“Truly brilliant,” he repeated, shaking his head in wonder.
Her proud glow lasted a few precious moments.
“Now that we’ve got the names,” he continued, “I’ll question them on the morrow.’TisMichael, Robert, and William, right?”
“Nay!”
She winced at her own loud outburst.Then, before she could attract undue attention, she snagged Hew by the front of his plaid and pulled him around the corner of the church.
“Nay,” she repeated.
He seemed puzzled.“Those aren’t their names?”
“Aye.But nay, ye can’t question them on the morrow.”
She could see the pressure of ire building inside him, like a shaken bottle of wine, despite his steady tone.“And why is that?”
“Think about it,” she explained patiently.“Ye—the man Peris just tried to kill, the one who’s investigatin’ the thefts—go to the monastery to question three respected monks.What will they assume?”
His brow creased as he digested her words.“Fine.Then I’ll wait a day or two.”
She shook her head.“Nay.I’ll go.”
“The devil you will.”
“Listen.If I go, ’twill be to deliver the donation.Naturally, I’ll want to meet the monks, to thank them for their service.And they’ll wish to thank me for the tithin’.’Tis far less questionable.”
He looked pained.“I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not?”She held up a hand.“And don’t tell me ’tis a knight’s duty to protect all ladies.”She still stung from that remark.
“I told you before, ’tis too dangerous.”
“There’s nothing dangerous about givin’ a tithe to a monastery.”
“If they suspect you know anything…”
“They won’t.I won’t give anythin’ away.I’m a laird’s daughter.I’m used to keepin’ up appearances.”
He seemed frustrated.“I don’t want you entangled in any of this.”
“I’m already entangled.”Then she smiled.A genuine smile this time.“But don’t worry.I’m brilliant.Or so I’ve been told.”She reached up to give him a reassuring clap on the cheek.
He seized her wrist with his unbandaged hand.“I’m serious, my lady.”
As he spoke, he began brushing his thumb idly back and forth along the inside of her wrist, the way she put a lizard to sleep by rubbing its belly.
“This is a hazardous game,” he said.“If anything should go awry… If anything should endanger you… Bloody hell, if anything should happen to the woman I love…”
She gave a little gasp.
He halted the movement of his thumb.
Had he meant that?
He’d left the sentence unfinished.He clearly hadn’t meant to blurt that out.But had he meant it?
She gazed into his eyes.Eyes that shone like molten silver.Eyes that suffered and smoldered and adored.And she saw the truth.He’d spoken from his heart.Hedidlove her.
