He jutted his chin higher.This woman had no idea what that poison made people do.“Aye.Better to put ye out and let the Highlands deal with ye rather than bring that danger back into my clan once again.”
She shut her mouth, flattening her supple lips into a cold, hard line.Then she surprised him with a curt nod.“I can’t say as I blame you.I know firsthand what drug addicts are capable of.By the time I was eight years old, I had experienced it all in its horrible glory.Thankfully, social services rescued me, and the legal system cut the tie to my mother once and for all.”
Taken from her mother at a young age and fostered by a family who did little to care for her.That explained her independence and pride.It also bespoke an amazing strength.She considered herself a survivor, not a victim.She was so much more than a bonnie wee lass that pleased the eye.
He offered her a formal bow.“I admire ye, my lady.Not everyone could rise from those ashes and become the glorious phoenix ye are today.”
“Thank you,” she said, sounding almost confused by the compliment, confused and perhaps even a little hopeful.
“Why do ye look at me that way, lass?”
She barely shook her head.“I don’t know.Just trying to figure you out, I guess.You tell me Mairwen sent me here to be your wife, but you make it quite clear you don’t want one.And yet?—.”
“And yet?”
Her jaw flexed the slightest bit as if she wanted to say more but thought better of it.Then she looked away and moved to stand beside the door.“It’s not important.You mentioned a tour of the keep?”
Both mesmerized and perplexed by this complicated yet glorious woman, he held the door open and offered his arm.“M’lady.”
She eyed his extended arm, then lifted her gaze to his.“Are you mocking me, or are you serious?”
“Mocking ye?”
“In my time, a man only offered a woman his arm in a formal setting.Like walking the red carpet or as part of a wedding party.Is it common practice in this century for me to hang onto you for something as simple as walking around your keep?”
What the devil had happened in the future to the way a man treated a woman?“’Tis a show of respect, lass.Of my protection of ye.With ye on my left arm, my sword arm is free to defend ye.All who see us will know that I will give no quarter to anyone who dares insult or harm ye in any way.”
“Oh.”She slid her arm through his and offered him a smile that actually reached her eyes.Thank the fates, she appeared to be pleased.“That’s kind of nice.”
“Aye, lass.It is at that.”He led her to the stairwell.“Which way shall it be first?Up to the watch house or down to the great room and out into the bailey if the rain’s lifted for a while?”
She leaned into the stairwell and looked up, then looked down at the stone steps.“What floor are we on?”
“This be the third level.”
“Those are some seriously wicked spiral steps.And narrow too.Like a corkscrew.How in the world did those boys carry buckets of water up three flights of that with no problems?”She turned and stared at him in amazement.“That’s inhumane to have them do that.”
“It’s the only way, lass, if ye wish to bathe in something other than a basin.”Her concern for the servants warmed his heart.This was no spoiled lady who thought only of herself.
Her expression darkened with the storminess of a mother about to scold a thoughtless child.“There has to be an easier way for them to carry water to all the floors.Devise a pulley system or something.”She shook her head and shot another critical look up and down the stairs.“Until we figure out a solution, maybe Mrs.Robeson can curtain off a corner of the kitchen or something, and I’ll just bathe down there.”
“Like hell ye will.I’ll not have ye washing yer bare arse in the kitchen among the servants, and that issue is not up for debate.”He pointed at the stairs.“Now, which way shall it be?Up to the watch house or down to the bailey?”
She glared at him.“Take me to wherever they fill their buckets.I want to see the starting point so I can think of a better way to get the job done.Work smart.Not hard.Right?”
“They do as they’re told.That’s a smart enough servant.”He nodded at the stairs.“I shall go first to keep ye steady until ye become more accustomed to the footing.The well house is off the kitchens.”
“See?Even you think they’re unsafe.”
The victorious crow in her tone made him clench his teeth.Where the feckin’ hell was Henry with that witch?Before his control slipped, and he said something he shouldn’t, he entered the stairwell, descended a few steps, then turned back and held out his hand for her to take.
“You really should have handrails installed.”She took his hand while wrangling the fullness of her skirts.“I can’t see where I’m stepping with all this yardage.How am I supposed to stay away from the narrow edge?”
He’d traveled these stairs so many times that he’d never really thought about how difficult it might be for a woman.“Keep to the left.They’re wider on the outside rather than the center, where they lock into the column.Feel for them.We’ll take it slow.”
“I don’t like this,” she grumbled under her breath with every downward motion.After progressing no more than a few steps down, she halted and pulled her hand out of his.“Wait a minute.”
He leaned against the curve of the center column and waited.What did the lovely wee fox hope to do now?The tower stairs were what they were.They couldn’t be helped.And then he nearly lost his own footing, as she bent, gathered the length of her outer skirt, petticoats, and shift up above her knees, and hugged them into the crook of her arm.When she reached for him with her free hand, he stared at her, unable to speak.
