Free Lethal Legend by Kathy Lynn Emerson Page B

for shipbuilding, in particular for masts. No doubt they also wanted the advantage this would give them over their traditional enemy. That was England,” Miss Dunbar added, sounding a bit condescending.
    “How do you know all this? “
    “Years of research.” Miss Dunbar’s brusque tone would have discouraged further questions from anyone less determined.
    “Even if Mr. Ennis finds remnants of a ship, how can you possibly prove—?” Diana broke off when Miss Dunbar caught her forearm.
    “There’s a second boat out there.”
    “There are dozens of boats plying the waters of Penobscot Bay,” Diana said.
    “There!” She pointed. “At anchor. Carrying two men.”
    She was right. There was a small vessel a short distance from the tender, in an excellent position to observe the dive. Archaeological rivals? Reporters? Or simply curious passersby?
    Miss Dunbar swore under her breath.
    “Looks like a dory,” Graham Somener said. “Most likely fishermen from one of the neighboring islands.” He did not sound unduly concerned about its presence.
    “Whoever they are, they’ve no business here,” Miss Dunbar complained.
    “Shall I have MacDougall fire a warning shot?”
    “Your sarcasm in not appreciated, Graham!” In her irritation, Miss Dunbar so far forgot formality as to use her host’s given name. The slip, and the similar one Somener had made earlier, confirmed Diana’s suspicions about the nature of their relationship.
    Somener peered at the distant craft. “One of them has binoculars. I can see the sun reflecting off the glass. Damnation! There’s no such thing as privacy anymore.”
    “We have a bigger problem,” Ben said in a strained voice. “Something’s wrong on the tender.”
    Diana shifted her gaze to the other boat. Carstairs and Amity had abandoned the pump. They were leaning over the side, tugging at the cables and hoses that led beneath the surface to Frank Ennis.
    “Dear Lord!” Miss Dunbar whispered in a tone that made Diana’s chest go tight with sudden fear.
    Ben was already moving, stripping off his coat and shedding his shoes as he ran towards the shore. Graham Somener hesitated only a moment before following suit.
    “Ben! No!”
    Ignoring Diana, Ben plunged into the water and struck out for the tender. He was a good swimmer. He’d told her so himself. But that knowledge was not enough to keep Diana’s heart out of her throat.
    “It’s already too late.” Miss Dunbar’s voice was thready and Diana had never seen such a ghastly color in a living face. “If the pump failed, they’ll never get him back to the surface in time. He’s already run out of air. Frank is already dead.”
     

Chapter Four
     
    Heartsick, Diana could not take her eyes off the tender. She wanted to look away but couldn’t. Her stomach clenched and she gulped in air, imagining what it must be like to be trapped underwater, struggling to breathe. As she watched, beset by a terrible sense of helplessness, the swimmers finally reached the boat.
    With what seemed to be excruciating slowness, Frank Ennis’s limp body was hoisted aboard. Although the men worked frantically to get him out of the diving suit and Ben was clearly doing all he could to revive him, nothing had any effect. Well before they began their slow journey back to shore, it was obvious to Diana that Miss Dunbar had been right. Frank Ennis was dead.
    “How could the pump fail as long as your men kept working it?”
    “I don’t know.”
    Miss Dunbar’s voice was so flat that Diana turned to look at her. Her expression was equally devoid of emotion. She stood with her arms tightly pressed against her sides and her hands fisted, stiff and silent as a statue. Only the tracks of tears on her cheeks betrayed the depth of her feelings for the dead man.
    Belatedly, Diana remembered that they were not the only women on the beach. She glanced at Mrs. Monroe and found on her face all the shock and grief she’d expected to see on Miss