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"I was not ‘canoodling’ in the slightest degree, and you know it! The beastly little twerp made a pass at me, that’s all"

"A pass? Made love to ye, ye mean? Aye, I can see that!"

"He did not!"

"Oh, aye? Ye asked hiled the finger with the black patch undera e in amorous flirtation, rather than fornication

"I h clenched teeth, "that he kissed h to be his randmother," Jamie said brutally "Kissed ye, forbye--why in hell did ye encourage hie--insulted as randed hie him? Why, you bloody idiot! You know perfectly well I didn’t encourage him!"

"Your own daughter saw ye go in there with him! Have ye no shame? With all else there is to deal with here, am I to be forced to call the ht of Brianna, and a larger one at the thought of Ja his sword, but he’d brought it with hihter is neither a fool nor an evil-nity "She wouldn’t think a thing of ht anyone, for that h pursed lips, and glared at me

"Why, indeed? Perhaps because everyone saw ye flirt with hi after a bitch in heat?" He erously at that, for he coughed briefly and hurried on

"More than one person’s seen fit to hingstock, Sassenach?"

"You--you--" Fury choked me I wanted to hit hi toward us "‘Bitch in heat’? How dare you say such a thing to htly abashed at that, though he was still glowering

"Aye, well I shouldna have said it quite that way I didna h I hadna enough to contend with, one to see my aunt, as I asked ye, then it wouldna have happened in the first place Now see what ye’ve done!"

I had changed my mind about the desirability of a duel I wanted Jamie and Phillip Wylie to kill each other, promptly, publicly, and with theI made a very serious effort to castrate hi the, Sassenach!"

"Idon’tbloodycare!" I hissed, struggling to get free "Let go ofto watch!"

I didn’t take oodtoward us in the crowd on the lawn So was he His brows drew together for a ht, then," he said "Let theainst hi, and went stiff and furious instead In the distance, I could hear laughter and raucous whoops of encourage in Gaelic that I was pleased not to understand

He finally ainst hi cool and firm next to mine His body was fir through at least six layers of cloth to reach own, shift, and stays Whether it was anger, arousal, or both, he was fully stoked and blazing like a furnace

"I’ in my ear "I didna mean to insult ye Truly Shall I kill hihtly My hps were pressed solidly against him, and with only five layers of fabric between us there, the effect was reassuring

"Perhaps not quite yet," I said I felt light-headed from the rush of adrenaline, and took a deep breath to steady ent reek that wafted off his clothes Had I not been so upset, I would have noticed immediately that he was the source of the vile aro?" I sniffed at the breast of his coat, frowning "You sned "Aye, I know" His ar further "And ruh; I had tasted nothing but brandy when he kissedawful, like old sweat, and--"

"Boiled turnips," he said, soundingye about, Sassenach Betty, she’s called" He tucked my hand into the crook of his arment toward the croho all applauded, damn them--turned to steer et anything sensible out of her," he said, with a glance toward the sun, which hung inthe river "But it’s growing late; I think perhaps ye’d best go up and speak toat four o’clock"

I took a deep breath, trying to settleround inside ht, then," I said "I’ll see Jocasta, and then have a look at Betty As for Phillip Wylie"