Page 26 of Abducted By the Highlander
“Ye needn’t look so pleased with yerself, Hugh.” Innis gave him a probing look which under the circumstances he felt was entirely unwarranted. “Ye can play make believe that Roisin is yer bride as much as yer like, but if ye lay one finger on her, ye’ll have me to answer to.”
Inordinately irked, he glared at her. He’d lost almost everything since he had first met Roisin, but by God he still had his integrity and Innis’s unsubtle accusation, in front of Roisin, no less, cut deep. He sucked in a harsh breath and turned to Roisin, who was staring at him as though she expected him to grow horns and cloven feet at any moment.
“’Twas not my idea to pose as man and wife.” No, because that elusive possibility was something too deeply buried inside his tattered soul to be so lightly exploited. Nothing more than a dream he’d once had and held onto through all the dark times. He forced those lost hopes back into the abyss and pushed out words that curdled his gut. “I shall present ye as my sister.”
Innis actually laughed and he shot her another disgruntled glare. He didn’t want an audience while he was trying to persuade Roisin of the merits of the plan, but he could scarcely tell Innis to leave. And not just because she was related to Darragh and Elspeth, but because, between last night and now, she had taken a shine to Roisin.
“Yer sister?” Innis cast a mocking glance between him and Roisin. “Trust me, that’s a terrible idea and ye will never get away with such a story.”
Heat scorched through him. This morning was going from bad to worse. He’d been so certain he had hidden how he felt about her. Christ, the last thing he wanted was for Roisin to guess that truth. It had been different on Eigg, when, even as the second son of his father, he’d had a future and a home to offer her and had promised himself that he’d one day return to Sgur Castle to ask for her hand.
But now he had nothing of value to offer her and he didn’t want to risk seeing the shock, or worse, on her face if she guessed that he’d once harbored such intentions about her.
Far better to let her believe anything but that.
“We will pose as man and wife.” Roisin tilted her head at him, as if daring him to contradict her. Relieved she appeared agreeable to the proposition, he kept his mouth shut and merely gave a sharp nod of agreement. “When do we leave?”
“As soon as ye are ready.” As far as he was concerned, she looked ready to face the world with her dark blue, green and black plaid shawl around her shoulders, and a soft blue gown that clung to her curves as the highland breeze gusted across the plateau.
He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry, but he couldn’t tear his mesmerized gaze from her. As usual, her hair was in a loose plait that trailed over her shoulder, but all he could see in his mind’s eye was how those auburn tresses had tumbled down her back when she had been in his tent yesterday afternoon.
“I’m ready now.” Her gaze caught his, and for a heartbeat he was certain she was about to say more, but instead she shook her head, as if trying to dislodge unpleasant thoughts, before she turned to her maid and took her hand. “All will be well. I shall return shortly.”
Chapter Nine
Roisin rode thesame mare she had hired when they’d docked at Oban. Was it really only the previous day? It seemed like a lifetime ago. And against all common sense, riding beside Hugh, as they made their way along a mountain pass, felt like the most natural thing in the world.
She exhaled a long breath and concentrated on the path ahead. She would die from mortification if Hugh caught the surreptitious glances she kept darting his way. With everything that had happened, she was certain she should remain infuriated with him, instead of this odd sense of calm that had descended as soon as they’d left the camp.
But then, Hugh had always made her feel ways she never had before. But back on Eigg, before he had left with Isolde and William, she’d never been conflicted about it. She had simply reveled in it.
Briefly, she squeezed her eyes shut. Not that it helped to center her. She fixed her gaze ahead, where Symon led the way with the horses he and Hugh were to sell in the town. She was also aware that two men from the camp followed them, keeping out of sight, as a surprise backup in case they were attacked.
A shiver wracked her, and she tightened her grip on the reins. She hoped the loyal men who had accompanied her from Eigg had been found by now and given the respect they deserved.
Before she could stop herself, she glanced at Hugh once again. His face was grim as he stared ahead, as though he weren’t even aware of her presence. She bit her lip and tried not to notice how magnificenthe looked astride the proud stallion but since that was impossible, she settled for admiring his captivating profile instead.
Without warning, he looked at her and heat washed through her, burning her cheeks. Curse it. Isolde and Freyja had never blushed like fools or become tongue-tied if a man so much as glanced sideways at them. Did Hugh think her as naïve as the MacGregor women had, until she’d offered to share her medicinal stocks with them?
It was bad enough knowing the women had thought her too sheltered to understand basic life skills, but it was far worse if Hugh thought the same. On Eigg he’d been gratifyingly admiring of her artwork and texts and certainly had appeared to be genuinely interested when she’d shared the myths behind them.
But what if he believed she possessed no practical competence at all? To be sure, until they had left the Isle both of her sisters were the practical ones, and she had merely done whatever was required of her. It was only during the last year after Freyja had wed Alasdair that their grandmother had started to include her in the castle’s administrative decisions.
Amma hadn’t really any choice, had she? Roisin was the only daughter of Sgur left.
It had never really troubled her before, but now the knowledge stung. She wasn’t brave like her sisters, but that didn’t mean she was incapable of strategic thought. And so, to prove it to Hugh, she said what had been playing on her mind ever since Darragh had informed her she was accompanying Hugh and Symon on their mission.
“When we reach the town, do ye think I might send a message to Isolde to let her know I’m still alive?”
“A message?” He sounded as though the concept was utterly foreign to him.
Somewhat aggrieved by his response, she said, “Why are ye so surprised? I only want to let her know there’s no need to worry about me.” She was certain her sisters and Amma would worry until she wassafely reunited with them, but at least she could let them know she wasn’t dead. “Isolde shouldn’t have that burden. I’d never forgive myself if—” She sucked in a sharp breath.
She’d never forgive herself if the shock of thinking she had died in an ambush caused her sister to lose her longed-for bairn.
Understanding flickered over his face, although it was gone in an instant. “’Tis too dangerous.” His voice was low and although he sounded sympathetic, it didn’t make her feel any better about the fact he’d completely dismissed her concerns.
“Ye needn’t worry I’ll mention yer name.” She couldn’t quite hide her irritation, and he frowned, as though he thought she was being unreasonable. And that irked her even more. “Or that I’m in a rebel MacGregor camp. I just need them to know I wasn’t taken by brigands.”
