sputtered.
Caitrin turned her glance back out the window. “Papa has land in Berwickshire, but I’ve only been there once.”
Only once? That was odd. From the time he was young, he’d been shuffled from the ancestral estate in Kent to the hunting box in Yorkshire and to every other Eynsford property in between. It wasn’t until his thirteenth year, when he went through changes , that the trips stopped.
His father had called him a demon child, a monster. Dash had been locked up every full moon since, either by the marquess’ orders or his own. The first time he’d been free, Caitrin Macleod had stumbled into his path. Was that fate?
“I doona like ta travel,” she explained, breaking into his thoughts.
That didn’t make any sense at all. Dash glanced around the coach. “Then why did you journey to Hampshire? It’s not a short trip.”
She shrugged. “Elspeth had need of me.”
“Lord Benjamin’s wife?” he asked, though he knew he must be right. The red-haired woman in question was Major Forster’s daughter and had Caitrin’s exact lilt.
She nodded. “We’re very close. Like sisters, ye could say.”
“And she needed you in Hampshire?”
Caitrin’s blue eyes cast downward to her hands. “Ye wouldna understand, my lord.”
“You could explain it to me.”
Her hands began to fidget in her lap. “I doona think that would be wise.”
Dash frowned at her answer. She didn’t trust him. He’d change that, as soon as he figured out how.
***
All day in a carriage with the Earl of Brimsworth. Caitrin sighed. She wasn’t doing very well with her pledge to stay away from Lycans, which was more than a little frustrating. After watching the way Benjamin Westfield had courted Elspeth, she would have thought she knew well the arsenal of tricks Lycans used to capture women.
But Dashiel was different from that. Just as soon as she decided she hated him, he’d swoop in and turn her mind upside down, like he’d done the night before. He shouldn’t have stayed all night with her, but it was very sweet of him to worry about her, just the same.
Then he had to turn around and do something as despicable as threaten to expose Jeannie and manipulate Cait into his carriage. Her mind was still whirring on that situation, though she was certain a solution would present itself.
Cait heard a slight thump and looked over to find Jeannie sleeping, her head resting against the side of the carriage. Then she heard him chuckle.
“You cannot avoid me any longer, Caitrin,” Dashiel said smoothly.
Cait raised a hand to her chest in surprise. “I doona ken what ye mean, my lord.”
“You’re holding back on me. I want to know all about you. Every detail, but you’ve been hiding behind your maid’s skirts.”
Her cheeks warmed at the accusation. “I most certainly have no’,” she hissed. “And I dinna give ye leave ta use my given name.”
“Ah, yes.” He winked at her. “We must abide by the formalities of our rank, Miss Macleod. I nearly forgot. Thank you for reminding me. I tend to forget my manners when I’m with you.”
Cait reached up absently to rub her shoulder. “Did ye have any manners ta begin with?” she murmured.
Again he chuckled softly, a sound that almost made her smile with him. Almost, but not quite. Then he shrugged and said, “I was overcome by the moment. There’s no other way to justify it.”
Caitrin chose to look out the window and avoid his amber eyes, which suddenly seemed to look into her instead of at her.
“Tell me about last night,” he prompted. “I noticed the pair in the taproom, but I never would have known what sort of villain the man was. How did you know about the girl? And how were you already upset about something that hadn’t yet happened?” He held up a hand when she was about to speak. “Not that I minded, of course. I like it when you fling yourself into my arms. Feel free to do so at any time.”
She didn’t remember flinging herself
Caitrin turned her glance back out the window. “Papa has land in Berwickshire, but I’ve only been there once.”
Only once? That was odd. From the time he was young, he’d been shuffled from the ancestral estate in Kent to the hunting box in Yorkshire and to every other Eynsford property in between. It wasn’t until his thirteenth year, when he went through changes , that the trips stopped.
His father had called him a demon child, a monster. Dash had been locked up every full moon since, either by the marquess’ orders or his own. The first time he’d been free, Caitrin Macleod had stumbled into his path. Was that fate?
“I doona like ta travel,” she explained, breaking into his thoughts.
That didn’t make any sense at all. Dash glanced around the coach. “Then why did you journey to Hampshire? It’s not a short trip.”
She shrugged. “Elspeth had need of me.”
“Lord Benjamin’s wife?” he asked, though he knew he must be right. The red-haired woman in question was Major Forster’s daughter and had Caitrin’s exact lilt.
She nodded. “We’re very close. Like sisters, ye could say.”
“And she needed you in Hampshire?”
Caitrin’s blue eyes cast downward to her hands. “Ye wouldna understand, my lord.”
“You could explain it to me.”
Her hands began to fidget in her lap. “I doona think that would be wise.”
Dash frowned at her answer. She didn’t trust him. He’d change that, as soon as he figured out how.
***
All day in a carriage with the Earl of Brimsworth. Caitrin sighed. She wasn’t doing very well with her pledge to stay away from Lycans, which was more than a little frustrating. After watching the way Benjamin Westfield had courted Elspeth, she would have thought she knew well the arsenal of tricks Lycans used to capture women.
But Dashiel was different from that. Just as soon as she decided she hated him, he’d swoop in and turn her mind upside down, like he’d done the night before. He shouldn’t have stayed all night with her, but it was very sweet of him to worry about her, just the same.
Then he had to turn around and do something as despicable as threaten to expose Jeannie and manipulate Cait into his carriage. Her mind was still whirring on that situation, though she was certain a solution would present itself.
Cait heard a slight thump and looked over to find Jeannie sleeping, her head resting against the side of the carriage. Then she heard him chuckle.
“You cannot avoid me any longer, Caitrin,” Dashiel said smoothly.
Cait raised a hand to her chest in surprise. “I doona ken what ye mean, my lord.”
“You’re holding back on me. I want to know all about you. Every detail, but you’ve been hiding behind your maid’s skirts.”
Her cheeks warmed at the accusation. “I most certainly have no’,” she hissed. “And I dinna give ye leave ta use my given name.”
“Ah, yes.” He winked at her. “We must abide by the formalities of our rank, Miss Macleod. I nearly forgot. Thank you for reminding me. I tend to forget my manners when I’m with you.”
Cait reached up absently to rub her shoulder. “Did ye have any manners ta begin with?” she murmured.
Again he chuckled softly, a sound that almost made her smile with him. Almost, but not quite. Then he shrugged and said, “I was overcome by the moment. There’s no other way to justify it.”
Caitrin chose to look out the window and avoid his amber eyes, which suddenly seemed to look into her instead of at her.
“Tell me about last night,” he prompted. “I noticed the pair in the taproom, but I never would have known what sort of villain the man was. How did you know about the girl? And how were you already upset about something that hadn’t yet happened?” He held up a hand when she was about to speak. “Not that I minded, of course. I like it when you fling yourself into my arms. Feel free to do so at any time.”
She didn’t remember flinging herself
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