“I’ll ask him that question myself. Later. Now, dinna attempt to distract me.” Erik’s brow drew down over eyes glinting with anger. “I warned ye no’ to do this. And Osgar, of all men. The one ye already noted doesna approve of ye.”
“Aye, he made that clear in what he said to me.”
“And what else do ye think he made clear?”
Erik had likely heard the words from the man’s own mouth. “That he was thinking of assaulting me,” she admitted. “I warned him off just before ye arrived in the doorway.”
“Yer words wouldna have stopped him if he truly meant ye harm.”
“Ye make my point for me. He didna.”
“Nay, but the idea was there and given time to examine and enjoy it, he could still take action ye would bitterly regret.”
“But he didna. Ye came back and stopped him.”
“Today. But the idea is still there. He’s made ye a target.”
“He is one man, and we ken the danger he thinks he presents, so we are prepared. I am. I canna live in fear, some frightened coney with nose twitching, starting, and running at every cross look.”
“I’d rather that than for ye to live with the memory of what he thought to do—and later did.”
“What any man might do to any lass at any time he finds one alone.”
“Ye ken all men are no’ like that. But ye must be aware of those who are.”
“Did I no’ just say that I am? That we are? What else do ye expect me to do, Erik? If I am to be lady of this clan, I canna cower before its bullies. I must be a strong and stable presence to support ye and what ye are doing for the clan.”
Erik moved to her and took her in his arms. “I ken that, Fiona. But I fear I have brought ye into an impossible situation, and I will blame myself if aught happens to ye.”
“So ye are worried more for yerself than for me, is that it?” She pulled out of his arms and faced him, hands on hips.
“Nay. Nay, ’tis no’ what I meant. Dinna twist my words. I have told ye I care for ye and I need ye here with me. ’Tis up to me to protect ye. If I fail in my duty to ye, what kind of husband or laird am I?”
“Ye are a man, Erik. No’ a god.”
“That wasna me ye called out for the other night?” He grinned. “Mayhap I am no’, but I am the man who pleases ye.”
Heat rose in her face. He had done so before they left Rose, and made a memory that she cherished. But since they’d arrived at Ross, they’d had no time for a repeat. And no energy left at the end of the last few long and exhausting days. “Now?” Surely he didn’t mean that. He’d been furious only moments ago with Osgar and ready to do violence if need be.
He gave her a wry smile and ran a hand through his hair, a sign of frustration. “Nay, I must return to work. And deal with Osgar before he thinks he got away with something because I’m a weak leader.”
Fiona went to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. “Ye are never that. Ye are a wiser leader than yer predecessor. Remember that when ye deal with him.”
CHAPTER 9
Still angry at Osgar’s insolence with Fiona, Erik left her to return to the men who were working in the forest, his temper cooling as he went. But on the way, he encountered him, seated on a log in a patch of sunshine. “Ye were supposed to be helping with the trees,” Erik reminded him. “What are ye doing here? And what were ye doing with my wife instead of working?”
Erik was glad to see his earlier warning had some effect on the man. Though his expression quickly became surly, just as quickly, he apparently thought better of it, stood, and shrugged. “I heard she wanted to speak to everyone. ’Twas as good an excuse as any to leave the work for a while.”
“Ye’d have been better served to do the job ye were given. If I catch ye shirking yer work again, I will have to punish ye.”
“Will ye?” Suddenly, his insolence returned. “Can ye punish every man of Ross? Now that ye have a woman to warm yer bed, ’tis all ye care about.”
“Ye ken that isna true or I’d be there and no’ here, dealing with yer lack of sense. All the men, save ye, are hard at work to strengthen our defenses. Ye want a strong leader like Donas?What do ye think Donas wouldha done if he overheard ye threatening his wife?”
The man paled. Donas would have killed him and they both knew it.
Erik didn’t give him time to react to realizing that Erik was serious. He shoved Osgar backwards with stiff fingers to the chest. “Ye recall it now, aye? Ye’d be a dead man already. Donas would have dragged ye out of his cot and ended yer life in full view of the entire clan. Is that the kind of leader ye want? I can be that kind, too, if ye provoke me. Threatening my wife will do it.”
