that underlying feeling of anger. It was clear that this anger was fresh and had been stirred to life by hearing of the crimes Donnell and Egan were involved in. She was just thinking that it was nice to meet a man who could be upset by crimes and injustices when she realized he was cursing, low and long and viciously. In the Scots tongue,
“So ye do speak our language,” she murmured and faintly smiled. “And verra colorfully.”
“My apologies,” he murmured in French, his attempt to sound calm and polite marred slightly by the underlying throb of fury in his deep voice. “I can curse fluently in your tongue, but speaking as a gentleman should to a lady is more difficult.”
She nodded but knew she was as detached from the conversation as he was. Now that she was no longer in his arms, the conversation she had overheard was filling hermind and demanding that she think about it. It would also be a good idea to put some distance between him and herself as quickly as possible. Annora started inching toward the door.
“I think it would be a verra good idea if we got out of here as soon as possible,” she said.
“Yes, it would be.”
James strode past her and eased open the door. He looked out into the hallway, saw no one, and signaled her to follow him as he slipped out of the room. Once outside, he grabbed her by the hand as she started to move away from her and kissed her hard before letting her go again.
He almost smiled at the way she blushed and nearly ran from him. It was undoubtedly a mistake to remind her of what they had shared before Donnell and Egan had interrupted them, but he found he did not want her to go away and force it from her thoughts. That brief kiss had been a little reminder and a warning that this was not the end of it, simply the beginning. He needed to be cautious but he decided he could not completely ignore what had flared between them.
He could not ignore what he had just heard MacKay and Egan talk about, either. Hurrying back to his workshop, he fought against the urge to go straight to MacKay and demand to know whom he was raiding and who had died. The man was threatening to draw Dunncraig and its people into a long, bloody feud. It could be something it would be impossible to fix once James proved his innocence and regained control of Dunncraig. Unless he could serve MacKay’s head on a platter to the aggrieved party, he thought with a hint of anticipation.
Reaching his workshop, James looked at his tools and the mantel he was working on and knew it was going to be hard to find the calm he needed no matter how hard he worked. Dunncraig was in danger. The death of a laird’s heir was no small thing that could be talked or bought away. He would have to get rid of MacKay and regain his good name as fast as possible. It was time to stop moving quite so slowly and cautiously. If he did not put a halt to the man’s crimes soon, all he would have when he did regain his good name, his child, and his lands, was a smoking ruin.
Chapter Five
A soft curse escaped Annora as she entered the great hall to break her fast. The Chisholms were still at Dunncraig. She had hoped that they had left with the dawn. From what she and Rolf had overheard yesterday, their bloody work had been accomplished, so there was no need for the men to linger. Yet, here they were, ruining her morning.
Sitting down in her usual seat at the head table, she found herself seated across from the Chisholms. That was not far enough away for her comfort, but she could not simply move, for it would be an obvious insult to Donnell’s guests and cause her a trouble she would rather avoid. Worse, she now had Egan seated to her right. Since it was a very small bench she sat on, it meant that Egan was constantly rubbing against her, touching her, and she knew he did most of the touching and rubbing on purpose. Her appetite was suddenly gone, but she knew she had to stay, had to pretend that sharing a table with five brutal
“So ye do speak our language,” she murmured and faintly smiled. “And verra colorfully.”
“My apologies,” he murmured in French, his attempt to sound calm and polite marred slightly by the underlying throb of fury in his deep voice. “I can curse fluently in your tongue, but speaking as a gentleman should to a lady is more difficult.”
She nodded but knew she was as detached from the conversation as he was. Now that she was no longer in his arms, the conversation she had overheard was filling hermind and demanding that she think about it. It would also be a good idea to put some distance between him and herself as quickly as possible. Annora started inching toward the door.
“I think it would be a verra good idea if we got out of here as soon as possible,” she said.
“Yes, it would be.”
James strode past her and eased open the door. He looked out into the hallway, saw no one, and signaled her to follow him as he slipped out of the room. Once outside, he grabbed her by the hand as she started to move away from her and kissed her hard before letting her go again.
He almost smiled at the way she blushed and nearly ran from him. It was undoubtedly a mistake to remind her of what they had shared before Donnell and Egan had interrupted them, but he found he did not want her to go away and force it from her thoughts. That brief kiss had been a little reminder and a warning that this was not the end of it, simply the beginning. He needed to be cautious but he decided he could not completely ignore what had flared between them.
He could not ignore what he had just heard MacKay and Egan talk about, either. Hurrying back to his workshop, he fought against the urge to go straight to MacKay and demand to know whom he was raiding and who had died. The man was threatening to draw Dunncraig and its people into a long, bloody feud. It could be something it would be impossible to fix once James proved his innocence and regained control of Dunncraig. Unless he could serve MacKay’s head on a platter to the aggrieved party, he thought with a hint of anticipation.
Reaching his workshop, James looked at his tools and the mantel he was working on and knew it was going to be hard to find the calm he needed no matter how hard he worked. Dunncraig was in danger. The death of a laird’s heir was no small thing that could be talked or bought away. He would have to get rid of MacKay and regain his good name as fast as possible. It was time to stop moving quite so slowly and cautiously. If he did not put a halt to the man’s crimes soon, all he would have when he did regain his good name, his child, and his lands, was a smoking ruin.
Chapter Five
A soft curse escaped Annora as she entered the great hall to break her fast. The Chisholms were still at Dunncraig. She had hoped that they had left with the dawn. From what she and Rolf had overheard yesterday, their bloody work had been accomplished, so there was no need for the men to linger. Yet, here they were, ruining her morning.
Sitting down in her usual seat at the head table, she found herself seated across from the Chisholms. That was not far enough away for her comfort, but she could not simply move, for it would be an obvious insult to Donnell’s guests and cause her a trouble she would rather avoid. Worse, she now had Egan seated to her right. Since it was a very small bench she sat on, it meant that Egan was constantly rubbing against her, touching her, and she knew he did most of the touching and rubbing on purpose. Her appetite was suddenly gone, but she knew she had to stay, had to pretend that sharing a table with five brutal
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