Page 35 of Mardon

“Dinna be silly. There isna room in here for both of us. Just put the rest of those dishes in that bucket of water,” she told Emmaline. “I swear, I am goin’ to have to train these men to clean up after themselves. I wonder what they did before I arrived?” She rolled up her sleeves and started to wash the dishes. “Ramble said they just wiped off the plates since they’re wood, but I dinna think that is a guid idea. Yuck,” she said, holding up a plate that had a sauce smeared over it. “I guess someone wasna happy with my new sea-based sauce. And ye’d think pirates would eat bugs or rats and lick the plates clean.”

“I’m afraid that was my plate, Nairnie. I’m sorry, but I’m not used to this type of food.”

“Well, ye’d better get used to it or ye’ll go hungry, lass. One thing is for sure – ye’ll no’ find yer fancy foods, clothes or ways of a noble while ye’re a passenger on this ship.”

“I know. I understand. I’m doing all I can to accept things for now. But please, Nairnie,” begged Emmaline. “Let me stay with you. I don’t want to sleep in the cabin alone with Mardon.”

“Why no’?” asked Nairnie, looking at her work rather than at Emmaline. “As long as my grandson thinks ye’re a nun, ye have nothin’ to worry about. He’ll never touch ye.”

“He already has. And we’ve kissed.”

“What?” Nairnie dropped a plate into the water, splashing the front of her apron. “I swear, I am goin’ to slap Mardon so hard that he’ll end up in the sea. What the hell is he thinkin’ makin’ passes at a nun?” She took off her apron and grabbed her ladle and headed for the door.

“No, wait.” Emmaline took a hold of Nairnie’s hand. “You don’t understand. He knows I’m not really a nun. I told him the truth.”

“Ye told him?” Nairnie slowly turned around. “Why in heaven’s name would ye do such a doitit thing? Are ye addled? Dinna ye understand how much danger ye’ve put yerself in by makin’ this choice?”

“Sit down, Nairnie. I need to talk to you. Please.”

“All right.” Nairnie let out a deep sigh and sat on a stool. “If someone’s goin’ to set ye straight, it might as well be me since no one else on this ship has a lick of sense, I swear.” Emmaline pulled up another stool and sat across from her. “Spill it.”

“I haven’t been totally honest with you,” she said. “You see, I knew Mardon before I ever stepped foot on the Falcon.”

“Ye kent him?” Her eyes opened wide in surprise. “How? My grandsons are pirates and ye – ye’re a lady.”

“Your grandsons boarded and raided my late husband’s ship. Actually, Mardon killed my husband who was a Frenchman.”

“Och, nay! I’m so sorry, lass. My grandsons have turned to the darkness, and I am tryin’ my best to bring them back to the light.”

“It’s all right,” Emmaline told her. “Mardon did it in self-defense. Besides, I despised my husband, so I’m glad he is dead.”

“Glad he’s dead? I think ye are turnin’ to the dark side, too. What kind of nonsense are ye spoutin’? Ye were married to the man. Ye shouldna have hated him.”

“Nairnie, you know as well as anyone that marriages amongst the nobles are only done for alliances. Often with the enemy. Marriages have nothing to do with love.”

“Well, they should! Like the love between my grandson, Tristan, and his wife, Gavina.”

“I don’t know them, but if they truly love each other then they are an exception. Most married couples never know love. My husband had many mistresses and he was – he was sick in the head.”

“Now, now, that isna a nice thing to say.”

“It’s true! He made me do things. Things I am ashamed of.” She couldn’t even look at Nairnie when she said it.

“Come now, I’m sure it wasna that bad.”

Emmaline raised her face, pulling off her wimple. Her hair fell down past her shoulders. “Tell me, have you ever seen hair this color before?”

“It’s beautiful,” said Nairnie, reaching out to touch it. “It is so light it almost looks white or silver. It reminds me of that strumpet’s hair in the paintin’ in Mardon’s cabin.”

“And now you know,” said Emmaline, waiting for the old woman’s reaction.

“What do ye mean?” Suddenly, Nairnie realized what she was saying. Her jaw dropped and she shook her head. “Nay. Ye canna mean that the girl in the paintin’ is ye?”

“I’m sorry to say it is. And I swear that I didn’t want to pose for it. My husband threatened to hurt me if I didn’t do it. He had a whip and . . . he used it on me.”

“Nay!” spat Nairnie, getting to her feet. “Ye poor thing.” She collected Emmaline into her arms in a big hug.

“Are you two going to join us or stay in here all –” Mardon stuck his head in the little window at the side of the galley that was used for air. He stopped in midsentence when he saw them hugging. “What is going on here?”