Page 61 of The Beastly Earl

She was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen in his life. He wanted to sweep her up into his arms and accept the strength she would offer him without hesitation if he confessed his heart to her. It was wishful thinking.

Even if Gilbert wasn't an immediate threat to her and the children, he would still send her away knowing he no longer had anything to offer her. It would have been difficult enough to burden her with a man less than whole, but at least he would have had a home to offer her. Now there was nothing. When he didn't answer, the pleading look on her beautiful face made him want to groan in helplessness.

"I lied to you out of concern for Ross. He needed me, and in hindsight I realized you needed me too."

"I needed you?" he scoffed, with as much scornful skepticism he could muster. If she were to see even a crack in his resolve, the woman would give no quarter.

Louisa took a step toward him, and the instant he breathed in her sweet fragrance he went rigid. He was on the verge of drowning, and he was certain she knew it. He could only pray that God would give him the strength not to give way to her.

Chapter 16

"Do you think I don't know how you feel about your injuries? How you think others see you?" Louisa's voice softened as she took a step toward Ewan. The instant he stiffened, she didn't move any closer. "You might see yourself as the Beast of Argaty, Ewan, but I don't."

"Do nae test my patience, Louisa. This is another boundary ye do nae want tae cross." As always, his brogue thickened whenever emotions were running high inside him.

Louisa stared up at his noble, battle-scarred features that had been made harsh and forbidding by his anger. Any other time she would have thought him furious, but a flash of pain blazed in his eye before it hardened to the color of a shard of ice. But the way he'd just lashed out at her confirmed her belief that she'd touched a part of him he'd been trying desperately not to reveal to her or anyone—perhaps even himself.

"And if I cross that boundary? What will you do?" she asked defiantly. "Kiss me again? I hope you do. I find kissing you to be quite wonderful."

Ewan appeared stunned by her confession as he shook his head in angry disbelief. A brief instant later, he recovered. With the speed of a large predator, he took a giant step forward and bent slightly to press his body into her hips before lifting her up onto his shoulder like a sack of flour. Taken by surprise, Louisa gasped at his unexpected action. It took her several seconds to come to the realization that he intended to carry her out of his study.

"Put me down, Ewan," she said fiercely as she wiggled furiously against him in a futile attempt to escape. "Blast you, Argaty, put me down!"

Ewan ignored her demands and continued toward the study door. A moment later she heard his metal fingers clattering against the glass doorknob. From the sound of metal scraping against the round, faceted handle, he was having trouble maintaining a firm grip to open the door.

"Fuck," he snarled beneath his breath, but Louisa still heard the oath.

She gasped at the crude word and the ferocity with which he'd uttered it. The clatter of metal against a hard glass doorknob ended abruptly as she heard the door creak and swing open. Despite her ongoing attempts to wiggle free of his strong grasp, Ewan's fast, furious stride didn't falter as he carried her out of the wing that was his domain.

Her fist slammed into his back with outrage as she continued to command him to set her on her feet. As Ewan strode into the keep's main hall, Louisa heard someone gasp. She turned her head toward the sound and saw Mrs. Selkirk staring at them with her mouth gaping. A wave of humiliation swept through her, and Louisa wiggled harder against Ewan's strong arm holding her in place.

"Put me down this instant, Lord Argaty," she snapped. The moment she spoke, Ewan came to an abrupt halt and set her down in a hard, sharp motion. His expression dark and menacing, he leaned into her to glare at her coldly.

"Pack your things and leave, Mrs. Morehouse. Your services are no longer needed," he said in a soft, emphatic voice.

"What about Ross? Are you going to crush his spirit in the way you're trying to destroy mine?" Her heart ached as if a sharp blade had sliced through her chest. "It would be cruel to send him to school and you know it."

"Ross will survive," he said coldly as something undefinable flickered in his gaze. "Either you leave Argaty Keep by tomorrow morning of your own accord, or I'll carry you out of the keep myself."

Ewan's expression was an unyielding, stony facade as he stared down at her. The mouth that had teased and pleasured her only a few hours ago was now a hard, thin line of anger. A tremor rippled through her as she searched for some memory of the man who'd made love to her last night. He was nowhere to be found, and her heart sank.

Apparently satisfied with her silence, he wheeled around on the heel of his foot and walked away from her without another word. Dazed that she'd failed to break through his defenses, her vision became blurry as she watched him disappear from view. She'd lost. No, she'd given up. She'd failed to live up to the Rockwood family's battle cry of never admitting defeat

A shudder rippled through her. Had last night meant nothing to him? A small cry of pain lodged in her throat as defeat rolled over her in a wave of despair that threatened to send her crumpling to the floor. Louisa swayed unsteadily on her feet as she struggled not to collapse onto the carpet runner beneath her feet.

Suddenly remembering she wasn't alone, her watery gaze took in Mrs. Selkirk studying her in great dismay. Unable to bear the thought of the woman pitying her, Louisa bent her head to quickly wipe away the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. Forcing a small smile to her lips, she lifted her head in a proud tilt as she met the woman's troubled gaze.

"Mrs. Selkirk, would you please have Maggie and Hilda come to my rooms. His lordship has dismissed me, and I will need assistance packing my things as well as those of my children."

"Oh, lass, I'm sure Lord Argaty will come tae know he's wrong," the housekeeper said gently with a shake of her head. "Ye've performed a miracle with the young master. Surely his lordship will remember that when his anger subsides."

"No. Lord Argaty will not change his mind," Louisa said with quiet despair. "If you would please send Maggie and Hilda to my rooms immediately, I would be grateful. Also, if you would ask McCallum to send word to Callendar Abbey, someone will come to fetch us tomorrow morning."

" Callendar Abbey, Mrs. Morehouse?" The puzzlement in the woman's voice made Louisa stiffen as she remembered Ewan hadn't addressed her by her title a moment ago. Unwilling to try and explain, she nodded.

"Yes, my brother is staying with Lady Stewart," she said quietly. The housekeeper continued to eye her with increased confusion but didn't question her further.

"Of course, Mrs. Morehouse," Mrs. Selkirk said with obvious sadness. "I cannot tell you how sad I will be to see you and the children leave. Master Ross will be beside himself."