Page 5 of My Notorious Highlander

"You're wrong. I hardly remember much about you. And our marriage was not a legal one, so you were never my husband, in truth. 'Twas only a handfasting." She detested the Highland practice of trial marriage for a year and a day, to see if the woman would conceive a bairn, before the legal marriage took place. This, of course, benefited the man, usually a chief who needed an heir. She would never willingly enter into one of these arrangements again. She'd much prefer to remain unmarried and be of service to her family and clan.

Gregor sighed. "A storm is blowing in off the sea. Will you not let us in and feed us supper? What of Highland hospitality?"

"I have no hospitality or sympathy for you," she said, only now noticing the strong wind whipping her hair and cooling her overheated face.

"Allow me to talk to the lady alone." Torrin's tone was low and deep, but most disturbing of all, he never took his eyes off her.

Chapter Two

"The lady has no interest in talking to you alone," Jessie told Torrin through the gates. Besides, she wished to go back inside before the storm hit.

Torrin merely gave her that enigmatic hint of a smile again. He then switched his attention to MacBain and gave him a warning look. "Give us some privacy."

MacBain narrowed his eyes. "I think not, MacLeod."

"Would you like shelter during the coming storm? Or do you prefer staying out here?"

MacBain surveyed the turbulent sky. "Very well, then. Let us see if you can sweet talk her into allowing us entrance. But I doubt it." MacBain and his men moved twenty feet away.

"Could I have a moment to talk to her, Aiden?" Torrin asked her brother, his tone respectful.

"Are you in agreement with this, sister?"

"Aye. I'll be fine." She didn't want Torrin to know she feared him.

Aiden stepped back a good distance, but continued to watch them. Not that he could beat Torrin off her if he decided to reach through the iron bars and grab her. 'Twas likely that Aiden, with his slight frame, weighed only half as much as Torrin did with his warrior strength.

"How long have you been friends with MacBain?" Jessie asked, making sure she stayed more than an arm's length away from the gate. But he had long arms that were thick with muscle.

Torrin frowned, looking more ominous than the dark, cloudy sky above. "I'm not friends with the daft man. They came upon us while we were traveling. Once I heard where he was headed and why, I suggested we ride together. I came to protect you."

Jessie forced an ironic smile. "I have no need for your protection." Besides, that would be like a wolf protecting a herd of sheep. After all was said and done, he'd feast on a few of them.

"Nevertheless… I consider Dirk a friend. He is not here to protect you from this knave, so I felt it my responsibility."

"How could it possibly be your responsibility? We've barely spoken."

He allowed an amused look combined with a look of determination. "I intend to speak to you far more, m'lady," he said in a lowered voice.

The feverish chills covering her, head to toe, had little to do with the whipping wind and far more to do with his intimate tone. "Why?"

He raised a brow. "I think we both ken the answer to that."

Aye, she knew he'd asked Dirk for her hand in marriage last winter. "I'm not marrying anyone. Not MacBain, and certainly not you."

His smirking, confident smile made her grind her teeth. Could naught dissuade him from his ridiculous objective?

"Are you thinking I would marry a man with a paramour and children in the village?"

Torrin frowned, his amusement vanishing. "Who are you speaking of? MacBain?"

"Nay. You."

"I don't ken who has been spreading rumors, but I have no paramour in the village and certainly no children that I'm aware of."

Ha. Of course he would deny it. But her sister-in-law, Isobel, had told her this and the information had come from Torrin's own brother. He'd said Torrin was in love with the village lass.

"Who told you this?" he demanded.