Page 20 of The Lyon’s Lass

“Do you wish me to spell you so you may take dinner with your wife?” Hodge asked that evening. The older man had been up before him and had been by his side as they worked to loosen the rudder.

“Nay. Have some provisions brought to me, and then see to your bed. We’ll need to sail into the night, to make up for the time we were down with the rudder.”

“Aye, Capt’n. I’ll see to it straight away.”

“Give my wife and brother-in-law, my apologies,” Iain added before thinking. Why didn’t he use their names instead of the new terms of relation between them? He didn’t want to think of them as family. He’d been without family for the last eight years.

Hodge smiled and raised his bushy eyebrows.

“Aye.”

Iain waved him off with a frown and turned back to his work. He didn’t need a family. The only thing he needed was his ship and the sea air in his face.

Chapter Nine

Maisy was getting into bed when there came a quick rapping at the door. For a moment, she felt the thrill of hope that it was Iain, but then realized that was silly, for he’d just have come in.

She’d been disappointed that he’d not joined them for dinner. Simply for the sake of being able to ask him all the questions she and Jack had come up with during the day while wandering about the ship. Not for any other reason.

The impatient knocking came again, confirming it was her brother. She pulled on her wrapper and went to the door. It was not even opened completely before his hands were flying.

“…so big…must see…up…bright…”

“Slow down. I can’t understand.”

The only answer was a tugging on her arm.

She stayed where she was. Signing to him.

“I can’t go out there. I’m not dressed and Abigail is already abed. It will have to wait until morning?”

He blinked at her and shook his head as if she were daft. Then signed back, “It can’t wait. You must come now. No one will see you.”

When he tugged at her arm again, she decided it must be very important and only paused long enough to slip on her shoes before following him out into the darkness. Except it wasn’t very dark for it being so late.

A few steps later she saw why. The moon was nearly as bright as the sun, hanging so large and close in the sky she thought she might touch it if she climbed one of the masts and reached out.

Her breath left her quickly as she stepped closer, bewitched by the celestial sight. Soon they were leaning against the rail of the ship. She looked over at Jack who glanced and her and smiled.

He signed, “See why it couldn’t wait until morning?”

She nodded and looked back at the bright orb. The light touched the waves, creating a glowing ripple in the black water.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered more to herself.

“It is,” Iain answered from behind them.

She turned, tugging her robe closer. It wasn’t proper for her to be out of their room in her night clothes, but he didn’t even seem to notice. He was looking up at the sky as she and Jack had been.

“I’d think you’d grow used to seeing such sights.”

“One never grows used to seeing something so beautiful.”

Except when she looked at him, he was looking at her, not the moon. She felt a strange shiver go through her.

“I thought you were steering the ship,” she said, hiding her displeasure. He was the captain of the ship, he couldn’t share every meal with them. And she shouldn’t want him to share any at all. Once he saw her settled in the castle, he’d be gone, like the moonlight in the morning. She might never see him again. And why should she care if that were true? He was no one to her but a way to save her brother.

“Hodge has taken over,” Iain explained.