Lindsey’s eyes went wide as a man at a tablenear hers pulled a tavern wench onto his lap and began fondlingher.Instead of slapping him, as Lindsey surely would have done,the wench laughed and threw her arms around his neck.
“Here, now,” one of the men in the crowdyelled.“If you want to do that, laddie, take her to her room.”
Amid a chorus of rough laughter, the girlcaught his hand and led him toward a door.
Lindsey’s mouth opened in astonishment.Sothis was why men chose to drink in a place like this.It was notmerely the company of other men they sought.It was for the favorsof the tavern wenches, as well.She shook off a feeling ofrevulsion.
“Ale, lad?”A buxom wench sidled up besideLindsey as she cringed in her seat in a shadowy corner of theroom.
“Aye.”
Lindsey’s gaze scanned the crowd until shefound Jamie.She studied his broad back as he stood to one side ofthe room with a group of men.Within minutes they were talking andlaughing with him as if he was an old friend.
She gave in to the luxury of studying JamieMacDonald.Even in a room filled with men, he was a man set apartfrom the others.It was true that he was taller than most, but thatalone did not distinguish him.Nor was it the fact that he wasclearly the most handsome man in the room.It was somethingindefinable.Perhaps the way he carried himself.He seemed soself-assured.Or perhaps it was the note of authority in his voice.It was clear that he was a man accustomed to giving orders andhaving them followed without question.
Lindsey tried to study the others in thetavern.But her gaze was drawn once more to Jamie.
When the tavern wench returned with atankard, Lindsey paid her and watched as the woman made her way toJamie’s side.The wench whispered in his ear and he gave her aneasy smile before responding.
As he followed the tavern wench from theroom, Lindsey’s heart sank.Her hand tightened on the handle of thetankard until she felt her nails bite into the flesh of herpalm.
How could she have been such a fool?She hadbelieved his lie, that he was coming here to get a sense of whatwas happening in the queen’s castle.Damn the man.He had come hereto drink and bed a whore.And for that, he had not wanted to besaddled with her brothers and the other men.He had thought to keepthem all ignorant of his true intentions.
Tears blurred her vision and she wiped themsavagely with the back of her hand.She would not cry over theHeartless MacDonald.He was not worthy of her tears.A string ofoaths crept unbidden to her mind.She swallowed them back.
She glanced around, eager to be rid of thisplace.Just behind her was a door.She hoped it would lead to freshair.Blindly she slammed down her tankard and stumbled from theroom.
Outside the door she found herself in adarkened hallway leading to several rooms.At the far end was astairway leading to the upper floors of the tavern.
As she passed a closed door she heard a man’svoice raised in anger.A woman’s shrill voice responded.Shehurried on.
But before she could slip past the next door,Lindsey recognized Jamie’s voice and came to a sudden halt.Againsther better judgment Lindsey bent, pressing her ear to the door.
A woman’s voice, soft, muted, was saying,“She cannot remain.”
Jamie’s words were muffled.“Tell her I amarrived.She will no longer be alone in this.”
Lindsey heard the thread of near hysteria inthe woman’s tone.“Nay, my lord.It is too late.She bid me prepareher for a journey this night.She will tarry no longer.”
“Take me to her.”Jamie’s voice rose.“Now.”
Lindsey heard the scrape of a chair againstthe floor and Jamie’s voice, stronger, as he added, “I willpersuade her of her folly.”
“Oh, my lord.If only you can.”
Thinking quickly, Lindsey ducked into adarkened doorway as the door to the room was thrown open, spillinglight into the hall.Jamie strode past, accompanied by a womandressed in an elegant blue velvet traveling gown and ermine-linedcloak.
As they passed, Lindsey slipped from theshadows and followed at a discreet distance, driven by some innerdemon to follow.Though her heart lay heavy in her breast, shecould not tear herself away.She would see this mystery woman whoowned Jamie MacDonald’s heart.
ChapterEleven
Jamie steppedthrough the back door of the tavern with the woman clinging to hisarm.
As Lindsey slipped outside, Jamie and thewoman were just disappearing beyond a bend in the street.It was aneasy matter to follow them.Lindsey soon realized that they weredeliberately keeping to back streets, where they would not be seenby passing strangers.
They set a brisk pace, and Lindsey had noidea where she was headed.Under cover of darkness, all thebuildings looked the same.As she followed, questions filled hermind.Who was this woman who was determined to leave tonight?Andwhat was she to Jamie?Was she running from him?Is that why he wasso determined to stop her?Did he love her?
As they turned into yet another darkenedstreet, Lindsey paused.What she was doing was wrong.This hadstarted out as a lark, but she was taking it a step too far.Shehad no right to intrude on Jamie MacDonald’s private life.Perhapshe kept a mistress.Aye, it must be a mistress, for he had soundedlike a man possessed.For a moment she felt a terrible pain aroundher heart.Did she really want to discover such things about him?The answer came to her instantly.No matter what the cost, sheneeded to know everything she could about Jamie MacDonald.
