Certainly not.
It was because he was new, and the situation was unusual, and cleaning a boat was something they had never done. That was all.
And really, why should he object. He may be unpleasant, some of the time, but he wasn’t drinking because all the bottles of rum were hidden, she had checked just that morning.
“You can help him later, if he requests your assistance. For now, we need to return because you now have more laundry to do.”
With reluctance, her sisters followed her back to the hut and once inside, she began issuing instructions.
“First, change your clothing. Next, I need Nicoll and Margaret to take the shirts to the stream and see them laundered. Ruth and Ellen, please collect coconuts from the beach, but try to stay near the trees.” Not that she was worried about them being seen because there were only British ships out there, blockading the island. Maybe one of them would notice the girls through their spy glass and investigate, though it was unlikely. “Ann, you will help me prepare dinner.”
Why was she so irritable toward Mr. McNaught? It was not like her at all. Usually, she was a most agreeable person but there was something about him, or maybe it was their circumstances that put her on edge.
He wasn’t the friendliest of fellows either, but he couldn’t blame her for their current circumstance.
And why had her sisters gone to help him with his boat? There had been plenty for them to do here…except there wasn’t. The place had been cleaned top to bottom and they each lacked something to occupy their minds and hands. It was no wonder that they were willing to scrub blood from a boat and it had nothing to do with them liking Mr. McNaught more than her. He needed assistance, whereas she could not even offer entertainment because they quickly grew bored of the games that they could play.
Maybe she should have helped clean the boat too and it would have taken her mind off their current predicament. Instead, she spent her time worrying about her father, and how he was getting on when they had not returned in time, or her uncle’s concern when the boat didn’t return. How soon before a ship was sent looking for them, or would they be given up as lost?
Worse, what if the French returned.
Or, what if the British invaded before they were gone?
What if the battle came to this beach and she and her sisters were too close to be safe?
Those were the fears that kept her awake at night, and ones that she could not share with her sisters.
They had also put her on edge and made her prickly, which she did take out on Mr. McNaught and even though she did not approve of his drinking so much rum…it wasn’t that, she didn’t want to have him drunk…and he had not invited them, so no wonder he would be irritated with them. She had kicked him out of his house and she still didn’t know if he was here because he wanted to be or because he was spying for England.
Oh, this situation was frustrating and she hated not having answers, but it was also no reason not to be more friendly toward Mr. McNaught.
The door banged open and she looked up.
Mr. McNaught stood in the entry; his frantic gaze scanned the room.
“Where are the girls?”
Six
After the girls had left, Rhys had taken his bottle of rum and retreated to the hammock where he sat and stared out at the sea. The boat was clean, thanks to the girls, though it could use a new coat of paint that he did not have. Just like he did not have any tar or pitch. Without it, the boat was useless.
He had then taken a drink of rum then lifted his spyglass, hoping that he would spot a ship of the Royal Navy on the horizon on their way to rescue Miss Driscoll and her sisters.
Instead, French soldiers rounded the corner and were walking up the beach in their direction.
“Bloody hell!”
He had quickly corked the bottle and left it in the sand then took off running toward the hut to warn the females. Except when he entered the house only Miss Driscoll and Ann were inside.
“Where are the girls?”
“Nicoll and Margaret are washing the shirts,” she answered.
“What about the other two?” he demanded.
“Collecting coconuts.”
“On the beach?” he asked in alarm.
