At first his eyebrows knit together at her offer and his lips only mouthed the word.."what?" To say it was the last thing he expected.... he raked one hand through his offensive locks. She had a very valid point...
"Ah...."
He had gone from poverty to riches, knighted, a favorite of Queen Mary (although perchance not her husband), back to holes in his pockets, scraping for every coin, or begging Mother Rose for loans. Through it all he had managed to keep his ship afloat.
He had been captured and although eventually ransomed, had not crumbled to the will of those that kept him from his freedom. He believed those three years had actually made him stronger in character, if not in body. He had been successful as a privateer, yes at times maybe not wealthy but he had managed to keep his daughter in silks and monkeys, and the very best of tutors... And his crew had never suffered for want.
And yet, now, when faced by this young woman, he had fumbled every time he opened his mouth. Now he did not know what to say, all he knew is that he wished he could take back all most all of the things he had said to her, but most of all his angry request to return to town. He looked at his breeches and shirt, laying on the floor since they had been so rudely tossed, and hurried over to pick them. When he turned back to look at her, his clothes held behind his back as if he were trying to hide them, she was looking up at him.
"Non," he said, then winced slightly. "I mean.. yes.. BUT, I do not wish to put thee to any trouble...although I could do with ... I must be.. Aye a bath would be a comfort... thank ye..." My God, she had reduced him to a complete buffoon.