we were lucky not to see Caragh in that condition. I can’t imagine how such a wee thing survived that beating.” Tomas shook his head before looking back at the ladder well, then at the sky. “She’s been down there quite some time. Do you think she’s still kneeling?”
“Probably not. But neither is she causing mischief. Likely sitting on her bum or sleeping. She’ll be the way I left her as soon as she hears the key in the lock,” Kyle assured.
“You never know. Your cabin could be in shambles for all you know. For a woman who appeared so meek the few times I caught sight of her at Dunluce, she’s a termagant now.”
“I doubt that’s anything new. She just never showed it around her brother,” Kyle mused.
“Then she really must trust you. A bit daft, is she?” Tomas grinned.
Kyle scowled before shoving the whisky jug against Tomas’s chest. He left Tomas once more to steer the ship as he made his way down to Moira. Just as he had every time he checked on her, he put his ear to the door. He heard nothing from within, so he eased the key into the lock and slowly opened the door a crack. He peered in and found Moira sitting on her heels with her forehead against the wall. Fear that she was in pain like the first night she was aboard made him kick the door closed as he hurried across the cabin.
Eleven
Moira stirred at the sound of the door slamming shut. She lifted her head and blinked as she pushed hair out of her eyes. She turned at the sound of someone else in the cabin, her eyes rounding when she took in Kyle’s horrified expression. She quickly adjusted her position to kneel without resting on her heels, her hands behind her back, and her chin tucked. She closed her eyes, waiting for the scolding she believed was inevitable.
“Are you all right?” Kyle asked as he helped her up. “Are you sick?”
“No,” Moira answered, her brow furrowed. Yet again, she didn’t understand Kyle. Her brother and Lizzie, even Aidan, were straightforward. She could read their thoughts and emotions as clearly as if they spoke them. Kyle kept her befuddled.
“You were leaning against the wall. Not sitting or resting against it. Your forehead was against it,” Kyle stated.
“I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I didn’t realize I had,” Moira apologized. “I remember leaning forward to rest for a moment, then you were coming in.”
“You stayed kneeling this whole time?”
Moira looked sheepishly at him. “I sat down twice, but each time I heard you at the door, I didn’t—”
“Didn’t what, Moira?” Kyle demanded. Her eyebrows shot up at his tone. But he wanted to know what she’d been up to, how she thought to manipulate him.
“I didn’t want to disappoint you again.”
Kyle didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone worried about disappointing him. He supposed the only one who had was Keith. Maybe Ruairí. His men didn’t. They only cared that they did what he demanded, so he paid and fed them. He hadn’t believed she would really stay as he ordered. He’d even thought to find a delicious and lusty way to punish her.
“I left hours ago.” Kyle wrapped his plaid around Moira before he guided her over to the chair, then pulled her onto his lap. “Are you used to that? Does Dónal punish you like that?”
Moira twisted to look at him. “No. And even if he did, I wouldn’t worry about disappointing him. I would have sat or even taken a nap on purpose if he’d doled out the punishment.”
“How do you know to put your hands behind your back and to lower your head? You’ve done it before.” Kyle demanded. Once more, Moira turned bewildered eyes toward him.
“I don’t know. It just seems like what I should do. I don’t really think about it.” Moira shrugged, growing uneasy by Kyle’s shifting mood. In that moment, she would have preferred Dónal and Lizzie’s predictable ones. Kyle’s scared her at times.
Kyle kissed Moira’s temple, sensing that he was making her uneasy in a way he didn’t intend. He wanted her to wonder what he would do next, but only when she was trying to predict what arousing punishment he would demand. Now that his earlier temper had settled, he didn’t want her to fear for her safety with him. Just the opposite.
“Did Aiden do anything to punish you?”