Control.That was what she thrived on, what she needed.Her life had been out of her hands too many times.But Logan made her feel out of control.
She shuddered, mayhap from the powerlessness of the situation or mayhap from the way he stared at her from under his brow.
“Are ye cold?”
Another tremor wracked her and she nodded.Aye, that was it.She was merely cold.The fire had been put out long ago.
Logan came to his feet and set about relighting the fire from the candles.The warm glow did not take long to fill the room and soon the soothing scent of wood smoke filled the space while the crackle broke the silence and some of Lorna’s discomfort.
When he settled opposite her again, Lorna’s courage had returned.This was her chance to persuade him to release her, or at least to get him to question Gillean.His lies could fall apart easily enough, surely?Someone in the castle would know the truth.She doubted all of them were ignorant to the deception.
“How are yer Viking guests?”she asked.
“I would stay away from them, Lorna.”
“I had no plans to go near them.But I can hardly avoid them.Will more be joining ye soon?”
“Aye.”
“And then ye go to war?”
She heard a barely suppressed huff.“Aye.”
“And what do ye gain from betraying yer country?”
His jaw worked and he fisted a hand on the table.They both watched his fingers curl and uncurl for several moments.
“How can a man betray his country when his country has done naught for him?”
“Very well, what do ye gain from betraying yer friends?”
That fist snapped shut and his knuckles whitened.“I have no friends.”
“Ye do.Ye have many at Glencolum.Ye had many here when it was my keep.Wewere friends.”
Logan peered at her.“Ye say these things and yet I see no evidence of friendship.I find it hard to believe a fine noble woman would sink so low as to friend a man like me.”His lips twisted.“A mercenary did ye no’ call me?”
“I didnae know who ye were.”Frustration made her voice rise and she forced her emotions under control.Had she not already humiliated herself in front of him already?
Fatigue swamped her once more so she rested her head against her palm, her elbow on the table and dropped her gaze.How much longer could she tolerate his changes in temperament?The brief flashes of the old Logan being subdued by the cold, angry man he was now?Each hint of softness made hope burst in her chest and each cold look crushed it.
She shoved in a few more morsels but weariness stole her appetite.When she lifted her lashes, she found him looking at her, his expression soft.The grim lips were not pulled tight or even smirking.A tiny smile sat on them.It was barely noticeable under the dark hair surrounding his mouth but, of course, she noticed.She noticed everything about him.The creases around his eyes for example, highlighted by the flickering fire.The way he pressed a hand to his neck as if to conceal his scar from her.
As if a mere scar could make him appear any less beautiful.Logan had always been wickedly attractive, and now he was probably more so.Jealousy spiked her gut.Did the women here think so too?Did they slip into his bed at night and experience the blissful pleasure she knew he could still deliver?
Lorna rubbed a hand across her eyes to banish such thoughts.They only drained her further.
“Ye must get some rest,” he declared.
“I am no’ tired,” she retorted automatically even though her voice sounded as weak as a kitten’s mewl.
He stood and dragged several blankets from the wooden rack in front of the fire before pushing it aside and laying the blankets down.“Must ye always argue with me?”
She stumbled over her next answer.“Ay—nay.”
The amused grin made her scowl.If only she understood this man.He held out a hand, motioning for her to come to him.Incapable of doing anything but obey in her confused state, she stood and took his hand.He coaxed her to lie on the blanket before tucking her in.The warmth of the scratchy wool enveloped her and made her lids feel heavy.With the prickling heat of the fire on her skin, she barely noticed the hard floor separated from her body by only a thin layer.She fought to keep her eyes open as Logan stood, watched her for a moment and finally moved to the table.He sat, put his hands behind his head and propped his boots on the table.Had she been awake enough, she might have scolded him.The last image she had of him before her body gave itself up to sleep was that of his dirty boots and puzzled expression as he eyed her.
Chapter Eleven
