Ryder clenched his jaw and set off toward the shore in a sharp front crawl, dragging himself through the water. He heard Ewan tut in annoyance and get to his feet, pacing alongside Ryder as he swam.
“Unless, of course, ye trulydowant to marry her,” Ewan commented lightly.
Ryder wished he could pretend that he hadn’t heard.
“Ye ken as well as I do that I daenae,” he snapped decisively. “I am nae the marryin’ kind.”
“Nor was I until I met Flora.”
Ryder rolled onto his back, letting his momentum carry him toward the shore. He watched the moon high above, with scudding clouds sliding across it.
“It’s nae just that I daenae want to,” he murmured. “It’s that I cannae. Marriage is a threat to any woman out there. And marriage to me is worse than most. The plain fact is that I like Megan. She might be a hellion, but by God, she’s thrillin’. Besides, she’s helpful. Alaina and Sophie love her already. I would nae wish the fate of marriage—marriage to me, no less!—upon her.”
Ewan said nothing for a long moment.
Ryder reached the shore and climbed slowly out. Water streamed off him, and he shivered in the cold, rolling his shoulders.
In a moment, Ewan was in front of him, holding the drying sheet in one hand, with Ryder’s clothes tucked under the other.
“When should we hold the cèilidh?” he asked softly.
Ryder took the sheet, scrubbing the worst of the wet out of his hair.
“At the end of the week,” he said finally. “That’ll give us four full days to arrange it.”
Ewan nodded. Together, they made their way back toward the Keep, its blocky shadow rising against the moonlit sky. Ryder stopped at the edge of the loch’s banks to dry himself properly. He dressed quickly, his clothes sticking to his damp skin.
I am a laird,he reminded himself.I am Laird MacCulloch, and a great many responsibilities weigh on me shoulders.
I have nay time for romance or even friendship.
I certainly have nay time for desire.
Thus fortified, he gave Ewan a brisk nod, and they set off at a sharp walk toward the Keep.
There was work to do.
CHAPTER 13
It was no use.She couldn’t sleep. Megan turned from side to side on her big, comfy bed, desperately trying to find a good position. She kicked off the blankets when she was too hot, only to pull them back up, shivering when she cooled down again.
Whenever she did start to drowse, odd half-dreams filled her mind. She imagined that Ryder was crawling across the bed toward her, grinning that wild, lopsided grin that made her mad. She dreamt once that he was lying on top of her, his weight pressing her down into the mattress, an ache of longing echoing through her body.
She awoke tangled in the sheets, hot and breathless and still wide awake. Growling, she sat up, squinting around her dark room. She guessed it was sometime after midnight, but dawn was still hours away.
She was just wondering if she should try running around her room to tire herself out when she heard footsteps echoing on thestaircase outside. Megan paused, leaning forward. Were those footsteps going up the stairs or coming down? She couldn’t tell.
After a moment, she flung back the sheets and padded, barefoot, over to the door. The stone floor was icy cold under her feet, and the air outside of her warm bed was almost painfully cold. Shivering, Megan reached the door, unlocked it, and swung it open.
The stairway outside was even colder. She saw her breath fog up in front of her, hanging in the air like a cloud. As the door opened, she heard a quiet but firmslamfurther down the staircase.
That sounds like Alaina’s door closin’,Megan thought, with a rush of panic. She stepped out onto the landing, peering down. She could see nothing and ventured down a few steps to get a better look.
There was nobody on the landing outside Alaina’s except the guards, talking softly. Alaina’s door was firmly closed.
Megan retreated up the staircase again, frowning.
I didnae imagine it. I heard somethin’.
