She sighed, relaxing her shoulders. Hedidn’tknow. “I do have skill with a needle and thread.”
“Weel, if that ’tis the case and ye are looking for something to fill yer time, I have some things ye can repair.”
“Of course,” she nodded. “I’m glad to be of help in any way I can.”
“The day is getting late. I’ll bring them to ye on the morrow.” He stood and filled two cups with ale from a cask in the corner, then handed one to her.
Seonag accepted the proffered cup. “Thank ye,” she said, before taking a small sip. She watched Duncan over the rim of her mug. He had a gruff exterior, but his brown eyes were kind. He wasn’t as muscular as Honey, but he was tall and stocky. He looked to be built like a blockade.
She got the impression that if the ship was attacked, and someone decided to fight Duncan, they would never make it past him.
Honey had surrounded himself with a crew that was well-equipped to support him in whatever venture he was on. A captain couldn’t ask for anything more than that. To have a crew that had your back no matter the situation.
She finished her ale and set the mug on the slab of wood that served as the prepping table for the meals. “If ye dinna need anything else, I’m going to retire for the night.”
Duncan took a long swallow of ale, emptying his cup and then refilled and nodded. “I’ll see you on the morrow, lad.”
Seonag dipped her head in acknowledgment before turning and making her way back to the quarters she was sharing with Honey. On the way, she passed Mac in the hall.
He greeted her with a mutter that she couldn’t quite understand. “Oh, Mac,” she called out, remembering she had a task for him.
The man stopped and faced her. “Aye?”
She cleared her throat. She had her order from Honey, but that didn’t mean she felt comfortable ordering around one of his men. “Captain wanted me to have ye bring a bucket of water on board.”
He frowned at her. Probably trying to gauge whether she was serious or not. “Cap’n wants what now?”
“’Tis actually I that wants it, but I did get permission from Captain Honey first.”
Mac clucked his tongue, clasped his hands behind him and rocked back and forth on his heels. “Ye need a pail of water?”
“Aye.”
“For what?”
“Does it matter?”
“It does if ye want me to be yer fetcher. Ye’d do well to strengthen up those sticks ye call arms so ye can fetch yer own damn pail of water.”
Seonag looked at her arms and then crossed them in front of her bound chest and stuck her chin out. She was sure she looked like a child but she didn’t care. “The water is fer laundering yer filthy linens.”
“My linens,” he emphasized the word, “are just fine. Why are ye so concerned about the state of our clothes anyhow? Dinna ye have better things to fash about?”
Mac probably did find it odd that she was so worried about cleanliness. Would a boy actually care about the things she’s mentioned? Most likely not. She would have to pay more attention in the future. “I’m doing this for all of ye, no’ myself. Ye’d think ye’d be grateful instead of condescending.”
“I’d watch yer tone, boy, if I were ye. Ye may prove to be useful, but no one wants to deal with a sharp tongue.”
Seonag caught her breath. She had been a bit forward. Stupid. She cursed herself in her head. “Aye. I apologize, Mac. Will ye please bring me a pail of water?”
He harrumphed. “Aye, but only because Cap’n ordered it. Otherwise ye can hang off the side of the ship and get yer own damn water.”
He barked out a laugh and walked away, leaving Seonag alone to hear his chuckles echo off the walls.
Chapter Eleven
In the nextfew days, Seonag fell into an easy rhythm. She spent her nights trying not to be distracted by Honey’s buttocks when he undressed for bed. Even though he was more careful, they were still sharing a room, and there wasn’t really any other place for him to go and undress. And she knew she shouldn’t look. It was sinful, but his body was such a sight to see.
He was beautiful in a manly way that she’d never known. Granted, her experience with men was very limited. Anice had kept her sheltered when Sean was at sea and when he was home, there were definitely no men coming around to pay their regards.
