Page 15 of The Highlander's Inconvenient Wife
“That woman can draw information out of the most hardened criminals on the face of the earth.” He raised his eyebrows with a serious expression on his face. “She may seem sweet and gentle, but she’s formidable when she sets her mind to something she wants.”
“Wait… is that why you took so long to come back down to the dungeons?” She bit on her lips to keep herself from laughing.
“Gregg only went an’ told her that a young English lass had been taken captive,” he said in annoyance. “She came an’ convinced me to take her to ye.”
“I’m sorry,” she said as she suppressed a laugh. “That must be so difficult for you. I rather like your mother.”
“Ye would since she took ye out of the dungeons.” He rolled his eyes.
“Someone had to do the sensible thing.” She liked the sound of his voice when he wasn’t barking orders at everyone around him.
“Aye, aye,” he half-smiled at her. “I have a question for ye.”
“That sounds ominous.” She suddenly felt concerned, remembering that she had a secret of her own to keep.
“While I dinnae think ye are a spy, I would like to ken why ye were travelin’ alone through Scotland. Are ye runnin’ from anyone?” He looked at her face before looking ahead of them once again. “Are ye safe?”
Joan swallowed hard as she felt a pang of panic in the pit of her stomach; she had been dreading the question she knew he’d eventually ask. She wasn’t ready to tell anyone her story, let alone know if she could trusthimor not. The question of her fate still relied on whether or not she could hide her presence from the baron. She needed to at least tell Avery and Darragh before she told a stranger she had just met.
“I don’t know, my laird. Your men told me that you’d remove my head if I didn’t hold my tongue. Apparently, you once killed a man for making a joke. So, you tell me, am I safe?’’
The smile suddenly disappeared from his face as a veil fell over his eyes. “Tell me what you are runnin’ from,” he commanded her as he stopped walking.
Joan stopped and glared at him with her fists balled at her sides. “Tell me, my laird, is it not enough that you know I am not a spy? Why is it so important to you that I tell you everything about my life?”
“Have I nae given ye shelter an’ made sure that ye are looked after?” he asked her angrily, clearly provoked by her cheeky response once again.
“After locking me in a dungeon,” she retorted angrily as she took a step forward. The situation between the two of them was beginning to escalate at an alarming rate as their tempers grew.
“Ye would have done the same if ye had a clan to look after.” He raised his voice as he pointed at the castle. “Ye have nae idea what I have had to endure to ensure the safety of me family!”
“Why don’t you tell me about it then!” She raised her voice to match his.
“That’s beside the point; who or what are ye runnin’ from?!” he asked in anger as his face drew closer to hers.
Her chest rose and fell in quick succession as she realized the close proximity of his lips to hers. “You…” she sought for words.
“I what?!” he asked as he narrowed his eyes, glancing down at her lips just as she had been looking at his.
It was evident to her that the same thoughts of attraction were running through his mind. “You drive me crazy!” she suddenly yelled and took a step back in an attempt to break the tension between them. The last thing she needed now was to kiss the man who had been holding her captive, no matter how much she may have wanted to.
“Then why dae ye nae just answer me question?!” he asked furiously.
Joan felt her anger bubbling to the surface as she fought with him. The man had the infuriating habit of raising her irritation with just a few words. “I’m running from men like you that would have me locked up for the rest of my life like some kind of prized possession!” she yelled in his face as they both stepped forward, their noses nearly touching.
“Gods…” he said blowing out a breath, sending a strange fluttering through her chest, “I didnae ken…”
“Never mind!” she snapped as she stepped back, unable to stand the intense atmosphere that had formed between them. Looking him in the eyes, she saw the sense of pity and worry that he’d suddenly gained for her. “I’m going to bed!” she suddenly yelled at him.
The thought of any man taking pity on her was more than she could bare at present. Turning on her heels, she began to march toward the castle with her fists still balled at her sides.
“My laird!” Gregg suddenly yelled in the distance as he came running toward them. “The prisoner has escaped; we must go an’ find her at once!”
“I’m here!” she snapped at him as well in passing as he stopped in his tracks, nearly toppling over into the water. “And I’m going back to my chambers; you can follow me if you like!”
9
Jasper kept his eye on the doors as he sipped his morning ale; he was beginning to wonder if Joan was going to make an appearance at breakfast at all. He specifically told the maids and his mother not to take Joan a tray so that she would have to show her face.
