Page 12 of The Highlander's Virgin Widow
She had asked Hudson about him right after he left the previous day. She knew his name was Evander Sloan, and she knew he was a rather firm man who was feared by all and known not to take no for an answer.
“And what in God’s name do ye think ye’re doing?” she asked.
“Lady Blythe. ‘Tis quite lovely to see ye,” he drawled, folding his hands over his chest, a half smile on his face as he watched her approach.
“What is this?”
“Thisis me moving in. Great, do ye nae think?”
Keira fumed. “I can think of more appropriate words.”
“Look, me clansfolk are already moving into the village near the castle to be close to their Laird. There’s nothing ye or I can do at this point.”
Keira watched him intently. “Ye seem to enjoy this, do ye nae?”
“Depends on what ye mean by ‘enjoy.’”
“If this is yer brilliant attempt to try to kick me out of me castle, ye have another thing coming.”
“This isnae personal, Lady Blythe.”
“It certainly feels personal to me. Yer men are removing me things from the castle because ye want to establish yer place.”
“Aye. Because yer councilmen handed the castle over to me as a peace offering. I dinnae ken just how much longer I can keep saying it.”
Keira felt like she had run out of ammunition. She had nothing else to say—no defense, no words. All she had left in her corner was her snark, and she planned to use it as much as she could.
“Well, if ye’re trying to kick me out, ye’ll have to try harder than this. Because, like I said yesterday, I have nowhere to go. And believe me when I say I would rather stay in this castle with ye than leave.”
She saw it almost immediately on his face—a flicker of something soft. Something like concern.
“Do ye truly have nowhere to go?”
Keira shook her head gently.
He raised his hands in despair as his men filed in and out of the castle. Some of them even returned to the courtyard to leave their horses in the stables. Keira continued to watch, unable to do anything about it.
“I have nowhere to go either,” he muttered. “And it’s all because of this war ye started.”
“Again, I didnae start any war.”
“Forgive me if I still find that a bit hard to believe.”
“What do ye reckon I do?” Keira asked, scowling at him.
Perhaps she had more than just her snark in her arsenal, after all. She could see the hint of concern in his eyes. The flicker of pity.
She decided to keep hammering down on that.
“Ye shall remain for the night. And I shall help ye find a place to stay,” he finally said.
Keira narrowed her eyes, as if waiting for him to say something else. There had to be a price.
“I will even do ye one better,” he continued.
“What?” She perked up.
He moved closer to her, his arms still folded across his chest. “I shall help ye find a husband.”
