“I dinna say ye did.”
And now she sounded like a girl pretending to be a boy.
“Argh!” Sean stood up, dropping the brat on her. “Here! Have the damned thing.”
He went to the fire and dug around hoping for some flames.
“I dunna want it.” She threw the covering toward him. It nearly landed in the fire.
Resentment shot through his gut like a knife blade. Sean clenched his teeth holding back his angry retort but allowed his expression to speak for him when he faced her. Boys did not throw items around a fire. Boys did not complain about having someone sleeping too close. Boys took what they were offered and shut up about it.
“I think ye need yer arse slapped but good.”
Her eyes widened, she stepped back, and gasped as if he were about to redden her bottom at that very moment. He turned away from her and toward the fire. “Give me any more trouble and I’ll see to it myself.”
From the sound of the movements,Tommymust have laid back down. A quick glance told him she’d rolled away from him. Unexpectedly, she stood back up. He turned away, feigning little interest. She went to retrieve the brat, covered herself with it, and turned away from the fire again.
Sean laughed quietly. Quite a spitfire. If he’d had more time, she might be an interesting puzzle to work out. Who she was and why she dressed like a boy. And why wasn’t she married yet? But he had duties of his own. Once he returned the horse and had Tadhg’s knife back in hand, he didn’t care what she did with the horse.
Tadhg had left Eire in a hurry to protect Brighit, who, it turned out, didn’t need his help. He’d left a mess behind, barely enough food for the clan to make it through winter. Now he chose to stay behind and help the Normans, sending Sean on ahead to see to everything. Not Tadhg’s finest hour and certainly not anything Sean wanted to take on.
Calum would make it over to Eire before him, making his way along the coast to Drogheda. He was a good man. Very level-headed. Tadhg had arranged for food from the neighboring O’Brien and Calum would be there to help manage the stores. Sean wasn’t really needed for any of that. He’d only be needed for defense. Clans didn’t attack during winter months.
Sean wasn’t good with words. It wasn’t worth the effort. Maybe that’s what Brighit had against him. He wasn’t smooth like her brother, Tadhg. All the MacNaughtons had that polished way about them.
Sean was a man of action. And if muscle and force were needed, even better. It worked best for him. He saw no reason to change that, especially now since the love of his life had thrown him over for another.
That one—Sir Peter of Normandy—seemed polished as well. He knew the right words to say. Even had the calmness to listen rather than react. Nothing like Sean. If that’s what Brighit had looked for in a husband, it was a good thing they hadn’t married. His passion ran too deep, took over too often, to wait around for things to happen.
“Good riddance to ye, Brighit.” Sean mumbled the words aloud perhaps hoping to rid her from his mind by the power of his declaration. His eyes soon drifted closed and he was again asleep. A peaceful sleep not disturbed by dreams and beautiful women that needed his help.
Bleary-eyed, Thomasina stumbled through the woods with an urgent need to see to nature’s call. Damn trews. Untie this. Yank at that. Shimmy this down. Ah, to be in a dress again. She never thought she’d be thinking that.
The birds had awoken her with their incessant chatter and followed her, growing even louder, as she’d followed the path. Another thing she didn’t have in the cave—the loud sound of nature. Why did she ever leave there?
“Tommy,” Sean bellowed from the camp.
He’d been fast asleep, snoring even, when she’d awoken.
“Tommy!” He moved closer and his tone sounded urgent. She fumbled with the foreign clothing.
“I’ll be back anon,” she said over her shoulder.
She pulled at the tie. Damn thing was wet. How did men manage this? Oh that’s right. Different appendages.
“Where have ye gone to?”
“I am right here.” She sounded irritated. Good. She tried again to loop the damp material only to find her leine had not cleared the top of her trews. Damn, but she’d never complain about a dress again. “Give me one moment.”
The rustling of the trees indicated he was just behind her.
“Wait!” She turned away from the sounds, dropping her trews to yank the twisted top out.
What sounded suspiciously like a groan of appreciation sounded in her ears. With trembling hands, she fought to right her clothing and refused to acknowledge what may have just happened. With a final tug on the bow at her waist, she stiffened her shoulders and took a deep breath before facing him.
Finding his back to her was a surprise. He looked as if he were giving her privacy until she recognized the telltale trickle of water. Sean was urinating.
“Sorry to interrupt ye, lad.” His voice sounded strained. “I could not find the horse—”
