“Laird?”
“Aye, lass?” He could not bring himself to call her Fia.
She continued to close the distance. “I have heard that you are leaving.”
Tearloch locked his gaze on hers. “Aye. I shall be gone before Terce. But I will return in a week’s time.” He dared not look away. Surely, if she were carrying a weapon, the men now behind her would raise a cry.
She stepped onto the dais and stopped. “I would like to know what is mine.”
“Anything ye like, lass. Was there somethin’ in particular ye want?”
“The horse I arrived on.”
“And why do ye need a horse?” His volume rose with each word.
“I promised I would not run from you again. Remember?”
He nodded, aware that everyone else in the hall watched intently.
“I would prefer to ride.”
“Ride?”
“Ride away. I will be leaving as well. I have done as you asked. I stayed put where you put me. And I have earned my keep as well. Surely, the time I spent in your bedchamber should earn me the horse.”
The snickering and coughing that followed was distracting, so he waved for silence. If she wanted dramatics, he was in just the mood to oblige her.
“Nay. What happened inside scarcely repays me for the damage to the door.”
Her blush was brilliant in the bright morning light. “Damage inflicted by you.”
“Ye should have unbarred it.”
She bit her lips together, realizing that her own antics had given everyone the impression that they were lovers, with him insinuating that he was less than satisfied with her service.
The blush turned to something else and she narrowed her eyes. “You have ruined me, sir. Pray, how much is a maidenhead worth? I believe your men said it was worth a man’s life.” She ignored the gasps from every direction. “Do you now claim that horse is worth more thanyourlife?”
He kept his rage contained, for which Heaven should compensate him. Then he forced a smile. “’Tis a fine horse.”
“Oooooo.”
He couldn’t tell if their audience approved of his retort or condemned him for it, but all eyes turned to the lass, waiting for her next volley.
“Aye, fine enough. But there is one finer. Perhaps Jamie could name a price for Queenie. He wouldn’t be my first, but he might be my best…”
Quickly and silently the alarmed crowd began to slink away, nervous that the first person to meet the laird’s eye would shrivel like a grape in the sun.
“Were ye a virgin, then?” he asked, dubious. He liked watching her fight back after seeing her whimpering the night before.Call for a witch, or run me through, I care not.It wasn’t in her nature to surrender like that, and he wanted to see her fight like the Kenna he knew.
TheFiahe knew.
Saints save him, but all he wanted to do was grab her up and hall her back to his chambers, to prove she wanted no one but him. They would spend the rest of their last morning fighting and forgiving.
He didn’t get the reaction he was hoping for, however.
It wasdifficult for Kenna to see anything clearly thanks to the huge tears filling her vision and threatening to pour down her face if she blinked. So she fought off the urge to do so and whispered, “Keep the damned horse.”
She turned her back to him, uncaring if he saw the sack she carried. There wasn’t much in it. He couldn’t accuse her of stealing. It was his fault her own clothes had been burned or destroyed.
