“You shall be my tour guide, then,” he said. “Very necessary for the success of the venture.”
“But that’s the thing, isn’t it?” she said slowly. “You’re Scottish. How much tour guiding can you possibly need?”
He straightened and nodded toward the inside of her house. “You might be surprised. Besides, I’m always interested in someone else’s perspective of my native land. Pack your gearand come to Edinburgh with me. It’ll do you a world of good to get away from the grind at home. Feeding that damned Aga is enough to drive a lass to drink.”
She didn’t move. “I know what you’re doing.”
He experienced a moment of panic, but he was altogether too accustomed to moving right past that sort of thing. He fixed what he hoped was an innocent look on his face. “Mind reading now?”
“You’re not very subtle.”
“I make a living at being subtle. You simply leave me off-balanced.”
“Me?” she said, looking very surprised. “Why?”
“I don’t know where to even start,” he said honestly. “And aye, I’m trying to keep you distracted.” He hoped she wouldn’t ask him why, because he was too off-balanced to come up with a decent answer for that sort of thing at the moment. “If nothing else, you can drive when I feel the need for a nap. We’ve already seen how that works, haven’t we? Now, shall I put your stove to bed whilst you gather your gear?”
“Where did you go to school?”
“Eton,” he said, breezing past her. “Stuffy old place, as you might imagine.”
“I can imagine many things,” she said, “and I wasn’t talking about that. Where did you go to university?”
He paused at her stove, sighed, then turned and looked at her. He knew what she was doing and didn’t want to give her any fuel for her fire. “I don’t want to answer that.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Where?”
He considered his alternatives. “If I tell you, will you come south with me?”
“Maybe.”
“Very well,” he said, dragging his hand through his hair. “St. Andrews.”
“And you want me to beyourtour guide?” she asked incredulously.
“I want you to let me enjoy your company for a couple of days,” he said. “I’ll find us a vile little hotel, we’ll make a few visits to the worst chippy in the city, and we’ll take in a few tourist attractions. I can afford that, I imagine.”
“I suppose I could be your bodyguard and fight off the socialites who’ve probably put a tracking bug on your car justto see where you go,” she conceded. She met his eyes. “You could consider that my doing my part for the cause.”
“Perfect,” he said. “Shall I see to your fire?”
“Patrick would probably appreciate it.”
He supposed the man might, and whatever he could do to keep the lads from over the hill remaining over the hill where they belonged seemed a reasonable price to pay for his efforts with the cottage’s stove.
“I probably should leave a note as well,” she said. “So they don’t worry.”
“Or pop off a text,” he said. “You could tell him you’re rehabilitating one of the locals. I’m sure he’ll be impressed.”
She fussed with her mobile for a moment or two, but he didn’t dare ask her what she’d sent. Better not to know, surely. He settled her house as he’d done his own, then waited outside for her. She was quick about her business, but somehow that didn’t surprise him. There was a wench who seemed to find it necessary to be able to bolt at a moment’s notice.
He understood.
She locked her door, paused for a minute with her back to him, then turned and took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”
He smiled briefly. “You sound as if you’re headed to the Tower.”
“I don’t like relying on anyone else.” She looked at him seriously. “I can pay my way in Edinburgh if I take out cash. I think this sounds a little crazy, but it’s probably better if I don’t leave a paper trail.”
