“And you volunteer time here?”
“He gives a lot more than that.” Father Jeffrey came forward with a small stack of papers for Du. “The children wanted me to make sure I handed you their thank-you letters, Captain. With what you and Captain Cross donated, we should have the girls’ dormitory finished by winter.”
“Glad to help.” He took the letters and inclined his head to Mara. “Father Jeffrey, may I present Lady Marcelina?”
“My lady, it’s an honor.”
“The honor’s mine, Father.”
With a quick bow, he cleared his throat. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d best be seeing about that dinner. The wee ones get a mite frisky if they’re not fed on time.”
Du smirked. “Believe me, I understand. The big ones are much the same.”
Laughing, the father left them.
Mara scowled at Du. “Why do you always do that?”
“Do what?”
“Introduce me as a lady?”
“Would you rather I introduce you as a trollop?”
She rolled her eyes. “Nay, but you know I’m not a lady.”
“And you’re not exactly common, either.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she narrowed her gaze on him. “You’re avoiding the answer, Dón-Dueli.”
Devyl paused to let out a long, tired breath as he considered a complicated response. “What do you want me to say, Mara? I’m a bastard beast who plucked you from your forest and your species. I know full well what you really are, and therefore I refuse to see you treated as anything less.”
“And what am I?”
“A goddess.”
Mara’s jaw dropped as he walked nonchalantly past her after lobbing a cannonball at her.
Had that been a compliment?
From the evil Dón-Dueli?
Unable to believe it, she watched as he went to help Belle and Cameron gather their things to return to the ship.
“Are you the captain’s pretty lady?”
She turned at the high-pitched voice to see a beautiful blond-haired girl behind her. “Nay, child. I’m just a friend to him.”
“Oh. But he seems to like you a great deal.”
“You think so?”
“Aye.” The girl smiled as she rocked back and forth on her feet. “You’re very beautiful, my lady.”
“Thank you, child.”
The girl twisted her finger in her hair as she glanced over to the others. “Might I ask a favor of you?”
“Of course.”
