Page 48 of The Pirate's Daughter

“Mrs. Winthrop,” the doctor said frowning. “There’s hardly a need for a fuss. You simply need to turn around and lift your robe so I can examine you. It won’t take but amoment.”

“It won’t take a moment because I’m not letting you. I’m well enough. I’ve been up and able tomove.”

“Stiffly,” Devin cut in, not sure why she was so appalled by the request. She turned to glare at him. “You don’t yet bend or sit,” he added for good measure, regretting it when her expression turnedsad.

“I took ameal.”

“Which you barely ate,” Devin reminded her and what she did eat he’d threatened and begged to get herto.

“Please Mrs. Winthrop, I’ve other patients to see.” Again he pushed his glasses up his nose. “You caused a lot of wreckage when you jumped ship. Mr. Cruise’s head needed stitches and Mr. Potter’s arm is badlysprained.”

“How is that my doing?” Mia snapped, shifting so she could look from one man to theother.

“Doctor, please,” Devin cut in. He didn’t want Mia scolded more. Mr. Hong had already been in, and by the time he was chased out, Mia was in tears. The two men being hurt when they fainted was not directly her fault. “Mia, let him look. You are quitewelted.”

“Then perhaps you shouldn’t have been so cruel,” she yelled, tears again filling hereyes.

“Cruel?” the doctor cried out. “The captain’s restraint was remarkable given your actions. Well enough were you mine you’d be missing skin. Jumping ship in the middle of the sea? Do you know what could have happened?” The man reached out, took Mia’s shoulder and spun her around. The action caused her to trip forward into Devin’s hold which he tightened as soon as she tried to pull away. “Causing the ship to change course,” the man went on as he took hold of the robe’s skirt and yanked it high. He gathered it tight at the small of Mia’s back, then leaned over to look at her ass as she wailed into Devin’s chest. “You frightened every soul on board. Now hold still,” he ordered when Mia tried to shift away, then stomped herfeet.

Devin listened to the man grunt and hm, and Mia weep, sniff and gasp when the doctor’s fingers happened to brush a particularly painful spot. He could only hug her closer and whisper reassurances through theprocess.

“Broke some skin here, too,” Krebs said, releasing the material in his fist and standing. “I’ll fetch you a cream. Apply it a few times a day and you’ll heal up in no time. And best you don’t hide in here. You need sun and air.” The doctor reached for his small case and headed out the door, leaving Mia weeping againstDevin.

“Mia? Come, was it so awful?” Devin asked as he bent, lifted her and carried her to the bed. Sitting down he was careful to settle her between his splayed thighs. She nodded and wiped her face on his shirt. “Why?”

“I don’t want men to look atme.”

“Mia, he’s adoctor.”

“I don’t want him to look at me,” she repeated with moreforce.

“Sometimes it is necessary to be seen by a doctor.” She shook her head no and put her arms around his neck. “Why?” Devin asked, careful where he placed his arms and hands as he tried to hold her moresecurely.

“I don’t want anyone to see what you did tome.”

“Ah, Mia. I think everyone in the world has seen a spanked ass before.” Though he’d done more than a fair job on hers. She was welted and bruised and as the doctor said, she’d been cut. Nothing serious. He’d only put any force behind the first eight or ten but the strapping covered the full surface of her stern at least three times and the leather had stiff edges. Still it wasn’t something she’d not recover from in a few days, as she was already proving with thisrebellion.

“No, not that,” she sobbed. “I don’t want them to see how you ruinedme.”

“Ruined you,” Devin shouted and shifted so she was forced back in his arms. “How did I ruin you? Mia you’renotruined.”

“I am,” she cried and tried to pull away from him. “I am. Mama said never let a man ruin me. But Idid.”

“Mia, we’re married. You aren’t ruined.” Where was she coming up with this? How was it she’d come to believe… “Mia, didn’t your papa tell you to wait for marriage, because a husband wouldn’t hurt you? Wouldn’t ruinyou?”

“Aye, but Mama said…” she sobbedagain

“What did your mama say?” Mia didn’t talk about her mother. All Devin knew so far was she’d gotten with child out of wedlock and the man who got her that way wouldn’t do right by her. He didn’t think Mia was pregnant, but even if she was, they were wed. He wasn’t going to leave her. “Mia what did your mother tell you about how a man ruins awoman?”

“She said men make you forget yourself. Forget the things you know and how to do the things you do. They make you forget your purpose. They make you useless and weak. Men ruin girls by making them need them, making them want them no matter how terrible and evil they are. They give you pleasure then take it away. Then they give you pain and that nevergoes.”

It was a rather hateful proclamation against his kind, but Devin couldn’t understand Mia’s application. Her father, rather herpapa, never hurt Mia. He loved her, too much if it was possible. But Devin didn’t know how well he’d treated Mia’s mother. He didn’t think the man was anything but good towards the woman he took in and supported. He’d certainly done enough by her child, a child not his by blood. He knew from his own experiences a man who abused his wife wasn’t often restrained from abusing hisoffspring.

“I’m ruined,” Miadeclared.

“How Mia? Tell me how you are ruined. How didIruin you?” Devin knew his tone was too sharp. But what did she expect from him? She was accusing without merit. When she only shook her head at him he felt the frustration rise. “No, you tell me. You tell me now. How I have ruinedyou.”

“I didn’t hear the sharks soon enough. I didn’t because I forgot to listen because I was thinking about you. I was angry and thinking about you and not listening and I wasn’t doing anything useful. And the crew and you were there but I wasn’t part of them and it hurt to be by myself and I wanted to go but then, when I went I wanted to be back because I was stillalone.”

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