Peggy crossed his beefy arms, feet wide apart, mimicking Colin’s stance from earlier. “Mayhap. What are ye plans?”
“Lest ye no’ forget who ye are talking to, Old Salt.” The statement was funny. The man was far from old, but Colin had no patience left. “I’m still the captain of this ship.”
“Och, aye. I ken that, Captain,” he said snidely. “But the lass has done naught wrong. If ye plan to harm her, I’ll stop ye. Captain or no.”
“Aye,” came the echo from the others lined up in front of him.
Colin raised a brow in challenge. “Will ye now? What has the lass done for ye? Ye dinna even ken who she is.”
Peggy hunched his shoulders in a shrug. “I ken who she is just fine. She’s been kind and caring to the whole crew. Even as she posed as a lad, she’s been naught but helpful. Look how carefully she stitched up Duncan. She provided us meals that were worth eating. Mended our tunics and trews.”
Colin had been pleasantly surprised about how gentle of a touch the lad, no, the lass, had with a needle and thread.
Peggy paused and lowered his voice. “Think on all she did for ye. She didna deserve to be turned over to that bastard, Storm. Ye havena any idea what ordeal she may have gone through while under his lock and key.”
“Hmph, she was naught but dishonest. Lying about who she really was,” Colin said. He had no idea how she’d grown such a strong support system, but apparently, she had his crew under her thumb. He regarded his men,his men, and looked each one of them in the eye. Not one of them bent under his scrutiny. They stood their ground and held his gaze.
The lasshadproven to be helpful and listening to Peggy admit to that was quite the feat. Women weren’t welcome onboard. For his crew to step up and say they were willing to allow it said more than any words they could ever voice aloud.
And the twinge of excitement Colin felt at finding out the lad was a lass was something he could not ignore. The unexplained pull he’d had toward her since the first time he’d unknowingly laid eyes on her made sense now, though it didn’t at the time.
“I’m no’ going to harm the lass, Peggy. Ye can be certain of that.”
His quartermaster looked at him like he’d grown two heads. “Ye give yer word?”
Colin was irritated at being questioned, but he nodded in acquiescence. “Aye. Ye know me better than that, Old Salt. I’ve yet to harm a lass. Innocent or no.”
Peggy nodded, then smiled. “I knew ye’d come around to see things the right way.”
“I’m still going to talk to the lass.” Colin said. “I’ve a right to know why she needled her way onto my ship.” He grinned at his play on words.
The Hellawas rocking gently, and when his crew parted, Needle stood in the opening they created. Her cheeks pink, her blue eyes round and wide, as she stayed rooted in that place and watched him warily.
He knew his men were watching his every move. They should all know he wouldn’t hurt the lass. He looked beyond her, and out in the water past her shoulder, the smoldering remains ofHades Revengebobbed along the water, furls of smoke curling into the salty air.
“We have things we must discuss.” He aimed his words at Needle and she brought her eyes up to meet his. “My quarters.”
“Cap’n,” Peggy stepped forward, but Needle stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm. Colin wanted to feel those small fingers touching his own arm.
“’Tis fine, Peggy.” She gave a small smile to the man standing up for her. “Yer captain willna hurt me.” She stepped past Peggy and around Duncan, and continued past Colin, her head held high, and headed in the direction of his quarters.
Colin turned on his heel and followed. He had the feeling the upcoming conversation would be one of the most enlightening he’d ever been privy to.
Chapter Nineteen
In Honey’s captain’squarters, all Seonag wanted to do was breathe a sigh of relief. Well, mayhap she wanted to run into his strong arms and have their strength envelop her, too. She was strong, but she could really use his support at the moment.
His blond brows furrowed together as he studied her, making her feel self-conscious. She worried her lower lip with her teeth as her nerves took her on a journey of anxiety that she had no interest in taking.
“Sit,” he commanded.
She did so without hesitation. Nervous anticipation made her plop on the bed unceremoniously and most unladylike. She watched him quietly as he drew near and stopped in front of her, making her tilt her head up so she could look him in his eyes. Beautiful, blue eyes that were currently shadowed.
In concern?
Anger?
His legs were in such close proximity to her knees that she could feel the warmth of his body through the material of the trews she wore.
