“I will keep an eye on them,” Nicoll said, the last to exit.
“You may come in, Mr. McNaught.”
“Thank you.” He left the window and entered through the door. “I would like something to eat, if it is available.”
“Of course,” Tempest offered peacefully though she knew they would not remain amicable for long, or at least she assumed.
After placing an orange, bread and dried meat on the plate she handed it to him.
“What about a biscuit.”
“A biscuit?” she countered. For some reason he did not seem the type of man who would indulge in biscuits, yet, he had returned with them.
“Yes, a biscuit. I want one.”
She blew out a sigh and opened a tin then placed one on his plate.
“And the rum.”
“What rum?” Tempest asked innocently.
“My rum,” he ground out.
Their moment of peace had come to an end.
She stood back and gestured to the room. “I do not see any rum.”
Mr. McNaught glowered at her. “Where is it?”
Tempest crossed her arms over her chest. “Hidden.”
She stood back as he opened every cabinet then looked behind the food on the shelves. In fact, he looked every place that a bottle could be hidden.
“Why can I not find them?”
“I did not claim that they were hidden in here.”
“They must be!” he yelled. “You were not supposed to leave the house so you could not have hidden the bottles anywhere else.”
“I assure you that my younger siblings did remain inside and that I used extreme caution.”
He narrowed his eyes, his face hardened. For the first time, she noticed a tick in his jaw and Tempest wondered if she had gone too far.
“Why?”
“Because you drink entirely too much of it.”
“That is my concern and not yours.”
“You always have a bottle with you. It is what you drink when you are thirsty. It is not something that you should engage in around impressionable children.”
“I did not ask them or you to come here,” he reminded her. “Besides, you have already removed me from my home and took my clothing, it is too far to take a man’s rum.”
Tempest crossed her arms over her chest. “You will have it back when we are rescued.”
“I want it back now.”
Tempest took a step back at his yelling at her. “I must insist.”
