He sighed, irritation lacing his voice. “Laird Hart is my father. I am Rory Hart, one of his sons.”
She pressed her lips together. His brooding presence intimidated her. But she couldn’t let that stop her. She needed to push forward.
With a defiant lift of her chin, something that she hoped would show him that she would not back down, she said, “I need transport and lodging. I am due to my betrothed in the coming days.”
Laughing loudly, he crossed his arms, his dark green eyes traveling from her face and lower, resting on her bosom afore moving lower, then sweeping back up to meet her gaze. “I suggest ye walk.”
“Excuse me? Do ye ken who I am? I am Laird Duran’s daughter. His only daughter. Ye are required to get me safely to my destination.”
He lifted a brow and narrowed his eyes.
“I believe ye have mistaken me for someone else. I dinnae takeorders from a lass.” He spun and walked toward the door.
“Wait!” Alana called after him, following quickly. She picked up her skirts so that she could move faster. Then, remembering her boots and stockings, she ran back to the fire to retrieve them, afore running back toward the door. “Sir, wait, please,” she begged.
His back stiffened, but he paused. They were outside now and had caught the attention of many of the villagers.
“Ye cannae dismiss me. Werenae ye sent to assist me in my travels?”
He clucked his tongue as he turned and pierced her with a non-plussed look that had her taking a step back. Had she pushed him too far?
“I was.” He stepped closer, bending down so he could look her in the eye. “Howe’er I dinnae take kindly to being ordered about by a lass. Especially one I have only had the unfortunate circumstance to just meet.”
She chewed her lip as she began to wring her hands together. She could see how he could be affronted by that.
He looked down at her bare feet and the boots and stockings she’d set on the ground, a frown turning down the corners of his mouth.
She huffed in a breath. “I do apologize. ’Tis been a trying day. My guards have abandoned me—”
“I am beginning to see why,” he interjected.
Taking a steadying breath, Alana wet her lips, but ignored his jab. She was aware of the villagers watching them with smiles upon their faces. Some of them giggling as they saw the scene unfolding betwixt them, clearly amused by their exchange. Her cheeks heated with embarrassment.
“As I was saying,” she continued. “I need yer help. Am I correct to assume that yer father, Laird Hart, sent ye here for that?” She waited silently, wanting to shrink into the ground under his scrutiny as he studied her.
“Aye,” he finally agreed, and she let out the breath she had been holding.
She nodded, trying to think of the words that wouldn’t upset him. Though she didn’t ken what to say, since the man standing afore her looked to be easily angered.
The villagers still watched them and her face burned with humiliation. He was to be her escort and the sooner they began their journey, the sooner it would be done and over with and she could forget this whole exchange.
It was something that she would never speak of again. She just needed to get to her husband-to-be.
And then she could forget Rory Hart existed.
Chapter Three
The next fewdays would prove to be miserable. Rory could predict that without any doubt. The lass was already a thorn in his side, even if she was more than pleasant to his eyes.
He picked up one of the travel sacks he had brought with him and just as he went to hand it to Alana, she jumped up and down excitedly, clapping her hands together. Lord help him.
“My trunks!” She pushed past him with more strength than he thought she harbored and unclasped the hinge before swinging the lid open. “Finally, I can change into dry clothes that arenae caked with mud and torn to shreds.”
Rory dropped his chin to his chest and sighed, summoning his patience. “If ye plan to change, be quick aboot it. We leave shortly,” he said gruffly.
Alana gave him a droll look, but snatched a few items from the chest, and hurried to find Tilly so the young woman could point her to a private place where she could change and dress in clean clothes.
Tilly would help the lass, he was for certs. Always one to please, she would offer to assist afore Alana even thought of asking.
