She blew out a sigh. “No, but I will do my best.” She stomped past him and went inside.
Rhys followed and crawled back into his bed and pulled the blanket over his head.
“Tea, where is the tea. There must be tea.” The words were said quietly, but enough to disturb.
“I do not have tea.” He grumbled from beneath the blankets. “Drink coffee.”
“I will not serve the children coffee!” she insisted.
“Then I guess they will be thirsty.”
“Do you have no water either?” she demanded.
“There is a bucket by the stove and there is a stream up the path. You should all go and take your time.”
If they did leave, he’d lock the door behind them but no doubt their return would bring a louder racket than before.
There was also no lock for the door. It was a bloody hut with no security.
Tempest glared at the lump beneath the blankets, then grabbed the bucket and marched to the door. “Nicoll, take Margaret and follow the path and collect water, please.”
Mr. McNaught grumbled from beneath his blanket but Tempest could not understand his words and it was likely something her younger siblings should not hear.
She usually was not so difficult, but they needed this shelter. Ellen, the youngest, was only six and could not be expected to live outside, on the beach or in the forest, nor should any of them with Ruth being only eight, Ann ten, and Margaret twelve. At least Nicoll was six and ten, eight years her junior, yet old enough to be of assistance. She was also the one sister who should not have viewed Mr. McNaught’s chest, given she was closer to being of marriageable age and should be shielded from such until she was wed. Therefore, Tempest must make Mr. McNaught understand that he could not walk around partially unclothed.
She should not have even viewed him without his shirt, but she had and would likely never forget the muscles in his chest and arms, better able to take care of himself outside the house than she or her sisters could.
Tempest turned her attention to the foodstuffs that he had shelved along with the items that had been present when she had first arrived.
There was the possibility of small meals, and if they were frugal, there should be enough so as not to run out of food or starve before someone came for them. And, if they ate too much, there were always coconuts and passion fruit.
She paused and glanced at Mr. McNaught. Had the ship’s captain known someone lived here? Had he known that it was Mr. McNaught? If so, he could have warned her that she would be encountering the most unpleasant man in the Caribbean.
Tempest shook her head and dismissed her question. It did not matter because it was something she would not ask Mr. McNaught and with the captain dead, she could not ask him.
Tempest took a loaf of bread and jar of preserves, then set both on the table before she went in search of a knife. This would satisfy their hunger until she could prepare a more filling meal with the supplies that Mr. McNaught generously offered.
She frowned, pursed her lips and glanced at the man-shaped lump under the blanket. He had made the offer without her asking.
Perhaps he wasn’t so rude.
But that didn’t mean she still wasn’t going to claim the hut for her and her sisters.
“Girls, come inside for something to eat,” she called quietly, but loud enough for them to hear, and likely Mr. McNaught too if he was not yet asleep.
They hurried onto the terrasse.
“But please be very quiet, Mr. McNaught needs his sleep.”
“In the middle of the day?” Ann inquired, her tone laced with disapproval.
“He was tired after his long walk from Fort-de-France, which isn’t surprising given his advanced years.”
She shot a quick glance at the lump on the bed to find that Mr. McNaught had pushed the blanket just low enough to glare at her.
Her sisters trailed into the house, then took a seat at the table and while they did try to remain quiet, it was impossible, as she knew it would be because benches scraped the floor, there were whispered comments and then Ruth accidentally bumped Ellen who in turn bit Ruth, which resulted in a rather loud objection.
Mr. McNaught pushed the blanket away from his face, sat up and glared at each of them.
