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He was trying to make her feel better. This piratical rogue of a man was trying to make her feel better, and it only made Elspeth feel more the fool.
Aidan took the prayer book from her hands. “I need letters and numbers enough to read, say, a simple ship’s manifest. And you say this will help?”
It sounded as though he had some very specific reading materials in mind. It piqued her curiosity. “Was that what you were looking at? A ship’s manifest?”
He considered her for a moment, then said, “Of sorts. ”
“Might I see it?”
His face was like stone staring at her.
She mustered her courage, her curiosity now exceeding any uneasiness. “That’s the only way I can get an idea. Of what I need to teach you. ”
Another few seconds passed before he finally gave a sharp nod. Reaching into his sporran, he retrieved a small sheaf of papers. He flipped through, hesitating over what to show her.
She craned her neck, trying to get a peek. Were these his papers? Maybe he really was a pirate, with a grand ship docked in a hidden cove.
He caught her snooping. and looking annoyed, he selected one sheet and folded the rest. “I think mayhap you really are a spy. ”
She felt a blush spread to the roots of her hair.
“All right, then,” he said, tilting it toward her. The name of a ship was written at the top, followed by a list of
crewmen. It didn’t enlighten her one little bit.
“You want to read that?” she asked.
“Well … mayhap. ” He sounded uncertain. “It’s just a list of names. ”
She wasn’t sure if he’d spoken a question or a statement. Did he truly not read well enough to discern Christian names on a roster? She decided some early praise might go far. “Yes, very good. That’s precisely what that is. A list of crew members. Let’s begin today’s work on letters and sounds, and that will help you work out the exact names. ”
Though she couldn’t imagine why he’d need such a thing. Was he in trouble? Running from somebody?
She reached for the list, but he gave a shake to his head and returned it to his sporran. “Not yet. We’ll start with all that. ” He nodded to the materials she’d brought.
He seemed so serious. She thought he might indeed be in some sort of danger.
“I … Of course. First we’ll work on letters, and we can read later. ” She extracted a fresh sheet of paper and slid it toward him.
He gave her a blank look in response.
“Do you know any letters?” She cringed at how the question had come out. His mouth was set in a tight line, and she cursed her thoughtlessness. “Never mind that,” she said quickly. “I think I should be the one to start. ”
She gasped a nervous laugh, riffling her papers with shaking hands. What would she mess up next? “You must forgive me, Master Aidan. I’ve never done this before, and I’m afraid you’re the one forced to suffer my inexperience. ”
“Not ‘Master Aidan. ’ ” His voice was deep and commanding. A pirate’s voice.
She froze. Curse her heart, fluttering away like the wings of a bird, and for what reason? He’d said a simple phrase, and her body reacted as though girding herself for her theatrical debut. “I … I beg your pardon?”
“My name. It’s Aidan. I’ve had a master in my life, and believe me, luvvie, I’ll die before I’m referred to as one. Call me simply Aidan. ”
She looked blindly at her papers, unable to meet his eye. “Aidan, then. ”
Her voice was quiet, her pale cheeks flushed red, and Aidan marveled at what a peculiar bird she was. He’d never met her like.
He watched her quivering hands as she withdrew a blank sheet from her stack. Her discomfort was beginning to unsettle him, and he wondered if the tightness he felt in his chest was annoyance or concern. He fought the urge to capture that hand, pinning it till she stilled.
She began a neat row of letters, saying the name of each as she wrote, and even her voice seemed to quaver. Her every aspect was like a lone flower in the midst of a windstorm.
