“Nay,I dinnae ask that of anyone. I do not, howsoever, expect to be thought mad ormade an object of ridicule.”
Hewinced when she left, shutting the heavy door behind her with a distinct thud.Sending her away angry and offended had not been his plan, he thought as heslumped against his pillows. When she had arrived after hiding from him for twodays, his first thought had been to cheer the opportunity to steal another kissand to hope for more, much more. Instead she had begun to speak of ghosts andtalked to someone who was not there. He, in turn, had acted as if she werefoaming at the mouth and waving a bloodstained battle-axe around. That was noway to accomplish a seduction.
“Butshe speaks to the air,” he muttered angrily then took several deep breaths tocalm himself.
Manypeople believed in ghosts. Even though he had never met anyone who thought hecould talk to them, he had no right to scorn her beliefs. She was right to getso angry. He stared at the door and wondered how long she would hide from himthis time.
Chapter Seven
“Yecannae sleep because this isnae the bed ye wish to be in.”
Sorchacursed as that familiar soft voice echoed in her head. She pounded on herpillow then sighed, sitting up and lighting the candle on the table by her bed.Although she knew light or the lack of it made no difference to Crayton or toher ability to see or hear him, she preferred it. She poured herself a smalldrink of mead and stared at the vague shape beside her bed. Tonight she couldonly see Crayton’s head and shoulders clearly. It was not her favorite of allhis various manifestations.
“Yeshould have a little more respect for the lateness of the hour,” she scoldedhim,
“Ifye want that mon, why not go to him?” Crayton asked. “‘Tis what my Elspeth did,”
“Aye,and it got her killed.” She grimaced. “I am sorry. That was cruel.”
“‘Tisthe truth. That mon has been here for almost a fortnight. His kinsmen will comefor him soon.”
“Andthen my troubles will be over.”
“Nay,they willnae be. Ye will just grow weepy.”
“Ihavenevergrown maudlin,” she snapped, then banged her tankard down onher bedside table and blew out the candle. “If ye dinnae mind, I was trying tosleep,” she grumbled as she laid back down.
“Yecannae sleep and ye ken it as weel as I do. ‘Tis why I am here. I have watchedye toss and turn for o’er an hour.”
“‘Tisevident ye have no respect for a person’s privacy either.”
“Goto his bed, lassie. Ye ken that ye want to.”
“Aye,I want nothing more than to become Ruari Kerr’s whore for a night or two.” Shefelt a chill on her shoulder and knew Crayton had touched her.
“Yewould ne’er be his whore,” Crayton said. “Ye ken it and so does he.”
Sheglared at him. “And just how would ye ken what Sir Ruari Kerr thinks? Hedoesnae see you and he certainly doesnae talk to you.”
“Iam a mon.”
“Yeare a ghost and a twice-cursed interfering one as weel.”
Sheput her pillow over her head even though she knew it could never shut Craytonout. He was saying all the things she kept thinking, and she wanted him to stoptalking. Part of her wanted to throw all caution to the wind, climb into Ruari’sbed, and thoroughly enjoy all the passion she knew he could give her. Anotherpart of her told her to stay away, to hold tight to her virtue and honor. Ithad helped her stay well out of Ruari’s long reach so that she could not befurther tempted by his kisses. So far she was obeying the more sensible part ofher, but doing so was causing her some sleepless nights. Even when she did goto sleep, she dreamed of all the things she was fighting so hard to denyherself.
“Iam saying no more than your Aunt Neil says or your other aunts who are toocowardly to say it to your face,” Crayton said.
“Arethey all discussing me behind my back?” The thought of that dismayed Sorcha.
“Theylove you, lass. ‘Tis the one thing about this clan that ofttimes astounds me.Ye all are quite fond of each other, e’en of that witless, reckless Dougal.Your kinswomen just wish ye to be happy. As do I. Truly. And I have someexperience in such matters. I have seen many a lass at Dunweare pine for herladdie and many a mon caught tight in the throes of lust.”
“Oh,aye—lust. I suspect seeing men caught up in their lust is no great trick. ‘Tisnow clear to me that most men suffer from that affliction. The very firstEnglishmon I have ever had dealings with proved that when he eyed me mostlustfully. In truth, Sir Treacher’s looks were so lustful, I felt dirty by thetime he left.” Sorcha screeched softly in surprise when suddenly Crayton’s faceloomed right in front of hers. “Stop that! I am accustomed to ghosts, but evenI suffer a shock when a disembodied head floats right in front of my face.” Shefrowned when she saw the tight expression of fury on his face.
Craytonignored her. “Did ye say that this lustful Englishmon was named Treacher?”
“Aye,Sir Simon Treacher. He came to Dunweare to discuss my brother’s ransom.”
“Yemet with my murderer.”
