Megan's mate

But none of us want you overdoing things. Now, here's some i.e. tea and a nice club sandwich.

It did look tempting, particularly since she'd had no appetite for breakfast. A residual effect, she knew, of her encounter with Nathaniel.

Thank you, Coco. I'm sorry I took you away from your work.

Oh.

Coco waved a dismissive hand as Megan rose to pick up her plate.

Don't

give it a thought. To be frank, dear, I simply had to get out away from that man.

The Dutchman?

Megan smiled over her first bite of sandwich.

I met him this

morning, when I was coming down. I made a wrong turn and ended up in the hotel wing.

Restless, Coco began to fiddle with the thick gold links around her throat.

I hope

he didn't say anything to offend you. He's a bit... rough.

No.

Megan poured two glasses of tea, offered one to Coco.

He sort of glowered

and told me I needed some meat on my bones. I thought he was going to start stuffing me with the Greek omelet he was fixing, but one of the busboys dropped a plate. I escaped while he was swearing at the poor kid.

His language.

Coco seated herself, smoothed down her silk trouser leg.

Deplorable. And he's al-ways contradicting me on recipes.

She shut her eyes,

shuddered.

I've always considered myself a patient woman and, if I can be immodest for a moment, a clever one. I had to be both to raise four lively girls.

Sighing, she tossed up her hands in a gesture of surrender.

But as far as that

man's concerned, I'm at my wits' end.

I suppose you could let him go,

Megan said tentatively.

Impossible. The man's like a father to Nathaniel, and the children, for reasons that escape me, are terribly fond of him.

She opened her eyes again and smiled bravely.

I can cope, dear, and I must admit the man has a way with certain rudimentary dishes.

She patted her new hairdo.

And I find little ways to distract myself.

But Megan's attention was stuck back at Coco's first statement.

I suppose Mr. Van

Horne has known Nathaniel for some time.

Oh, more than fifteen years, I believe. They served together, sailed together, whatever you call it. I believe Mr. Van Horn took Nate under his wing. Which is something in his favor, I suppose. God knows the boy needed someone, after the miserable childhood he had.

Oh?

It wasn't in Megan's nature to probe, but Coco needed little prompting.

His mother died when he was very young, poor boy. And his father.

Her lovely

mouth went grim.

Well, the man was little more than a beast really. I barely knew John Fury, but there was always talk in the village. And now and then Nathaniel would come along with Holt when Holt brought us fish. I'd see the bruises for myself.

Bruises,

Megan repeated, horrified.

His father beat him?

Coco's soft heart had tears swimming to her eyes.

I'm very much afraid so.

But didn't anyone do anything about it?

Whenever there were questions, the man would claim the boy had fallen, or gotten into a fight with another child. Nathaniel never contradicted him. Sad to say, abuse was something people often overlooked back then. Still is, I'm afraid.

Tears

threatened her mascara. She dabbed at them with Megan's napkin.

Nathaniel ran off

to sea the moment he was of age. His father died a few years back. Nate sent money for the funeral, but didn't come. It was hard to blame him.

Coco sighed, shook herself.

I didn't mean to come in with such a sad story. But it has a good ending. Nate turned out to be a fine man.

Coco's damp eyes were

deceptively guileless.

All he needs is the right woman. He's terribly handsome, don't you think?

Yes,

Megan said cautiously. She was still trying to equate the abused child with the confident man.

And dependable. Romantic, too, with all those tales of the sea, and that air of mystery around him. A woman would be very lucky to catch his eye.

Megan blinked her own eyes as the not-so-subtle hint got through.

I couldn't say. I

don't know him very well, and I don't really think about men that way.

Nonsense.

Confident in her own matchmaking skills, Coco patted Megan's knee.

You're young, beautiful, intelligent. Having a man in your life doesn't diminish those things, dear or a woman's independence. The right man enhances them. And I have a feeling that you'll be finding that out, very soon. Now she leaned over and

kissed Megan's cheek

I have to get back to the kitchen, before that man does something horrid to my salmon patties.

She started out the door, then paused timing it, Coco thought, rather beautifully.

Oh, dear, I'm such a scatterbrain. I was supposed to tell you about Kevin.

Kevin?

Automatically Megan's gaze shifted to the window.

Isn't he outside with

Alex and Jenny?

Well, yes, but not here.

Coco smiled distractedly it was a pose she'd practiced for years.

It's Nathaniel's day off, and he was by for lunch. Such a wonderful appetite he has, and never seems to gain an ounce. Of course, he does keep active.