Juliane turned the corner towards the boatyard, smiling kindly for an old salt with rheumy eyes who was repairing a net. The thaw would be upon the fishermen soon enough and the docks were stirring with activity. A whistle was given by another as she passed. "Goin' out ta sea are ya, miss?" the lad inquired. A shake of her head as she kept her eyes forward. Stepping inside the dry storage where the L?ir Mothan was stored, she paused at the jaunty singing and unexpected sight of the Scot.
?Oh, I?m a rover and seldom sober ? I?m a rover, o? high degree; And when I?m drinking, I?m always thinking ? How to gain my love?s company.? Jaunty indeed, the tune in Hudson?s low tenor as he stood in the prow coiling a line and occasionally tugging on it to check for soundness. His shirt was draped over a nearby crate, and he had slung down the great plaid from his shoulder as he worked. Without the shirt, lean muscle was revealed, along with a stray scar or two. It was only when he realized the light from the door had dimmed that he looked up with surprise, the song dying away.
He looked like a child caught being wicked and she could barely restrain the chuckle. "And here Sianna told me tha' there weren't a Scot tha' couldn't hold his drink. She forgot ta mention that all th' men were self-proclaimed rovers." Averting her eyes so that he couldn't think her staring, she attempted to steer the conversation into safer waters. "So ya gettin' set ta sail soon?"
Taking the teasing with good humor, Hudson recovered from his surprise to laugh quietly at Juliane?s remark. After a moment he went back to coiling the line with the sharp tugs against it every few feet. ?Rovers tae th? end, I fear. Aye, I be making her ready for th? break-up.? Black eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled across the distance to her, briefly. ?Thank ye for th? name tae her, Juliane.?
She had taken to leaning against the door-jamb, eyes following the curve and curl of the ship from her current angle. Picturing the ship with the waves cresting up against her hull, moving sleek and swift through the water. Juliane dropped the box of supplies to rest on a crate and grinned at his confession. Her head shook, however, to dismiss the gratitude. "No thanks needed, yeah? Ya did th' namin'. I jus' did a 'wee' bit of paintin'." Attempting to mimic a Scots accent with the last bit and falling short.
Tucking the end of the coil back on itself, he shook his head at the attempted accent with another quiet laugh. ?Far more than a wee bit o? painting, Juliane. Ye be most talented, and I be verra glad ye took on such a wee thing when ye ha?e more important things tae take up yer time. But with that done, what dae ye here taeday?? Hudson gave the inner hull behind the nameplate an affectionate slap, and then swung down from the prow to grab his shirt.
The sight of the shirtless man prompted her to turn her head out towards the sea and added a bit of color to her cheeks. Used to seeing men at work on the farm, it seemed rather improper to watch him since she had disturbed his work. It was not as if he had dressed for an audience. Another shrug lifted her shoulders. "Jus' thought ta check tha' th' freeze an' thaw didn't bubble th' paint and mar it all up, yeah? Thought ta see if ya had liked it or painted it over fer me ta do over."
?Nae, I wouldnae paint over such a masterwork. I ha?e nae checked for th? weather tae make a difference tae it, though I should ha?e ? th? rest o? th? paint, as well. Would ye care tae help me inspect it, since ye remind me o? th? chance?? Wiping away sweat with a rag, he pulled on the loose linen shirt, although he didn?t tie the neck, or reseat the plaid on his shoulder. Another look at the Mothan turned to a look out at the harbor, where large chunks of ice still crashed into each other with the waves.
"I think I can handle tha' easy enough, yeah?" She straightened from her lean and squared her shoulders. "Even brought a bit of varnish ta seal th' nameplate if ya like. Not sure what th' salt will do ta th' paint and figured it couldn't hurt ta protect it, yeah?" A hand ran over the rib of the boat, the smooth painted wood cool and solid to the touch.
Net-scarred hands ran over the nameplate in a similar gesture, and paused on one of the small clusters of flowers she had added to the plain elegance of the name. ?Aye, that it can?t. Salt and sea will wear away th? paint, fade it down by th? end o? the season, and th? dark blue will look th? color o? th? dusk-light. Next winter, will all be tae be done again. But she?ll be bonny for th? season, she will. Where did ye come tae ken o? the name, Juliane, or th? flowers tae paint them sae well?? His voice was quiet, barely audible over the rush of water from outside the storage area.
She had walked around her side of the boat, not noting anything that needed repair. Pausing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the man, she gave her work the once over. "I had stopped ta see Sianna an' m'brother one night. She was teachin' him ta cook and invited me ta stay and risk... I mean, share a bite with 'em." Her grin was one of sisterly teasing. "Heard her mention that ya'd picked a name for it and she explained what it meant, yeah?"
?Aye, I see. Older brother though I be, Sianna always had a care for us. She?d ken th? name well.? With another affectionate slap to the side of the dory, Hudson looked over at Juliane with a slightly mischievous smile. ?I dinnae suppose I could talk ye intae staying out th? day here tae aid me? There be a few tasks that be easier with two than one tae dae. I?ll repay ye in better food than yer brother is likely tae be able tae provide, if ye wish, or sommat else o? yer choosing.?
Brows lifted, she tried to judge and measure the level of mischief. "Do th' tasks have an'thin' ta do wi' drinkin' or rovin'?" Chuckling softly as he sadly shook his head in the negative. "Ahh, then I suppose I can handle a bit a work wi' no trouble. Although ya might be hard pressed ta beat Johnny in th' payment. Ya know he'd have Si do th' cookin' fer him."
Hudson shook his head sadly, although laughter brightened his black eyes. ?Then ?tis nae fair trade at all, if ye give up Sianna?s cooking for mine. But I?ll take th? help with thanks nonetheless. Ha?e ye e?er worked around a boat at all before?? Hudson swung himself back up into the dory, and then bent to offer his scarred and callused hand to Juliane. ?There be naught truly difficult left tae dae, but things that gae faster with more than one pair o? hands.?
?Oh, I?m a rover and seldom sober ? I?m a rover, o? high degree; And when I?m drinking, I?m always thinking ? How to gain my love?s company.? Jaunty indeed, the tune in Hudson?s low tenor as he stood in the prow coiling a line and occasionally tugging on it to check for soundness. His shirt was draped over a nearby crate, and he had slung down the great plaid from his shoulder as he worked. Without the shirt, lean muscle was revealed, along with a stray scar or two. It was only when he realized the light from the door had dimmed that he looked up with surprise, the song dying away.
He looked like a child caught being wicked and she could barely restrain the chuckle. "And here Sianna told me tha' there weren't a Scot tha' couldn't hold his drink. She forgot ta mention that all th' men were self-proclaimed rovers." Averting her eyes so that he couldn't think her staring, she attempted to steer the conversation into safer waters. "So ya gettin' set ta sail soon?"
Taking the teasing with good humor, Hudson recovered from his surprise to laugh quietly at Juliane?s remark. After a moment he went back to coiling the line with the sharp tugs against it every few feet. ?Rovers tae th? end, I fear. Aye, I be making her ready for th? break-up.? Black eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled across the distance to her, briefly. ?Thank ye for th? name tae her, Juliane.?
She had taken to leaning against the door-jamb, eyes following the curve and curl of the ship from her current angle. Picturing the ship with the waves cresting up against her hull, moving sleek and swift through the water. Juliane dropped the box of supplies to rest on a crate and grinned at his confession. Her head shook, however, to dismiss the gratitude. "No thanks needed, yeah? Ya did th' namin'. I jus' did a 'wee' bit of paintin'." Attempting to mimic a Scots accent with the last bit and falling short.
Tucking the end of the coil back on itself, he shook his head at the attempted accent with another quiet laugh. ?Far more than a wee bit o? painting, Juliane. Ye be most talented, and I be verra glad ye took on such a wee thing when ye ha?e more important things tae take up yer time. But with that done, what dae ye here taeday?? Hudson gave the inner hull behind the nameplate an affectionate slap, and then swung down from the prow to grab his shirt.
The sight of the shirtless man prompted her to turn her head out towards the sea and added a bit of color to her cheeks. Used to seeing men at work on the farm, it seemed rather improper to watch him since she had disturbed his work. It was not as if he had dressed for an audience. Another shrug lifted her shoulders. "Jus' thought ta check tha' th' freeze an' thaw didn't bubble th' paint and mar it all up, yeah? Thought ta see if ya had liked it or painted it over fer me ta do over."
?Nae, I wouldnae paint over such a masterwork. I ha?e nae checked for th? weather tae make a difference tae it, though I should ha?e ? th? rest o? th? paint, as well. Would ye care tae help me inspect it, since ye remind me o? th? chance?? Wiping away sweat with a rag, he pulled on the loose linen shirt, although he didn?t tie the neck, or reseat the plaid on his shoulder. Another look at the Mothan turned to a look out at the harbor, where large chunks of ice still crashed into each other with the waves.
"I think I can handle tha' easy enough, yeah?" She straightened from her lean and squared her shoulders. "Even brought a bit of varnish ta seal th' nameplate if ya like. Not sure what th' salt will do ta th' paint and figured it couldn't hurt ta protect it, yeah?" A hand ran over the rib of the boat, the smooth painted wood cool and solid to the touch.
Net-scarred hands ran over the nameplate in a similar gesture, and paused on one of the small clusters of flowers she had added to the plain elegance of the name. ?Aye, that it can?t. Salt and sea will wear away th? paint, fade it down by th? end o? the season, and th? dark blue will look th? color o? th? dusk-light. Next winter, will all be tae be done again. But she?ll be bonny for th? season, she will. Where did ye come tae ken o? the name, Juliane, or th? flowers tae paint them sae well?? His voice was quiet, barely audible over the rush of water from outside the storage area.
She had walked around her side of the boat, not noting anything that needed repair. Pausing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the man, she gave her work the once over. "I had stopped ta see Sianna an' m'brother one night. She was teachin' him ta cook and invited me ta stay and risk... I mean, share a bite with 'em." Her grin was one of sisterly teasing. "Heard her mention that ya'd picked a name for it and she explained what it meant, yeah?"
?Aye, I see. Older brother though I be, Sianna always had a care for us. She?d ken th? name well.? With another affectionate slap to the side of the dory, Hudson looked over at Juliane with a slightly mischievous smile. ?I dinnae suppose I could talk ye intae staying out th? day here tae aid me? There be a few tasks that be easier with two than one tae dae. I?ll repay ye in better food than yer brother is likely tae be able tae provide, if ye wish, or sommat else o? yer choosing.?
Brows lifted, she tried to judge and measure the level of mischief. "Do th' tasks have an'thin' ta do wi' drinkin' or rovin'?" Chuckling softly as he sadly shook his head in the negative. "Ahh, then I suppose I can handle a bit a work wi' no trouble. Although ya might be hard pressed ta beat Johnny in th' payment. Ya know he'd have Si do th' cookin' fer him."
Hudson shook his head sadly, although laughter brightened his black eyes. ?Then ?tis nae fair trade at all, if ye give up Sianna?s cooking for mine. But I?ll take th? help with thanks nonetheless. Ha?e ye e?er worked around a boat at all before?? Hudson swung himself back up into the dory, and then bent to offer his scarred and callused hand to Juliane. ?There be naught truly difficult left tae dae, but things that gae faster with more than one pair o? hands.?