“Then go scrub the floors,” Logan countered.
“Ah!” Ealar tossed back his head with dramatic flair. “Even more insultin’ that I would lay a lass on the floor.”
Seemingly satisfied with Ealar’s innocence, Logan took Elspeth’s hand and walked off. He stopped three steps later and turned to his brother.
“Go scrub whatever ye sat on.”
Ealar threw up his hands then turned around and called to Helen. They headed back to the big house together.
Elspeth suddenly felt like laughing. Goodness, it was a miracle that she remembered how. She gave Mr. Cam—Logan a dreamy look. Then she blinked and scowled at herself.
What was she doing having all these warm thoughts about him? This was no way to remember what her purpose was. She was sorry that she no longer wanted to kill or even hurt him.
She had to do something about it. She would pick a fight with him so that she could hate him once more. If he kissed her again, she would be doomed.
It might already be too late, she thought as she looked up at him while they walked. He was merciful toward his brother and patient with his cousins. He was always thoughtful and respectful with Helen and all of those things and more with her.
He angled his head to look at her and smiled. “Ye look peaceful,” he said in his musical voice. “’Tis the first time I have seen it.”
She lifted one shoulder in a shrug, as if it meant little to her. “I willna deny this place reminds me of home.” It meant so much.
“How so?” he asked.
She almost sighed out loud. She was hoping he wouldn’t ask. “It feels…safe here.”
He didn’t say anything for another moment or two. “’Twill always be safe fer ye here, lass.”
She smiled, then stopped when she realized what she was doing.
He laughed softly and then shoved his right hand into a pouch hanging from his belt—
“Left,” she corrected.
He smiled harder and used his left hand to pull two items from the pouch. When Elspeth looked down at them, tears immediately filled her eyes.
“’Tis a comb and a mirror. They are fer ye, Elspeth.”
She shook her head and a tear fell to his hand. “I canna…nae.”
“Of course ye can, lass. Yer hair will grow back and ’twill need to be combed, and this mirror is fer all the times ye want to remind yerself how bonnie ye are.”
She lifted her fingertips to her lips and let out a small laugh, unable to stop herself while she stared at the beautiful items. She wiped her eyes and looked at him again. He lifted his gaze to the heavens and blew out a deep breath.
“Ye’re so bonnie to my poor eyes, Elspeth,” he said, returning his gaze to hers.
“Mr. Cameron—Logan, we are supposed to be enemies.”
He tossed her a devilishly handsome smirk. “I have always been a bit rebellious when it comes to what I am supposed to be.”
“I doubt it. Ye were likely yer mother’s favored son.”
“In truth, my sister is her favorite. Ealar’s charms dinna work on my mother.”
“Or on me,” she let him know—and then cursed herself for her loose tongue.
“Och, ye mean ye are no’ affected by his eyes, colored in the hues of a summer storm? His milky skin doesna shine in yer eyes like moonbeams against a black night?”
She laughed and shook her head at him. “Goodness, ye think much of yer brother’s good looks.”
