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“He is a Highlander,” Violet observed foolishly, herunder duress “That is to say, you are reeting “We are sihlanders in Caladan”

Finn’s expression remained placid “Perhaps that is because the natives refuse to provide foreigners with directions to your keep”

Maybe the warrior was not so placid as he appeared Clearly he had not appreciated her atteuide him For him to have found Caladan so soon, he must have learned very quickly after their encounter that she had not spoken truthfully Before her da could pose a question or form a response to a statement that surely must have puzzled him, however, Finn continued

“Thank you for the elcome, Lady Violet I ah his stance ed to lack any real deference

In fact, his eyes were anything but polite as his gaze corin he sest that he recalled the way he’d last seen her?

So the sensitive flesh pulse with fresh awareness

She turned to her father to see if he noticed the way the h the haze of drink her da would not appreciate the stranger’s hot, lingering stare? But the earl merely clenched scarred knuckles around his cup and took another sip

“Father, fully, willing hihlander from the hall

“We will talk all you like at sup with our new champion,” her sire spluttered, his words indistinct thanks to the great amounts of wine he uest properly”

“Of course,” she assured hiner to witness the full extent of her father’s temperament She would find no help from that quarter “Please take your seats, my lords, and I will call for the repast”

Finn’s gaze followed her, and Violet had the sense that his sea-blue eyesthe weakened state of Caladan’s lord? Or disrobing her with his ht and she could not understand what had come over her Could the herbs have irritated her skin that e that the condition would worsen when the Highlander looked her way Then again, perhaps e’s blend of stems and leaves No man had ever seen her as Finn had today—her tunic unlaced and breasts bared Maybe the fire along her flesh was increased by her discomfiture

Absently she rubbed her hands over her ar sensation by pondering the stranger’s realfa her father’s call Nay, even she could tell Finn Mac Néill was a warrior in his prime—a man of means and experience Did he come to assess how easily Caladan could be wrested away from the sickly lord who held it?

Shoving aside the thought, Violet convened with Inna and the servers to begin thethe food preparations at her father’s behest, expecting h to answer the call There was ht for the occasion

Hurrying back to take her place with the h this meal She feared her father would make plans for her betrothal to the one man who had accepted his invitation to the feast She could not allow that to happen, especially when Finn had hiddenthere

Besides, the warrior’s gaze was far too disconcerting Until she figured out the strange effect he had upon her, she wished to keep as distant from him as possible

“Daughter, you will dance now,” her father ordered, gesturing to the harpist who had just begun plucking a tune for the uest”

“Oh” Her gasp of dismay was surely heard by all save her father, who see his cup refilled to notice How could she possibly dance when she was so unsteady?

Her gaze erness in his eyes Instead, his brows slashed doard in a forbidding scowl The expression was fleeting—there one moment and vanished the next He turned toward her father

“I assure you…” The visitor spoke up “I require no entertainments A hearth fire and your fine spirits are far more comfort than I have had in many moons”