“I asked him when this had all transpired,” she said.
He nodded encouragement, wishing she’d hurry up with her explanation. Staying this close made it difficult to think. The sudden urge to bring her wrist to his nose was overwhelming. Another trickle dripped beneath her shirt.
“Ye’ve bound yer breasts.” It sounded like an accusation. Perhaps it was. His body tensed. The knife at his side could easily slice through the binding, releasing those glorious orbs. He glanced at her chest.
“How do ye—” she said.
He held his breath and released the grip he’d taken on his dagger. When he finally looked her in the face, her eyes were wide as if in sudden clarity. All that was missing was herAh-hah!
“Ye’re sweating a lot,” he said.
The look was gone and she nodded. “Yea. The extra material is very hot.”
He swallowed hard and pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He needed to stop speaking.
She finally continued. “He told me he was in a bit of trouble and wedding me to the man he owed money would see to both his problems.” She looked away, as if no longer able to meet his eyes. “Apparently having to find me a husband—” Her voice broke. “—was a problem to the man. I had nae idea.”
Unfeeling bastard.
“I think he speaks of his own shortcomings. Nothing to do with ye.”
She nibbled at her lip, shaking her head in a sad, defeated sort of way. “I just could not let the devil spawn marry me off like that.” Thomasina turned to him suddenly. “He waited until my brother had left before telling me. Do ye think that was a coincidence? Oh nae! My brother would have put a stop to such ideas. My father drinks and—”
Her lips parted, her eyes rounded and she had one of those oh-no-I’ve-said-too-much expressions.
Sean released her arm, his hand caressing up and down, attempting to comfort. He tried to ignore the tingling shooting up his arm. “Dunna fash yerself.”
His words reeked with desperation. He needed to stop talking.
She pierced him with her look. “Do ye understand what I’m saying?”
Sean let his hand fall away then sat back, a discreet distance from her, and took a slow, steady breath. He had to answer her. “My father drank himself into an early grave after my mother died. I was just ten.”
Her gaze softened. “My brother would never have allowed him to marry me off to pay a debt. I went to take my horse in search of Niall but Daisy was gone. My father had given her to the man as well. He said he knew I’d want to be wherever my horse was.”
Sean nodded again, a slow controlled movement.
“I was beside myself. I went to the cave my brother kept the animals in that he sto—acquired and found a few ewes penned. I cried myself to sleep and woke up to find three new lambs but nae sign of my brother or his raiding friends.”
“So he does not even know what yer father has done?”
She shook her head, her forehead lined with worry.
“And will we find him here?”
She shook her head.
So how would he get distance from her? He couldn’t continue to be near her and keep his hands off. She was far too enticing even dressed as a lad. “Where can we find yer brother?”
Her expression closed down. She’d heard the emotion in his voice. No doubt she assumed the worst.
“I’m sorry—” he said.
She looked away. “—I ken a few of the spots he goes but they were not there. Nae sign of them. That’s when I saw ye on Daisy.”
“Let me—”
“—I’m sorry for getting ye involved.” She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin there, still avoiding looking right at him. “All I can ask is that ye leave me to my own trouble. I’ll work it out on my own. In my own way.”
