Tender Feud

With a smile to hide her pique, Katrine nodded. “Of course you should go, my love. Perhaps we can come here again some other time.”

“I think not,” Raith said repressively, bending down to grasp Meggie’s hand when she reached up to him. In one smooth motion he had pulled the child up before him on his horse, which made Katrine realize they had ridden together before. Not wanting to spoil Meggie’s treat, Katrine determinedly bit back the retort that sprang to her lips, though she favored Raith with a defiant glare.

He seemed not to notice. He turned his mount without another word or glance at her, once more leaving her with nothing but her own fury for company.

Meggie, however, bless her soul, peered around his broad shoulder and waved goodbye. Katrine felt tears sting her eyes at the sweetness of the gesture.

She watched till they were out of sight, then began the long trek back to the house, depression, defiance and worry warring within her. She had a strong suspicion that she hadn’t heard the last of this issue. Raith wasn’t done with her yet.

She was right. She met him just before she reached the glade, as he was coming back to meet her. When she would have stalked past him without a word, he drew his horse to a halt, blocking the path. The expression on his face was hard and set as he stared down at her.

“I warned you about the fog, Miss Campbell. No one here would regret your death much, but I won’t have you endangering Meggie by bringing her here.”

The look Katrine returned was mutinous. “We stayed to the path,” she muttered, watching as he swung down from his horse. “At least most of the time.”

“I don’t care. You’re not to come here again, with or without Meggie.”

The arrogant spread of his legs as he rested his hands on his lean hips irritated her nearly as much as his commanding tone. “Do you know what I think?” she demanded.

“No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”

Katrine ignored his sarcasm. “I think you’re afraid I’ll find something on one of my walks. Something illegal. Like a distillery, perhaps. And that I’ll be able to report it to the English revenue staff when I’m free.” She eyed him triumphantly. “It would only be further proof that your clan is engaged in unlawful activities.”

At her not-so-subtle threat, Raith tightened his grip on the reins, determined not to allow her to incite him to violence. “You’re daft,” he said through his teeth, “if you think I would be worried about the English revenuers. It’s Meggie who concerns me. In the first place, you couldn’t protect her or yourself if you came across any of the vagrants that roam these hills, either beast or human. And in the second place

, coming here with you will only encourage Meggie to wander off alone.”

Katrine’s spine went rigid. Though she disliked admitting it, she hadn’t actually considered those possible consequences. At the very least she should have warned Meggie not to visit the glen without the company of an adult. But Raith’s superior tone raised her already heated temper another degree.

“I don’t believe for a moment that you’re concerned about that child!” she retorted as she made to brush past him. “You don’t seem to care that Meggie never has any supervision.”

Katrine was brought up short as Raith’s fingers fastened around her upper arm. He hauled her around, and his eyes held her fiercely. “You damned Sassenach, she doesn’t need supervision! What she needs is protection from you.”

His voice was hard and angry, and with each word his eyes became harder, colder. But Katrine was in a temper to match his tirade. The accusation wounded, insulted and angered her. She let the anger swell, cherishing its capacity to mask her hurt. “Meggie does not need protection from me! I would never willingly put her or any other child in danger. Nor would I ever use an innocent bystander for my own gain. Unlike others I know.”

If she hoped to make him feel guilty, she didn’t succeed, for he only gritted his teeth while his blue eyes narrowed in warning. “I may not have a dungeon, Miss Campbell, but I can lock you away well enough.”

“So do it! Lock me away! I’m sick of your threats anyway, and I refuse to tolerate them a moment longer!”

“I’ve not begun to threaten you!” Raith’s fingers pressed painfully into the soft flesh of her arm, as if he might shake her. “Let me say it clearly, so there’s no mistake. If you harm a hair on Meggie’s head, you’ll wish you’d never been born.”

Harm Meggie? Harm that innocent child? Katrine was too incensed to speak.

“And if you dare think to win my ward’s confidence and use her to help you escape, you can just think again.”

Her fury spilled over. In one violent motion, she drew back her hand and dealt him a ringing slap, hard across the cheek.

Raith reacted immediately to the blow, dropping the reins and roughly grasping her upper arms, his handsome face a dark mask of fury as he jerked her body full against him, his blue eyes flaring darkly.

For the span of a heartbeat, Katrine stared up at him in shock, as the imprint of her fingers appeared an angry red against his dark complexion. She was as startled by her own action as she was fearful of what he might do to her in return. Once more Raith was the fierce Highland laird—proud, scornful, dangerous, as she’d first met him.

“You redheaded spitfire,” he growled in a soft, lethal tone before, in a matching violent motion, his lips came down, hard and hot on hers.

The brutal kiss punished her and possessed her all at once, and Katrine was stunned by the heat of it. His mouth ground ruthlessly against hers, forcing her lips open so he could shove his tongue within, a swift, spearing invasion.

She tried twisting her head, but his hand came up to grip her hair, holding her still, rendering her helpless to avoid his plundering assault. Yet it wasn’t painful. Frightening and thrilling, perhaps. And incredibly pleasurable. Heat and excitement flooded through her as Raith held her, pinned against his hard-muscled frame, the sensation streaking through her body echoing the violence of his devastating kiss.

Raith must have felt it as well, for she heard him groan softly before he abruptly broke off and raised his head to fix her with his stormy, frustrated gaze. Katrine stared at him mutely, her heart pounding so wildly that she was sure he could hear it in the hushed silence that followed. She couldn’t totally read his expression, but she could tell he was struggling with conflicting emotions. And though she had little experience upon which to base a supposition, her instincts were feminine enough to recognize desire in his burning look.