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He wouldn't be cruel, though, and for that reason, Quinlan didn't try to intervene The fat was in the fire now, and she had placed it there when she deliberately provoked her husband by asking him such an atrocious question She would have to suffer the consequences of her actions, and bya little distance away from the two of them, Quinlan hoped she would realize he wouldn't, and couldn't, come to her assistance

Connor didn't have any intention of losing his temper, for he knew that his bride orn out The shadows under her eyes indicated her exhaustion He was fully responsible for her condition, of course, and believed the only thing he could do about it noas force her to bed Getting her to relax enough to sleep was going to be a little et rid of the tension inside her first, and perhaps arguing would serve that purpose A good fight always left hi relaxed, and while he adentlewomen like Brenna would react, he didn't believe there was any har her rail at hiain, or so he hoped, and then she would beg his forgiveness

"You're being unreasonable, Brenna"

"I believe I' very reasonable"

"You do? Then explain your reason for asking me such a question Did your sainted parents leave you behind?" He fully expected a denial, of course

She gave him the truth instead "As a matter of fact, they did" As soon as the words were out of herto have an even lower opinion of her dear parents

"They didn't leave ot Surely you see the difference"

"Do you expect ot you? No parents would leave their child behind, even English parents"

"Your wife looks as though she means what she says," Quinlan interjected "Did they leave you at home, mi'lady?"

She shook her head "I spoke in haste"

"Then you exaggerated?" Connor asked, thinking he was being considerate because he hadn't asked her to ad this more important that it was I wish I'd never said a word now, because you're going to think ill of my mother and father You just don't understand It only happened a couple of tiht children, and with so et about one of us every now and again It was all my own fault anyway I should have stayed with the others"

"They left you twice?"

The bit of added information she'd mentioned had stunned hiine why You weren't left behind I was, and I assure you, it didn't bother me at all"

"Of course it bothered you," he countered "Did they ever forget any of the others?"

"No, but I tended to wander…"

He wouldn't listen to any excuses "Where did these loving parents leave you?"

The pigheadedto understand, and she was suddenly too tired to keep on trying to make him Lord, he was a trial, and if she didn't find a little peace and quiet soon, she was going to start screa like a madwoman

Connor didn't look as if he was in any mood to leave, and so she decided she would

He had other inclinations He wasn't going to let her walk away from him until she satisfied his curiosity "I want an answer"

"I have finished discussing this topic"

The look he gave her suggested she change herafter a hound My parents left me in the middle of the countryside Are you happy now? Or was there so you wanted h to find out She didn't bother to ask permission to leave either, but she couldn't see her head to both men before she walked away She blamed the courtesy on her mother because she'd been relentless in her attehters into proper ladies

Owen called out to hisfor water, it's in the opposite direction"

She answered the soldier, but her voice wasn't strong enough to carry across the clearing

"Nohat?" Connor muttered as soon as he sa startled Owen looked The soldier glanced his way before chasing after his h he was vastly anation he'd heard in Connor's voice

"Owen looked surprised Your wifeto alarm him"

"Of course she did," Connor replied "Honest to God, Quinlan, she's a damned nuisance"

In Quinlan's estimation, she was still just about perfect Connor didn't realize his blessing yet, but Quinlan could tell from the way Connor studied his ith such a perplexed look on his face that he was already captivated by her He obviously didn't like the way he reacted to her if his dark mood of late was any indication From what Quinlan had observed about hisjust asher reaction to her husband

"She's going to cause quite a disturbance at home"

"I can't let that happen"

"I'," Quinlan said "Theon their duties They'll want to spend their days staring at your wife, and their women won't like it much

Have you any idea how beautiful she is, or haven't you taken the time to notice?"

"I'm not blind; of course I noticed Her appearance is yet another flaw I must contend with"

"I don't see it as such"

"You're a shallow hly appreciated the insult and smiled in reaction

"Laird?" Owen shouted "May I have a moment of your time? It's i forward "Mi'lady told et her trunk Then she thought she land Those were her very words to iven with a smile, mind you I tried to dissuade her, but she wouldn't listen to reason Do you think she really means to try?"

Connor didn't answer the soldier He doubted Oould hear a word he said anyway, as Quinlan's laughter was gratingly loud He considered shoving his friend to the ground just for the sheer hell of it, then decided he couldn't really fault hi too, if he weren't married to the impossible wo different

Why couldn't she beto drive him to distraction She surprised him every time he turned around, and he didn't like it at all She should be more predictable, shouldn't she? Oh, he should have known she was going to be trouble the hly unique Connor wasn't a fool; he realized his good fortune Still, he wished she would hurry up and get used to hih for him to be able to concentrate onto think he would never understand how heron hi, and the next, she was stubborn and difficult

He couldn't be expected to put up with a ind Most men surely wouldn't have been as patient as he'd been, but he was finished with that now He could take only so much provocation in one day, and he had had his fill

"I wonder if Lady Brenna realizes she's going the wrong way," Quinlan re on Kincaid's door if she keeps walking through the night"

"Mi'lady knows she's going north," Owen said "She tolda wide circle so as not to disturb the soldiers patrolling the creek"

Quinlan turned to Connor "Shouldn't you go after your wife?"

"My brother's soldiers won't let her get far"