The Highlander's Woman (The Reckless Rockwoods #3) by Monica Burns

eyes.
    “No, my father’s business was no’ complete until just a short time ago.” He drew in a deep breath of sadness as he remembered Caitriona’s hopeless struggle to live.
    “And was Una Bensmore part of that business?” she asked in a tight voice. The unexpected question made him stiffen in surprise as he stared at her in amazement.
    “Why would you ask such a thing?” He shook his head slightly as a sense of foreboding streaked through him at the frosty glare Patience cast in his direction.
    “Because of this,” she said fiercely as she thrust her hand outward and opened her fist. Fear snaked through him the moment he saw the blood pooling in her palm.
    “ Christ almighty, Patience ,” he bit out. “What the hell have you done to your hand?”
    Obviously surprised by his harsh response, she shifted her gaze downward. A puzzled look crossed her pale features as she stared at her bloodied hand. Julian strode forward.
    “It’s your brooch,” she murmured in a strained voice.
    “I can see that,” he growled as he took the jewelry from her hand to drop it on the table. Julian snatched a napkin off her lunch tray. It made a loud crack, as he snapped it open and proceeded to dab at the blood on her palm. “What the devil were you thinking, holding it like that?”
    The blood that had made her injury look so severe was the result of several deep pricks to her palm. The amount of blood had made it look far worse than it really was. It would give her slight discomfort for a few days, but she would heal easily. As he cleaned the blood from her hand, he looked at her in a silent demand for an explanation.
    “I wasn’t thinking,” she said woodenly. The dispassionate response made him shake his head as he tried to comprehend how his brooch had come to be in her possession to begin with.
    “Where did you find this? I thought I’d lost it.”
    Relief that she was unharmed mixed with gratitude that he’d recovered the brooch. He would have mourned its loss. His mother had given it to him on his seventh birthday a few months before she’d become sick and died. The last time he’d seen it had been yesterday morning on his coat. It must have fallen off on his way out the door. A second later, he looked into Patience’s eyes, and an icy blast of fear chilled him to the bone. Her face was pale and her expression devoid of emotion. Normally he could tell what she was thinking, but she’d closed herself off to him. Julian frowned at the flicker of emotion darkening her soft, brown eyes. What the hell had happened while he’d been gone.
    “Una Bensmore delivered your brooch in person,” Patience’s voice was the sound of glass shattering. With a quick, vicious tug of her hand, she jerked free of his grasp. Bone tired it took Julian several seconds to comprehend her words.
    “Una? She was here?” He frowned in bewilderment.
    “Is she your mistress?” The question blindsided him.
    “My mis— God in heaven, Patience . I do no’ have a mistress.”
    Bloody hell, what would make her think he was involved with Una? His gut twisted like a hung man hanging in the wind. Una had always been one to make mischief, but heaven help him if the woman had been malevolent enough to suggest she was his mistress
    He’d have Una’s head for making Patience think he’d been unfaithful. Caitriona’s sister had been nothing but trouble since the day she turned seventeen and Fergus MacTavish had planted the idea in her head that she’d one day be the lady of Crianlarich Castle. She’d been trying to seduce Julian ever since. Despite denying his involvement with Una, he saw the look of disbelief on Patience’s face.
    “Then why did you ride off in a hansom cab with her yesterday morning, and why were you seen house hunting with her?”
    “How in the hell do you know about that?” he exclaimed without thinking how it might sound. Sweet mother of God, exactly what had Una told Patience? She’d had all night to think the