“It’s difficult to believe Arlo has been Charley’s manservant for that long when he doesn’t look much older than him.”
“No doubt it was Charley’s bombastic way of saying they grew up together. Then again, who knows how things are done in their country?”
She might have been relieved that she could now look directly at Monty. Having to avoid eye contact with him had been very frustrating for her. But the amused expression she saw on his face now rubbed her the wrong way. The man was gloating and making no bones about it.
He proved it when he asked, “Are you going to tell me why you are trying to disguise yourself as a boy?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. Just because he knew she was a female didn’t mean he had a right to know anything else about her. “No, I’m not, and if you pry into my personal affairs any further, Monty-whoever-you-are, you’re going to end up with another hole in your chest to match the one you got in the war. I promise you that. Who will protect your ward then?”
She thought that was a pretty good threat, yet all he said in reply was, “That implies you’re not deserting us?”
She raised a brow at him. “Just because you’ve been an arse?”
Monty laughed. She ignored him and reached into the basket for a sandwich. He was already done eating, and she had the feeling he was still watching her. A glance back at him confirmed it, and she felt a delicious warmth spread through her. His gaze wasn’t just admiring, it was ardent! And like a moth to a flame, she was drawn to him, unable to look away from his emerald eyes, feeling suddenly breathless and most certainly stirred.
Even though she no longer had to fight the urge to look at him directly, maybe she should still refrain. There was far too much heat in his eyes now. Very annoying! And yet she still liked the man. He was witty and humorous, sometimes even charming, incredibly handsome, and certainly heroic in his diligence in protecting his ward. She didn’t want him to get hurt on her account.
“You have to stop looking at me like that,” she cautioned. “If the Scots notice, they won’t care if you’re a lord, they’ll knock you on your arse. And don’t look so bloody pleased about what you now know about me.”
“Do I need to apologize again? I had thought I could let it go, that suspicion I had that you’re a female. I truly did intend to. But now that it’s out of the bag, as it were, sweetheart, I am a man and you’re a beautiful young woman in close proximity. It’s my bloody nature to entice—”
Her laugh cut him off. “This changes nothing, so no more seductive looks.”
“What about you? You fessed up to seeing my wound, so you must have seen a lot more. You couldn’t take your eyes off me last night, could you?”
For the first time she blushed in his presence, not just from his teasing—and she was sure he was just teasing—but because she’d been unable to push the image of his magnificent body out of her mind. And he was close enough to see her blush, so hoping he’d attribute her reddened cheeks to anger, she sharpened her tone. “You weren’t facing me when you started to undress, so you don’t know if I was gazing at you or I was mortified and turned away. It’s not wise to assume things about me.”
“I would never—well, only occasionally . . .” Then a sigh. “Very well, this is becoming a dreadfully bad habit, but I apologize again.”
It sounded grudging yet sincere, so she allowed: “I’ve a bit of a temper, not that you would’ve noticed.” She smiled to indicate she was teasing, because of course he’d noticed by now. “But I suppose I should apologize, too, for being snappish. I would’ve preferred to finish off our journey with you thinking I was a boy. We won’t be traveling together much longer, but I’d just as soon you not tell your ward. Unlike you, he hasn’t suspected anything amiss.”
“Unlike me, he lives in a world that apparently revolves around himself. And for the record, I most certainly did notice your temper.”
She tsked with a slight roll of her eyes. “Not so much the gentleman, are you?”
He grinned. “A rake through and through.”
“Really?”
“A discreet one, yes—except when I’m warding off scandals.”
She laughed. “What a contradictory remark! Did you say that backward by mistake?”
“What I said shouldn’t have been said, so do forget it and eat your lunch.” And then he bellowed, “Charley, we’re about to leave, and you’ve yet to eat!”
“Shh,” she hissed. “One of the brothers is sleeping atop your coach.”
He glanced up at it. “He’ll fall off when we leave.”
“No, he’s rooted himself.”
“Who are they to you really?”
“As I said, blood relatives. I’d never met them before this trip. My father hired them to guard me.”
“And your father is?”
“My father.”
