Page 18 of The Highlander’s Dangerous Desire

With an effort, she grabbed her bags and then followed Ewan inside the small thatched hut.

Inside, Ewan had set down his packs and was busy at a small alcove, too small to be considered a proper fire. It was more like a stone-surrounded brazier. Ewan stacked some sort of dank, heavy, soil-looking substance in the brazier, and bent over it with a flint. Grace wrinkled her nose. “What is that?”

“Peat. Serves as a poor man’s firewood. Farmers cut it out o’ the bogs.” Ewan’s voice was curt.

“It smells…” She got no further than that before Ewan spoke over her.

“It smells like sod and bog soil, but it burns well an’ warm, and that’s all we’ve tae care about right now.” He glanced at her for a moment. “Ye might as well get out o’ those wet things. The things in yer saddle bags will be a little better.”

Grace stared at him, appalled. “There’s… there’s no room fer such things!”

“Suit yerself. I’m nae about tae catch me death o’ cold.” Ewan shrugged. Seconds later, a spark caught on the peat, and slowly grew into a flame. Ewan nursed it for a moment, then rose and began to remove his clothing.

Grace blushed and forced her gaze to the flickering flames. “What are you doing? That is highly improper!”

“’Tis little enough ye haven’t seen before. And I’ll nae look, if yer sensibilities are so offended.” His voice was gruff, indifferent, and all of a sudden Grace was tired. Tired of his mood, and of his cold behavior after he’d coaxed her into believing that he might be warming up to her.

“You needn’t be so gruff. I cannot help my sensibilities, and I do not deserve to be spoken to like a child or a nuisance. I am not the one who caused the weather to turn so foul!”

“And ye needn’t complain about every little thing. Travel isnae easy, lass. I ken ye’re entirely unprepared, but ye’ll have tae bear with it.”

“And whose fault is that? You are the one who arrived at my uncle’s door with no warning and insisted I come with you!”

Ewan snorted. “Ye’re the one who wanted tae sneak away. And did ye even think tae ask what sort o’ gear ye’d need, or did ye just throw a number o’ dresses intae yer cases without thinkin’?”

“I packed what I thought I would need.”

“But ye didnae even consider how ye were goin’ tae ride. Thinkin’ ye were goin’ tae ride side-saddle over the Highlands…”

“It wasn’t as if I had any idea of the terrain. I’ve never been further than the Festival grounds for Clan Cameron!” Grace glared at him, exasperation filling her. “And you never asked if I was used to traveling, nor offered me any advice.”

“Ye’re a woman grown. I shouldnae have tae hold yer hand.”

“You…!” Words failed her for a moment, then she folded her arms. “And you nearly led me to believe that you Highlanders were actually gentlemen. I see it is only when the weather and time is convenient for you that you manage to have a civilized attitude.”

Another scoff. “O’ course, ye’ll return tae judging all clan-folk as barbarians at the first sign o’ me nae bein’ sweet-tempered,” Ewan scowled, then turned away to continue undressing.

She wanted to demand to know what he’d intended by allowing the farmer to think she was his wife, but even with the heat from the peat fire slowly warming the hut, she was beginning to shiver. With a scowl of unhappiness, she turned away and opened her packs to find something drier to wear.

The dress she found was still damp, but at least it wasn’t soaked through. An extra under-dress and a second cloak offered layers that made her feel a little warmer, but she was still shivering as she finished dressing and turned back to the small, sullen fire. Ewan was crouched next to the brazier, feeding it more peat with one hand while his other held his cloak wrapped tightly around his large frame. He looked almost as uncomfortable as she felt, and that was a small consolation.

Grace edged closer to the fire. She didn’t particularly want to be closer to Ewan MacDuff right now, but the fire was the only source of warmth, and the only way she was going to get even the slightest bit drier. She might not be fond of her companion, but she wasn’t about to let pride keep her cold and shivering in a corner.

She could tolerate being close to Ewan MacDuff, if it meant that she would also be slightly warmer.

Ewan, for his part, seemed to feel much the same. He also moved closer to the brazier. After a moment, he spoke awkwardly. “There’s travel bread, if ye want it. And dried meat.”

Grace scowled. “If I wanted food, I would have asked you for something to eat.”

Ewan glared back. “I’m tryin’ tae be courteous.”

“And I am telling you that I do not need your efforts at kindness. I only wish to be warm.”

“Ye… first ye complain o’ discourtesy, then ye…”

“I would prefer silence, if I must be trapped in this cramped space with you, Ewan MacDuff.” She sniffed at him. A part of her knew she was being rude. “If you cannot have any care for my other preferences, then you perhaps you might respect that one.”

Ewan growled, his jaw clenching before he spoke again. “An’ what is that supposed tae mean? What are ye accusin’ me o’?”