She was even more beautiful when she smiled,he thought. “Who are you?”
“Tess.”
“Tess,” he repeated, liking the sound of thename. Colin tried to pay attention to where he was stepping as hefollowed her. “Do you live here alone, Tess?”
“Nay…there are others.” Despite herimmediate answer, she couldn’t hide the shade of color staining hercheeks. “My father…and my…my older brothers…”
He glanced about the room. As he’d noticedbefore, everything from the sparse furnishings to the few utensilsindicated that only one person lived here.
“But they are on the mainland now,” sheblurted out, reading his thoughts. “They were out fishing when thestorm swept in. Iassumethey must be on the mainland.” Sheshrugged and moved toward the hearth. “They are very good waterfolk. They’ll be worrying about me out here alone. Aye, I shouldthink they’ll be getting back anytime.”
She was lying and Colin knew it. And she wasnervous again. He’d seen the two recently dug graves last night.And he’d never heard any sailor speak of anyone other than thekeeper and his wife living on this island. But, of course, therenever had been any talk of Tess, either. He decided to let thesubject rest…for now.
She was attempting to stir the contents ofthe cauldron. “Did I destroy your food last night by moving it fromthe fire?”
“This is not food.”
“Then what is it?”
She pulled out the spoon and let thecongealed mixture drop back into the pot. “Some of the sheep havefoot rot…from the wet.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Youdidn’t try to eat this, did you?”
He swallowed hard. “Not successfully.”
She smiled, and Colin was enchanted again.She hefted the cauldron aside and pushed herself to her feet. “So Iassume you won’t be hungry for awhile.”
“I am starving.”
“So am I.” She pulled down a piece of smokedfish hanging from the beams overhead.
“Can I be any help to you?” The crunchingsound of shells under his boots made him wince.
“Aye. You can stop crushing my shells withevery step you take.”
Colin glanced down at the hundreds ofannoying items spread everywhere. He had managed to grind a goodmany of them into dust already. “Why do you need so many, and whycan’t you pile them all in one place, so they are notunderfoot…”
“Why can’t you watch where you step?”
He took the broom that she handed him. “Iasked my question first.”
“Aye, but this ismyplace. I can doas I wish. You asked to help. I am giving you a chance. Why don’tyou start?”
He planted his hands atop the handle of the broomand watched her move around the room, preparing their meal. “Ithought you said you live here with your father and brothers.”
“I do.” She avoided looking at him.
“Then why did you say…myplace?”
“I was speaking for all of us.”
“How many brothers do you have Tess?”
“Two…three.”
“And did your sister go with them too?”
“She did.”
“But you didn’t say anything about your sisterbefore, Tess.”
