To Tempt a Scotsman (Somerhart 1)
"Why were you hiding out here in the dark then?"
Her breath shuddered in her chest, just as he heard a curse behind him. "Jeannie?" Alex cried.
"Aye, sweeting." Jeannie's voice slid from goose-down to steel. "What the hell are you about, Blackburn?" She didn't brush past him so mu
ch as plow over him in her attempt to get to Alex.
"Come inside now, Alex, where it's warm. We'll leave your man here to cool down." Collin stepped aside to let them pass. "What did that beast say to ye, sweeting?"
The door closed behind them and Collin began to shiver. Was he a beast? Or was he the biggest fool in Scotland?
The wind, gusting and slapping against her face, burned tears into Alex's eyes as she waved farewell to Jeannie and the Kirkland brothers. She wished Jeannie would stay, wished she could hide behind her friend's anger forever.
Collin had slipped into bed late in the night, pretending that he believed her ruse of sleep. He'd slipped out this morning in the same manner, and had only just returned from his work to see their guests away.
The Kirkland carriage disappeared over the hill long before she dared to glance in his direction.
"It's cold," she murmured, and hurried past him toward the relative warmth of the keep. She felt him follow her through the door.
"Will you sit with me upstairs a moment?"
Her gut tumbled. She had no idea what to say to him, whether to rail or cry or hold her tongue. What could she say?
When he moved past her, disappearing up the stairs, she followed him up and into the circle of her sitting room.
"I accused you of something vile last night."
"Yes."
He stared at her, waiting for a confession, she guessed. She was tempted to give it to him just to see his eyes flare with whatever pain she could administer.
"I did not come to this lightly, Alexandra."
Oh, she was Alexandra now. Perhaps a "Lady West-more" was coming.
"One of the servants said that you and Fergus disappear often together."
"One of the—? Who? Rebecca?"
"That doesn't matter."
"It most certainly does. That woman is a bitch. A bitch in heat where you are concerned."
"Don't insult her simply because she came to me with this."
"Oh, I can assure you I've insulted her many times in my mind before this."
"So she lied to me?"
"Yes . . . No. I don't know! What does she mean by disappear? We often go to the stables together. We sit in the hall and talk. Why do I even need to say this to you? I am your wife."
"As long as you can remember that, then we need never speak of this again."
"Collin . . ." Hurt clawed at the walls of her chest, tried to crawl out her throat as a sob. She felt stupid and angry and so confused. Should she be mad? Did he have a right to worry?
She wondered suddenly if one of the Kirkland men had mentioned that she'd followed Fergus out. Wondered if they had raised eyebrows at her departure. Her face burned at the thought. "I'm sorry." She nearly choked on the words. "I didn't think how it would look to our guests."
"That's all?"