Page 9 of The Highlander’s Tempting Touch

Grace stepped in front of him. “Sir, if you think I’ll let you treat Niamh so roughly…”

“And what dae ye think tae dae? Call the guards if ye will.” Alistair’s voice was harsh, and Niamh could hear the contempt in it. “But if ye think they’ll heed the word o’ an English lass over a clansman, then ye’re a fool as well as a viper.”

Grace flinched, and Niamh hissed in fury and kicked Alistair hard in the shin. The man grunted, and his grip loosened just enough for her to pull free and dart back to Grace’s side. “Grace may nae be able tae call the guards, but I can, and I will if ye dinnae leave now. Aye, and have ye sent on yer way with a cudgel, if I see ye again.”

Alistair’s lip curled. “I’d like tae see ye try, and what Laird Cameron would say, tae see ye tryin’ tae drive away yer…”

Alistair’s words paused for a moment, but before Niamh could respond, he continued. “And he’d be likely tae reward me, if he kent what company ye keep, and the source o’ yer ire.” He stepped closer, and Niamh flinched back. “Ye say yer faither is the laird Cameron o’ these parts. How many o’ yer clansmen has he sent tae defend the borders against people like yer ‘friend’?” The last word was hissed with enough venom to make a snake jealous.

Niamh snarled back; her temper hotter than she’d ever felt it before. “That’s a matter fer me faither tae think on. ‘Tis certainly nae concern o’ yers, and it daesnae give ye a right tae accost me like this!”

“Ye think nae?” Alistair caught her arm again, his eyes burning with a fury that nearly matched her own. “’Tis clear ye need tae be kept an eye on, if this is the sort o’ company ye keep when ye’re nae watched over. Since yer faither isnae here tae dae the job, I will.”

“And who are ye tae have a say in who I can be friends with?”

Alistair’s jaw clenched. “I have a say because I’m yer betrothed, and I’ll nae have any future wife o’ mine consorting with the enemy.”

“Just because ye happened tae bump intae me…” Her words faltered to a stop. “What did ye say?” Alistair’s expression changed, chagrin sweeping across his rugged features as Niamh stared at him. “What dae ye mean, ye’re me betrothed?”

CHAPTER SIX

Och, I’ve gone and put me boot in the midden, right and proper. Fair Folk Light and Dark damn me and me temper.

Alistair stared at Niamh, unable to find any words to say. She, in turn, looked back at him, her eyes wide as she stepped closer. “What dae ye mean, ye’re me betrothed? ‘Tis nae possible.”

There was no help for it. He’d made the mistake, and it was too late to try and pretend otherwise. She might be angry now, even feel betrayed, but that would be nothing compared to what she felt if he tried to lie to her any further.

He sighed. “Yer faither and I met tae discuss it last night. I planned tae introduce meself taeday during the festival and begin courtin’ ye.”

He watched as Niamh’s expression changed, tracking her emotions as they passed through disbelief, outrage, doubt, hurt, uncertainty, and back to outrage, with a glimmer of betrayal. “Ye’re lying.”

“On me honor as a MacDuff, I am nae.”

Tears of mingled fury and hurt sparkled in her emerald eyes. “Then... all o’ this... bumping intae me... ye planned it all?”

“Nae all o’ it. I intended tae find ye at a tavern or food-seller’s stall and introduce meself there, but I’ll own I thought tae make the best o’ the opportunity when ye crashed intae me.”

“Did ye ken who I was when I ran intae ye?”

“I had a good idea who ye are. Yer faither gave me a description o’ ye.”

“I dinnae believe ye. Me faither wouldnae dae any such thing. He kens I dinnae want tae get married.” Her eyes were wide, disbelieving.

This wasn’t a conversation he was willing to have here, and not in front of the English wench Niamh insisted on calling a friend.

With a grunt, he put an arm around Niamh’s waist and hefted her over his shoulder. “I dinnae care whether ye believe me words, Niamh Cameron, but we’re leaving now, unless ye want something worse than harsh words tae befall yer English ‘friend’.” He spat the last word with as much contempt as he could muster.

“Here now, you cannae just…” Alistair leveled a harsh look at the girl, and the English woman jerked back as if he’d struck her.

“Dinnae get in me way, if ye value yer life and freedom.”

He bent close. “I’ll nae call the guards on ye, fer her sake, but best ye get gone, afore someone else daes.” With that, he turned and strode from the clearing, with Niamh still slung across his shoulders.

He ignored the hissed insults and the blows against his shoulder. He wasn’t sure what he would do now that the ruse had been abandoned, but he knew he couldn’t just step away. He was still debating on the proper course of action when Niamh made the choice for him. “I dinnae care any more. Tak’ me tae me faither, right now, so I can prove ye fer the liar ye are.”

He wasn’t looking forward to the discussion. Even so, they might as well get all the unpleasant truths out in the open. “As ye command.”

Niamh felt numb, her stomach churning and tears in her eyes. The day that had started with such promise had turned into a nightmare. She’d been forcibly dragged away from her best friend. And now, it appeared that the stranger she’d ‘met’ had ulterior motives.