“Aye, so instead of traveling with one young girl alone, he’s traveled with two. That is much better.”
Malcolm pushed off the wall, the urge to clench his hands into fists strong. His voice low, he addressed Barclay. “Dinna speak aloud what ye are thinking, I warn ye. Ye forget who ye arespeaking to. I would ne’er compromise the innocence of a lass. And I’m offended that ye would say such a thing.”
Sir Barclay clenched his jaw as he held Malcolm’s gaze. It felt like he was trying to read his very soul. And if he could, he would see that Malcolm had not harmed the lass.
Had he crossed a line? Aye. By kissing her, he most definitely had. But he would not admit to doing so and put Lizzie in a compromising position.
Apparently, believing what he saw, Barclay looked away with a nod.
“The hour grows late, my lord. I insist that ye stay the night. ’Tis no’ safe to travel the roads at night,” Mrs. Barclay declared. Her eyes darted to Lizzie and then back to him. “Besides, ’tis been a long day cooped up in the carriage and then in the house, I think a stroll around the estate would do ye and Lizzie some good,” she prompted.
“Dearest?” Sir Barclay questioned.
She dismissed his question with a wave of her hand. “They can take Mary as chaperone if ’twill make ye feel better. I doubt the earl would try to defile our daughter on a walk of our grounds.”
Lizzie gasped from her chair. “Mama!”
“Och, please. Go,” Mrs. Barclay ordered, shooing her hands in front of her. “Outside with ye both.” She nodded her head in Malcolm’s direction, then dropped into a curtsy. “My lord.”
*
Lizzie had noidea what had overcome her mama. It was so very far out of character for her mama to sweep them out the door for a walk.
Yet, here she found herself, outside with the earl. Her arm linked into his as they walked the path outside the estate thatwould bring them close to the sea. As ordered, Mary followed behind them at a safe distance.
“Your mama is a feisty woman,” Malcolm commented, breaking the silence.
“Aye. I dinna ken what came over her.”
“Indeed, but I shan’t complain.”
She looked up to see him smiling down at her. “Careful, Papa is already suspicious of ye and your actions.”
Malcolm barked out a laugh. “My actions? Whate’er do ye speak of?”
She bumped her shoulder into his side. “Thank ye for no’ mentioning the kiss. Or kisses. Papa would be most upset with that information.”
“I would ne’er do or say anything to put ye in an ill light. I promise ye that.”
The rocky pathway gave way to pebbly sand, making Lizzie’s steps unsteady. Malcolm’s arm tightened, pulling her closer to ensure she didn’t fall.
Worrying her lip with her teeth, she thought of how to voice what was running rampant through her mind. He might think her silly. But she wanted him to ken. To understand how she felt.
“I must confess, I verra much liked your kisses.” She felt her face flame at her confession. Their eyes met and the heat in his gaze sent shivers up and down her spine. It gave her the confidence to continue. “Ye illicit feelings in me that I’ve ne’er experienced afore.”
“Lass.”
The word was almost a moan as it fell from his full lips, drawing her attention to them. Was it wrong that she wanted him to kiss her again? Wrong that she longed for the feel of his touch? She was certain that the feelings were shared between the two of them. His reaction to her was just as strong as she to him.
With a glance over her shoulder to see where Mary was, she pulled Malcolm into an ivy-covered alcove.
“Lass, we canna do this,” Malcolm pleaded, as if he was physically in pain.
“Kiss me,” she ordered, her voice sounding stronger than she felt. She waited, holding her breath to see what he would do.
His facial expressions went from concern, to surprise, to his eyes flaring with heat.
“Mary will see. And I willna put ye in a position ye later regret.”
