear day, good visibility, but there's a strong wind. It'll be a little choppy.

Terrific, she thought, and swallowed hard.

If you don't come up with whales, you're going to have some very disappointed kids.

Oh, I think I can provide a few.

She bumped against him as bay gave way to sea.

His hands came up to steady her shoulders, and remained. The boat might have swayed, but he stood solid as a rock.

You want to brace your feet apart. Distribute the weight. You'll get your sea legs, Meg.

She didn't think so. Already she could feel the light coating of chilly sweat springing to her skin. Nausea rolled in an answering wave in her stomach. She would not, she promised herself, spoil Kevin's day, or humiliate herself, by being sick.

It takes about an hour to get out, doesn't it?

Her voice wasn't as strong, or as

steady, as she'd hoped.

That's right.

She started to move away, but ended by leaning dizzily against him.

Come about,

he murmured, and turned her to face him. One look at her face had his brows drawing together. She was pale as a sheet, with an interesting tinge of green just under the surface. Dead sick, he thought with a shake of his head. And they were barely under way.

Did you take anything?

There was no use pretending. And she didn't have the strength to be brave.

Yes,

but I don't think it did any good. I get sick in a canoe.

So you came on a three-hour trek into the Atlantic.

Kevin had his heart set

She broke off when Nathaniel put a steadying arm around her waist and led her to a bench.

Sit,

he ordered.

Megan obeyed and, when she saw that the children were occupied staring out the windows, gave in and dropped her head between her legs.

Three hours, she thought. They'd have to pour her into a body bag in three hours.

Maybe bury her at sea. God, what had made her think a couple of pills would steady her? She felt a tug on her hand.

What? Is the ambulance here already?

Steady as she goes, sugar.

Crouched in front of her, Nathaniel slipped narrow terry-cloth bands over her wrists.

What's this?

Acupressure.

He twisted the bands until small metal studs pressed lightly on a point on her wrist.

She would have laughed if she hadn't been moaning.

Great. I need a stretcher and

you offer voodoo.

A perfectly valid science. And I wouldn't knock voodoo, either. I've seen some pretty impressive results. Now breathe slow and easy. Just sit here.

He slid open a