that he might catch a fish with his fat worm.
Did she swim naked on the tropical island? No, she'd been too busy standing by and watching poor Charles drink himself to death. Had her unhappy childhood hardened her to the suffering of others? Probably so, for she hadn't shown a glimmer of sadness over the loss of her generous guardian. The thought disappointed Malcolm. She put on a show of kindness, but inside she was heartless. Charles had welcomed her when no one in the Borders would risk taking in a stubborn, wicked child. He had provided for her and even arranged for Malcolm to carry on in his place. He would care for her all right—in his own way.
"He didn't go near the well for a long time after that," Alpin was saying.
Malcolm stepped into the room. "As I remember the incident, you pushed me into the well and threw my stilts down the privy shaft."
She looked up, a surprised smile curling her lips. "Come now, my lord. Admit that I had no choice, not when you swore to beat me with them."
"You made certain the occasion never arose."
"A lass needs leverage, and if I didn't know better, I'd suspect you intend to blame me for every ill that befell you in childhood."
Not all, he thought. Only the one that had left the deepest scars, the one that robbed him of the chance to have a family of his own to love. "Let's just say I was a healthier lad when you stayed at Sinclair Manor."
"Don't deny our friendship," she scoffed. "That's why you always wanted to play bride-and-groom with me."
One of the soldiers said, "The laird never plays that game. He won't be tricked into marriage. Not until he's sowed his wild oats with willing women."
Alpin flipped her long braid over her shoulder. "Who said I was willing?"
Another round of laughter filled the room. Malcolm felt humiliated, for he had tried in his silly, childish way to befriend her with affection. He tipped his head toward the door. "I'm sure Alexander has something for you swains to do."
Rabby Armstrong got to his feet. "But, my lord…"
In a softly threatening tone, Malcolm said, "Such as keeping watch for Saladin and sounding the horn when he arrives."
"Aye, sir." They mumbled good-byes and filed out the door.
Alpin moved to the next cot. "You shouldn't have sent them away. They're assigned to the night watch and need their rest."
Her imperious tone caught him off guard. "You were disturbing them more than I."
"Jealous, my lord?"
"Nay. I'm angry. You shouldn't have dismissed Emily," he shot back.
"Dora told you what happened?"
Malcolm shrugged. "I would've found out anyway. Now explain yourself, if you please. Emily's worked here for two years."
Blithely she said, "She behaved badly with Rabby."
"Ha! Alpin MacKay accusing someone else of bad behavior." The irony made him laugh. "Kiss-the-freckle is a harmless game."
Holding the wadded-up sheet to her breast, she turned. "Not if you have freckles where Emily does."
Chagrined, Malcolm said. "And where is that?"
She sent him a withering glare. "Use your manly imagination."
He was, but his fantasy centered on the woman before him and the shapely body hidden beneath the serviceable dress. "Above or below the waist?"
"That depends on where your brains are."
He sputtered, trying to remember the last time he'd been outwitted by a woman. Seeing her sly smile, he suspected she took pride in putting men in their place. Odd, for at seven and twenty she should be desperate for a husband.
She sighed and wiped her brow. "I didn't dismiss Emily permanently. I only sent her away for the afternoon. She's caring for Mrs. Kimberley's children so the woman can come and bake for us today. Henceforth Emily will work in the castle proper." When he didn't comment, she added, "With your approval of course."
So blunt she was and almost fearless. In some aspects she hadn't changed. "Of course. Did you speak so frankly to Charles?"
She flung the sheet across the room, missing the pile. Lips pursed, she said, "I seldom found
Did she swim naked on the tropical island? No, she'd been too busy standing by and watching poor Charles drink himself to death. Had her unhappy childhood hardened her to the suffering of others? Probably so, for she hadn't shown a glimmer of sadness over the loss of her generous guardian. The thought disappointed Malcolm. She put on a show of kindness, but inside she was heartless. Charles had welcomed her when no one in the Borders would risk taking in a stubborn, wicked child. He had provided for her and even arranged for Malcolm to carry on in his place. He would care for her all right—in his own way.
"He didn't go near the well for a long time after that," Alpin was saying.
Malcolm stepped into the room. "As I remember the incident, you pushed me into the well and threw my stilts down the privy shaft."
She looked up, a surprised smile curling her lips. "Come now, my lord. Admit that I had no choice, not when you swore to beat me with them."
"You made certain the occasion never arose."
"A lass needs leverage, and if I didn't know better, I'd suspect you intend to blame me for every ill that befell you in childhood."
Not all, he thought. Only the one that had left the deepest scars, the one that robbed him of the chance to have a family of his own to love. "Let's just say I was a healthier lad when you stayed at Sinclair Manor."
"Don't deny our friendship," she scoffed. "That's why you always wanted to play bride-and-groom with me."
One of the soldiers said, "The laird never plays that game. He won't be tricked into marriage. Not until he's sowed his wild oats with willing women."
Alpin flipped her long braid over her shoulder. "Who said I was willing?"
Another round of laughter filled the room. Malcolm felt humiliated, for he had tried in his silly, childish way to befriend her with affection. He tipped his head toward the door. "I'm sure Alexander has something for you swains to do."
Rabby Armstrong got to his feet. "But, my lord…"
In a softly threatening tone, Malcolm said, "Such as keeping watch for Saladin and sounding the horn when he arrives."
"Aye, sir." They mumbled good-byes and filed out the door.
Alpin moved to the next cot. "You shouldn't have sent them away. They're assigned to the night watch and need their rest."
Her imperious tone caught him off guard. "You were disturbing them more than I."
"Jealous, my lord?"
"Nay. I'm angry. You shouldn't have dismissed Emily," he shot back.
"Dora told you what happened?"
Malcolm shrugged. "I would've found out anyway. Now explain yourself, if you please. Emily's worked here for two years."
Blithely she said, "She behaved badly with Rabby."
"Ha! Alpin MacKay accusing someone else of bad behavior." The irony made him laugh. "Kiss-the-freckle is a harmless game."
Holding the wadded-up sheet to her breast, she turned. "Not if you have freckles where Emily does."
Chagrined, Malcolm said. "And where is that?"
She sent him a withering glare. "Use your manly imagination."
He was, but his fantasy centered on the woman before him and the shapely body hidden beneath the serviceable dress. "Above or below the waist?"
"That depends on where your brains are."
He sputtered, trying to remember the last time he'd been outwitted by a woman. Seeing her sly smile, he suspected she took pride in putting men in their place. Odd, for at seven and twenty she should be desperate for a husband.
She sighed and wiped her brow. "I didn't dismiss Emily permanently. I only sent her away for the afternoon. She's caring for Mrs. Kimberley's children so the woman can come and bake for us today. Henceforth Emily will work in the castle proper." When he didn't comment, she added, "With your approval of course."
So blunt she was and almost fearless. In some aspects she hadn't changed. "Of course. Did you speak so frankly to Charles?"
She flung the sheet across the room, missing the pile. Lips pursed, she said, "I seldom found
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