“What is wrong, brother? Feeling ignored, areyou?”
“Blast it, Alexander. If you don’t look at me, Iswear I’ll throw you to the fish.”
The edge in Colin’s voice was not like him at all.With a show of reluctance, the ship’s master drew his attentionfrom the lass and glanced casually at the fierce young lion besidehim. In looks and in size, he and Colin were very much the same.But in worldliness and good sense, Alexander knew he had more thana few years on his younger brother.
Still, though, there was something in Colin’s lookthat caught Alexander’s attention. It was either his tumble intothe sea or his time on the island, butsomethinghad changedColin. Or perhapssomeone, he realized.
“I thought you were going below to change into aless ragged shirt.”
“I went. I changed. I came back. But still you standhere looking like a beggar eyeing a free supper.”
“Am I, brother?”
“Aye. The drool on your chin gives you away.”
“You’re probably right.” Alexander gave a smallshrug. “But see for yourself. The sea is finally smooth. A fairwind fills the sails. The course is set and all is well. I evenhave the dubious good fortune of being able to return my weebrother to Benmore Castle in one piece. But on top of all that, Ihave the bonny face of a young woman to gaze on right here on thedeck of my ship. Why should I want to move?”
“To give her some rest from your lecherous looks!Can’t you see the poor creature is nervous about all of this?”
“She looks quite well to m…”
“Never mind how she looks!” Colin snapped. “I’mtelling you that Tess is plenty nervous about people looking ather…particularly pox-ridden, bow-legged old sea rovers like you.And since stepping on board, she’s not had a minute’s rest fromyour bloody staring.”
“I don’t know. She looks perfectly comfortable tome.” Alexander smiled. “And I’ll have you know, I am notpox-ridden. I’m as careful a man as a maid will find anywhere.”
“I’msorelieved to hear it…you bloody goat,”Colin retorted.
Alexander slapped his younger brother on the back.“You, on the other hand, appear totally shaken.” The ship’s masterlowered his voice. “Now tell me, you aren’t already smitten by thislass, are you?”
“I’m telling you nothing. But I will say I was thefirst person to find her there since the old caretakers’ deaths.Tess considers me…well, a friend.”
“And I can certainly see that you have acted as atrusted friend should.”
Colin was eyeing Alexander suspiciously, obviouslyunsure of whether the older brother was teasing him or not. DespiteColin’s roguish reputation with women, it was already clear toAlexander that his brother’s relationship with Tess was fardifferent than any he’d been witness to before. There was a fierceprotectiveness toward this young woman that was immediately obviousto everyone on board. Indeed, there had been no comments at all bythe men regarding the days—and nights—that the two had spent aloneon the Isle of May.
Tess’s soft laughter at something that the ship’smate had said reached the two brothers’ ears. Looking about him,Alexander realized that most of his men’s attention was focused onher. From Colin’s scowling face, it was obvious that he was seeingthe same thing.
“You cannot blame them. The lass really is quitepleasing to look at,” he said casually, wondering how long it wouldbe before a brawl broke out. “And I’m thinking she doesn’t evenrealize what a bonny creature she is…which make her all the morespecial, to my thinking.”
As the ship dove into an extraordinarily deep troughbetween a pair of large waves, a shudder could be felt in the ship.Alexander watched as the ship’s mate steadied the young woman bytouching her elbow. The threat of murder on Colin’s face almostmade the older brother laugh, but he suppressed his mirth.
“Slow yourself down a wee bit,” the older brothersuggested placidly. “You’ve still a long road to travel before thelass is safely settled with her clan or with her mother, as LadyEvelyn chooses. You cannot allow yourself to get so riled oversomething as simple as who’s looking at her, when there are fargraver matters still ahead.”
“Aye, and don’t I know it! Tess thinks that the onlychallenge facing her is in getting ready to meet her mother. Whatshe doesn’t realize is that she should be more concerned withwarding off the attentions of all the men that’ll surely bepursuing her. I mean, she is not even considering the fact that asthe heir to Ravenie Castle, she now has wealth to go with herblasted looks! Why, that alone will be drawing the wolves toher.”
“Wolves, you say?” Alexander tried to hide hisamusement.
“Aye…wolves,” Colin repeated. “She is inexperiencedin the ways of men, Alex. She knows nothing of men’s lecherousnature. She could easily fall prey to the charms of any of them,and…”
“Did she fall prey to yours?”
Colin’s head snapped at Alexander’s direction. “Ofcourse not. But I…I didn’t pursue…and I…” He bristled. “’Twas amatter of honor!”
“Let me assure you,” the older brother saidconfidently. “If she managed to survive Colin Macpherson’s charmduring your time together, then I should say she is well preparedto ward off any other wolves. In fact, with you acting as her guarddog, I shouldn’t think any of us would dare to come within a leagueof the lass.”
CHAPTER 9
Eleven years had passed, but Tess discovered thatshe hadn’t forgotten how to ride a horse.
