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“I s’pose I have ye to thank for savin’ me, then,” she said.

The tips of his ears beamed red. “No, ’twas Trevik who did that.”

She huffed internally. Mr. Honeysett was right—he did have a loyal crew.

“But ye must’ve helped him,” she pressed.

He dug the tips of his boots into the sand. “I s’pose I did pull up the net.”

“Ah, see? I do have ye to thank, then.”

A twitch of his lip hinted at a future smile, and she shifted closer to him, careful to hold her ankle in a way she could keep the weight off of it.

“Do ye like bein’ a fisherman, Jowan?” She tipped her head to put on a playful air, if only to let him know she wouldn’t hurt him.

“I do.”

“And what do ye like about it?”

He cleared his throat. “Many things, I s’pose.”

He said nothing further.

“Do ye like the wages that ye receive?”

He gave her an odd look, then turned his attention to the waves. “I s’pose. But more ’an anythin’, I like bein’ on the sea.”

She smiled genuinely this time. “We have somethin’ in common with that.”

He gave her a knowing look, the first shred of confidence she’d seen in him all evening. “Ain’t much of a surprise there.”

“What do ye mean?” she questioned.

“That ye like the sea.”

She waited for a moment, feigning innocence until he leaned slightly closer to her and whispered, “Seein’ as ’ow ye be from the sea.”

So it was true. They really did think she was a mermaid.

He straightened. “That’s what me grandfar’s been sayin’, at least.”

“And what do ye think about it all?” she asked, the humor of the conversation slipping away as swiftly as the lowering sun.

He drew a deep breath, seeming to take courage as he shifted toward her. “It be ’ard to say, miss. But ye do ’ave the look of a sea-maid.”

“Ye be too kind.” Her voice fell flatter than she’d intended, but she couldn’t help it. She never should have brought the young man to speak with her. Just knowing that he and the others thought her capable of the very things mermaids were known to do—lure men to their deaths and wreak havoc on towns—hurt more than she thought it would.

Truthfully, how had she ever wronged anyone? She’d done everything Uncle had ever asked her to do, and still he despised her. Now, she’d merely kept her identity a secret to maintain her safety, and most of Tristwick believed her to be capable of such heinous acts as befitting a siren. How was such treatment fair?

Laughter brought her attention back to the game on the beach, but instead of turning to see smiles and good-natured fun, she found Mr. Honeysett watching her.

His dark eyes studied her with that same suspicion that was always present, and her chest pinched tightly in the center. Had he been watching her the entire time simply to ensure she stayed in line while speaking with one of his own?

Irritation scratched at her patience. All she wanted was freedom. All she wanted was to find a place to live out her life in peace in the way she chose. But no matter what she did, suspicions would still be had, assumptions would still be made, and she would still be the one injured.

Very well. If Mr. Honeysett and Tristwick expected her to behave as a sea-maid, then she would behave as a sea-maid.

Pulling her eyes from Mr. Honeysett ceremoniously, she shifted her body so he could see her more clearly, then faced Jowan with a demure smile.