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Raen pressed against Brenna's back, and when she tried to move away, he put his hands down on her shoulders to keep her there "Mother, Brenna isn't a child One look at her and anyone can see she's a woman"

"Now, Raen, don't criticize nored his mother and leaned down close to Brenna's ear "Sit by "

If she turned around to answer him, she knew she wouldn't be able to hide her repulsion, and so she directed her remarks to his mother instead "I mustn't intrude upon your joyful reunion with your o"

"I don't knohy I assuer separation," she lied, for she remembered quite well that Euphe while "But a week is still a long time to a mother, isn't that so, Lady MacAlister?"

"Not really," Euphe entirely too close to Brenna I'er Come over here and sit withclose," he said with such a tone of surprise that his ht he was sincere Brenna wasn't so easily fooled, however She resisted an urge to sigh with relief as soon as he let go of her and strolled over to the table

"Brenna, you have o about your duties Raen, I have so news to tell you"

Brenna hurried toward the entrance before Euphee herwhen you came inside?"

"Yes, it was"

"Then why aren't your clothes wet?"

She wasn't about to admit the truth, that she had been inside several minutes before the downpour started, for then she would have to explain what she'd been doing, and they'd know she had deliberately listened to their private conversation

"Two very thoughtful servants held cloaks over my head"

His nod indicated he accepted her lie "I hope to God the rain lets up soon I hate being cooped up inside"

She thought that it was rather peculiar that the rain would keep hiardless of the weather Raen wasn't at all like the other ed and pampered by hishe appeared to be

How in heaven's naht? She hoped to God she didn't have to sit next to Connor's stepbrother The mere possibility made her lose her appetite

She avoided the hall for the rest of the day until it was titurned out to be quite pleasant Not only was Euphe He sat across fro both hisstories from his past By the ti forward to sharing her nextwith hiuilty for initially judging hiht the worst of hi she'd been

Granted, Raen had been overly enthusiastic at their first encounter, but not because he had lecherous intentions she decided Perhaps he just didn't know any better Andto counter hisBrenna she had his co she had siain

Everyone deserved a second chance

On the thirdof Connor's absence, Brenna awakened to sunshine and laughter She threw off her covers and went to theto look out at the glorious day Servants were hurrying about below, and fro outside as s she wanted to accomplish today, and while she knew she shouldn't put her duties aside, shethe hills

So downstairs The hall was deserted, and though she tried, she couldn't get the heavy door open so she could go down to the courtyard She wasn't defeated, however, and turned to go out the back door instead

"Good , mi'lady Did you sleep well?" Netta called out from the hall

"Yes, thank you," she answered "Has Lady MacAlister come down yet?"

"No, o riding for the day He told me he wouldn't be back until supper"

"He went outside the walls with so a risk, isn't he?"

"He"I wonder where he plans to go," she added

"It wouldn't have been proper forattention to the servant now, for she'd only just noticed the pile of items stacked on the top of the low chest in the entrance As soon as Netta convinced her they looked faed to her, Netta helped carry everything back up to Brenna's roo just in ti meal with his mother and Brenna He looked tired froain, he did nothing that was in the least inappropriate

He was ready to go upstairs at the very same time she was He clasped hold of her elbow and walked by her side, which was really quite gallant, and told her a huh His hand brushed across her brsts as he reached for the door latch, but it was apparent from the innocent look on his face that he hadn't even realized what he had done, leaving her to wonder why she was so quick to beco with her, she wondered while she prepared for bed, and finally concluded that the strain of trying to win Euphe her a nervous twit 'Twas the truth, the woman could uard up all the time Connor's step her over was proving to be far more difficult than Brenna had anticipated While Eupheed to find fault with everything she did, and in a backhanded, condescending way that ether

She wasn't about to give up, of course, and decided she would si, Raen had once again left the holding to go riding alone before Brenna had co to Euphemia's every comfort and orn out by supper

The worst was yet to cohtful; it was god-awful She tried to engage Raen in conversation, but he was in a sullen, defiantmust have been a strain on hi the least bit polite

He acted like a lecher again He never took his gaze off her—or rather, her hout the endless meal, and from the smirk on his face and the look in his eyes, she kneas fully aware of how unco her