Jamie was silent, fighting to overcome rage. He swallowed hard and managed a level tone.
“You’ll give me the courtesy of thinking on my offer?”
“Very well.”
Expecting another harsh dismissal, Jamie was overjoyed. It was a little thing he’d won, but it was enough for the time being.
“I misjudged you, lass. You can be reasonable after all.” Sheena said nothing to that, and Jamie grinned. “I’ll be leaving you now, but I’m thinking I’ll have one more kiss ’afore I go.”
His mouth silenced whatever protest she might have made. The first tender kisses hadn’t prepared her for this. Jamie released his passion for a brief moment, and Sheena was incredulous at her unresisting compliance. She should have been pushing at him, anything but what she was doing. She was captive of a will stronger than her own.
He left the bed and went to the door. “You’ll be thinking over what has been said and done, lass. And there’ll be no more hiding in this tower. I want to see you in the hall tomorrow. And, henceforth, have pleasant dreams.”
Then he was gone, and the door closed. Silence prevailed. Pleasant dreams henceforth? She was living the nightmare she had had—and had told him about! Or perhaps she was still dreaming. There wassomething not quite real about what had transpired in the dark. Better to believe she had never awakened, that James MacKinnion had not come into her room and said and done so much. Much better to have only dreamed it all. Much better.
Chapter 17
The pounding on the door woke Sheena abruptly, getting louder and louder before she could reach it and throw it open. She was furious to be awakened in such a rude manner. Seeing Colen standing there grinning as if he hadn’t made enough noise to wake the dead only made her angrier.
“Must you make such a racket?” she snapped.
“Must you take so long to answer?”
“I was sleeping!”
“Och, ’tis late for that,” he replied.
“I dinna care what time it is,” Sheena retorted. “I’ll be going back to bed now.”
“Nay, lass.” Colen shook his head, still wearing that infuriating grin. “You’ve been ordered to appear below, and so you shall.”
Sheena had been in the process of yawning, but that stopped her. “Ordered? Who dares order me?Him?”
Colen chuckled. Her indignant expression was just what he’d expected.
“He says he warned you last night no’ to be hiding up here any longer.”
“But I…I had hoped…” She swung around. What a fool she was to think wishing something away would make it go. “What else did he tell you about last night?” She turned back, facing him squarely.
“More than he cared to admit.”
“Then you know he asked me to handfast?”
“Aye.”
Sheena frowned at his expression. “And what do you find so amusing about it, I’d like to be knowing?”
“You’ll tell him nay. He’s expecting an answer today and is waiting for it now. An impatient man, my brother. He canna stand waiting for anything, especially something he is no’ certain of getting.”
“But today?” she gasped. “He said I could think on it.” She began to pace the room. “And what will he do when I refuse him, Colen? What do you think?”
“He’ll no’ give up any more than I did. You’re the first he’s asked to handfast, so you see he’s quite serious about you, Sheena.”
“But I would never handfast. ’Tis a man’s convenience, and one I dinna believe in.”
“Yet, ’tis considered honorable, especially in the Highlands,” Colen pointed out.
“Maybe, but how often does it really lead to marriage? You have a man and woman handfasting for an agreed-upon time, and in all respects they are wed. Yet when that time is over, the man can reject the woman publicly, and they go their separate ways.”
