Page 14 of Highlander’s Sweet Poison

As soon as he stepped through the door, the laughter stopped, and two pairs of eyes stared at him.

Jillian, however, dropped her gaze and studied the table.

“Lasses,” he said quietly, “the deconstruction has already started on the cottage. I hear that both the child and her aunt will be fine, although ye probably already know that.”

“Aye, my mum came by for some ingredients,” Elizabeth said as she stood.

“Are ye well, Jillian?”

“I am fine.”

“Do ye think ye will be up to sup with the others?”

“We will escort her,” Elizabeth said quickly and protectively. Gemma smiled and Graeme gritted his teeth.

“Then, if ye will excuse us for now.”

Elizabeth whispered something in Jillian’s ear and hugged her before giving him an evil glare and stomping out of the cottage. Gemma, on the other hand, stopped and put a gentle hand on his arm. “If I may have a word with ye outside, please.”

Graeme glanced back at Jillian, and Gemma poked him in the chest. “She will be fine, and this is important.”

Remembering what Theo said about an angry pregnant woman, he nodded reluctantly and followed Gemma out. “If ye are here to yell at me about Jillian, I told her to stay put.”

“Nay, I wanted to speak to ye for a different reason, and I do hope that I amnae making a mistake.” She took a deep breath. “I thought of a way to appease yer council and protect Jillian.”

Graeme tilted his head. “I am listening.”

Her head ached something fierce, and it was more from the anticipation of Graeme returning that it was from her head injury. Fury radiated from him, but she could hardly see how he was angry with her.

Gemma was no doubt trying to calm him down. Well, she was certainly not going to be waiting for him to come in and yell at her. Rising from the table, she walked into her bedchambers to change. Her dress was torn and covered in soot. She would have to look through some of her other ruined dresses to see if she had anything she might repair it with.

Moving gingerly, she undid the buttons and sash of her dress and wiggled out. Even her shift was ruined, so she changed out of that as well. She’d just stepped into a new one when the door opened, and Graeme walked in.

“Jillian,” he growled and headed straight for her room. Gasping, she whipped her head around, forgetting about her injury, and cried out when the pain increased and her vision blurred. Her stomach rolled at the sudden dizziness, and Graeme was there instantly, wrapping his hands around her arms.

“Steady,” he told her quietly. “I have ye.”

The pain went as quickly as it came, and it took a few moments of staring up at him to suddenly realize that she was still underdressed. Her cheeks heated, and his gaze traveled down for just the barest of moments before he jerked his head up. “Sorry,” he grunted. “Are ye all right?”

“Aye, please let me go.”

Immediately, he released his hold and turned. “I will just wait for ye out here.”

“There is no need. Ye may go on to dinner. I will join ye.”

“Agnes told me that ye should not be alone with a head injury, and from the way ye nearly fell over, I am inclined to agree. Besides, I have something that I wish to say to ye before we go.”

“Yell at me, ye mean?” she mocked. “Why would ye be so angry that I got hurt? The council has already made its decision. We both know it. Even if ye cannae bring yerself to execute me, what will life in yer dungeons be like for me?” she said listlessly. “Men ogling at me and taunting me. Doing as they wish...”

“No one will lay a hand on ye,” he hissed as he whirled around and walked back to her. “Do ye understand? I am doing my damndest to protect ye!”

“Why? Ye still wonder if I killed yer cousin. I can see the doubt in yer eyes when ye look at me!”

“Did ye?” he roared.

And that was it. The question would always be between them.

“Get out,” she whispered as she struggled not to cry. “Ye know that I have denied the charge time and time again.”