Page 36 of Taming the Heiress
"You may have nothing to say to me. But I owe you an apology, and you are going to listen."
"Do not think to charm me again." She tried to wrench out of his unrelenting grip. "If that is what you call it."
"Easy, love," he murmured. "First, let me apologize for that kiss when we were out on the machair."
"That hardly matters. And do not call me love." She crabbed her fingers on his shirt. His fingers were strong on hers, and his other hand, at the small of her back, pinned her against him.
"Be still and listen. Allow me the chance to speak before you claw me to bits."
"Seven years," she said between her teeth. "You come back after seven years—"
"And I found you, when I thought I'd never see you again."
"Found me?" She stared up at him. "Did you ever look?"
"My dear girl, I searched for you but did not believe it was possible to find you. Now that I have, you make clear that you have no desire to see me. Sometimes you seem so furious with me that I must fear for my life." His tone held a wry gentleness.
"Did you expect a happy reunion of lovers?" Meg wished, all at once, that she had a hand free with which to slap him—yet she wished, too, that he would pull her into his arms and kiss away the hurt, help her dissolve the bitterness she had carried for years. She wanted to be free of that anger and sadness, but did not know how to release it or if it was even possible after so long.
"No happy reunion," he said, "once I realized who you were and what I had done. I thought you did not remember me until we met on the machair and watched the northern lights. I hoped a kiss would remind you more clearly than an explanation."
"How could I have forgotten?" she snapped.
His grip eased on her hands, though he did not let go. "I do not know why you appeared that night, or quite what had happened—my memory of it is very dim."
"All but one part, I am certain," she said frostily.
"Aye, well. For you, too, I hope." He pursed his mouth. "The storm was fearsome, and the night was dark, and I was not sure what I saw or who you might be. I thought—" He paused. "You will think me a fool if I tell you what I thought that night, Meg MacNeill. Though you may already think me a fool."
"Just a brutal cad."
"Fair enough."
"Leave me be. And leave this rock and the island, too."
"I will stay until my work is done," he said firmly. "But I will leave you be, if that is what you want. First hear me out."
"You cannot convince me your behavior was justified."
"And what—whoa, stay with me until this is done!" He pulled her back gently but firmly when she jerked away. "This is not a pleasant encounter for either of us, but it must be got through. What, exactly, do you think I did then?"
"You took advantage of me, sir, and left me in a boorish and inconsiderate manner." She leaned forward, spoke hissing through her teeth, sharp and angry, fueled by years.
"Left you! My dear, you left me. I awoke to find you gone."
"I saw the boat," she said between her teeth. "I saw the men come to fetch you again, those who no doubt left you there. All of you—whoever the others were—schemed it together."
His brow tightened. "Just what," he said, "have you believed of me all these years?"
Meg searched his eyes, saw only sincere puzzlement, felt his free hand hold her snug and insistent at the small of her back. Their joined fists nestled against her breasts. He felt lean and hard against her. Deep within, she ached for him—but she would not give in to that.
"I believed what I saw that morning," she said. "Your friends came back to get you. They must have left you on the rock the night before, knowing that I would be here. The storm blew in and marooned us, so that your friends could not fetch you under cover of darkness. So I saw your departure at dawn. Norrie had already come to bring me back."
"Why on earth were you here that night? And I did not know that I would end up here myself." He shook his head as if confused. "Had you come out to Sgeir Caran to watch the birds, perhaps, and got caught in the storm?"
"I was here because my grandmothers sent me here for the night," she said, "and you know exactly why."
He shook his head again. "Tell me what you mean."
