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Her laird indeed How could she argue with such an absurd idea? The Buchanans, she’d already learned, were an obstinate lot, and when they got a notion into their hard heads, nothing could prod it loose
They were also good and honorableany of them did would cause her to lose her patience
“All right then,” she agreed
Brodick was leading his horse toward her when she ran to him and asked his assistance He also looked startled, but he did accept the ribbon She turned around, swung her hair over her shoulder, and lifted it up with one hand He pushed her hand away, pulled on her hair as though he were groohly tied the ribbon into a hard knot
The ht have pulled her hair on purpose because she’d asked him to do a woman’s chore, but she held her smile and thanked him profusely
“Will we reach Laird Rahtfall?”
“No,” he answered curtly He grabbed her by her waist and lifted her onto his stallion’s back, then swung up behind her and took the reins “We’re going to the Maitlands’”
She buo to Raer to him and his brother before we take Alec home”
“No”
“Yes”
He was astonished that she had the guue with him before, and he wasn’t quite certain how to proceed Didn’t she realize his position of power?
“You’re English,” he said “And I will therefore make certain allowances for you I realize you don’t understand you shouldn’t argue with ue with me”
Incredulous, she said, “That’s it? ‘Don’t argue with ue with you?”
“Are you trying to irritate me?”
“No, of course not”
Presu to waste valuable ti his decisions with her, he turned to call out to Dylan, but she regained his full attention when she put her hand on his chest Her voice was low, insistent “I must warn Laird Sinclair”
He tilted his head ever so slightly as he studied her “Do you know him?” he asked softly “Have you seen Ramsey?”
She couldn’t understand why he had suddenly beco, but she decided not to re him be reasonable
“No, I’ve never ood deal about him”
He raised an eyebrow “Tell me what you know”
Ignoring his gruff tone, she answered, “I know he rules the Sinclair clan and that he’s their new laird Isn’t that true?”
“It is,” he answered
Her fingertips were slowly trailing a path down his chest, her touch da He wondered if she realized what she was doing or if it was a deliberate ploy to gain his cooperation Did the woentle caress would sway hihable, really Anyone who knew him well understood that once he had ed it
“And I have made certain assumptions about him,” she continued “A man doesn’t becoine he’sal as you are”
The tension eased out of hiantly allowed
She didn’t s “I also know that Ra as Alec He’s a child, and it’s therefore your duty, and mine, to watch out for him Every child should be protected from harm, and Michael’s no exception”
Her arguet her and Alec to Iain Maitland, hoo to Ramsey to warn him
He reevaluated his decision now “Your primary concern is for the boy, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” she replied
“I’ll send Dylan and two others to warn Rao to the Maitlands’ Does that satisfy you?”
“Yes, thank you”
He grabbed her hand to get her to stop stroking hiue with me”
It wasn’t a request but a statereed “As you wish”
After receiving his instructions, Dylan left with Ossian and Fingal to go to the Sinclair holding Alec rode with Robert, and Liam took the lead as they continued toward their destination When they stopped to rest the horses at the nooning hour, Keith and Stephen split froain an hour later, looking as sray mare
Gillian took to the aniht away She was pleased they had borrowed the horse until she found out they didn’t plan to ever give her back Appalled, she refused to ride the horse unless they promised her that when they reached the Maitlands’, they would return the htful owner, but the soldiers were as stubborn as their laird and wouldn’t agree to any such thing Keith tried to be clever by changing the subject while Stephen tried to convince her that the man ned the horse felt honored because a Buchanan had chosen his mare to steal
“Do you want us to insult the man?” Stephen asked
“No, of course I don’t, but—”
“It would shame him,” Keith told her
“If you think I’ to believe—”
“It’s tiave the order as he lifted her onto the h “You do kno to ride, don’t you?”
She began to push his hand away, but he rip while he patiently waited for her to answer his question
She decided to give hiance “Better than you, Laird”
He shook his head at her and tried to ignore the sweet seous boast “I don’t like arrogant women”
“Then you aren’t going to like ant Just ask reatest flaw”
“No, arrogance isn’t your greatest flaw”
Before she realized what he was going to do, his hand cupped the back of her neck and he roughly pulled her toward him He’d moved so quickly, she didn’t even have ti at him when his mouth settled possessively on hers
He kissed the breath right out of her The heat of his h her body The kiss was exhilarating, and then it got better His tongue stroked hers, and the pleasure was so intense, she was certain it had to be a sin, but she couldn’t make herself care All she wanted to do was kiss hi her
She wanted to get closer to him, to throw her aro She tried to do just that, and when he ended the kiss, she very nearly toppled to the ground Fortunately, he wasn’t as addlebrained as she was—’twas a fact he didn’t look at all affected by the searing kiss—and he was able to catch her before she disgraced herself
She could hear Alec les, but didn’t turn to look at any of the soldiers, knowing that her face was burning with embarrassment
“You ain, Brodick,” she whispered hoarsely
He laughed as he swung up onto his ed her horse into a trot to catch up with him
“I mean it,” she whispered
He acted as though he hadn’t heard her, and she decided to let the o
They rode hard that day, stopping only once s Gillian stayed behind Brodick as they rode through rough, untamed, but
breathtakingly beautiful land
When they stopped for the night, she went to the nearby strea about the coer she thought about it the ance wasn’t her greatest flaw, indicating he believed there was another more serious imperfection
She was dying to ask hih it was frustrating, she was able to control her curiosity for a while She and Alec were so worn out fro day, they went to bed directly after supper Both of theht him She awakened a little before dawn and found herself cuddled in Brodick’s strong arain Content, she closed her eyes and went back to sleep
So that Alec could catch up on his sleep, they got a late start the following day and didn’t stop until the middle of the afternoon Alec was ht She had to order him to sit with Keith when she needed a few minutes of privacy, and as soon as she returned, he ran to her and latched onto her hand
The poor innocent looked relieved to see her again
“I’ to disappear on you, Alec”
“Uncle Brodick says we’re close to my home now”
“Does this valley look familiar to you?”
“No,” he aded on her hand “Gillian?” he whispered
She leaned down “Yes?” she asked, wondering what he orrying about now
“Can I ride with you?”
“Don’t you like riding with Robert?”
“He won’t let me talk, not even when it’s safe”
“You can ride with me”
“But you got to ask Uncle Brodick”
“I will,” she agreed “Finish eating, and I’ll go ask right now”
Brodick alking back from the forest and appeared to be preoccupied when she approached him
“Brodick, how much farther is it to Alec’s home?”
“A couple of hours”