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“It’s no concern of yers,” she says, sweet as spoiled milk.

The other girl jabs her sharply with an elbow. “Mind yer tongue. That’s Ellen.”

“Aye?” The first looks me over. Her lip curls. “This is the one they’re sayin’ he’s sweet on? I thought he’d aim higher.”

I push to my feet, ignoring the protest in my ankle.

“Try that again,” I say, quiet and even. “I must’ve misheard ye.”

She swallows. For one blessed moment, sense nearly wins.

Her gaze drops over me, lingering where it has no right to. “Nae, ye heard me. If it’s true, James’ll be bound to come to his senses soon enough. He’s gotta have better taste than a lass built so wide in the hips and bosom.”

This venomous wee hussy.

I take one step toward her, refusing to let my face show that the barb has landed somewhere soft in me.

The smugness slips from her face.

“If ye’ve breath to waste on foolishness,” I go on, “ye’ve hands to put to better use.”

I take another step. Her friend catches her sleeve.

My gaze moves between them, then drops to my palm.

“Get gone before I give ye the palm of my hand instead of a tongue-lashin’. D’ye understand me?”

The girl’s throat works.

At last, she nods.

“Right,” I say evenly. “Off with ye then. I’ve had my fill of this.”

They scatter at once, skirts gathered in their fists as they dart off.

I tell myself my irritation has everything to do with decorum.

Nothing at all to do with the instinct to come to his defence.

Whatever I may think of James, he deserves better than to be picked apart by idle tongues.

Not that you’ve exactly kept your own eyes to yourself.

“Oh, haud yer wheesht,” I mutter to myself, like the madwoman I’m quickly becoming.

I’m losing my mind over here.

I settle back against the stone, spine straight, chin lifted.

It’s small. Barely more than a sway. But my ankle rolls on the uneven ground and I pitch forward before I can brace myself.

A hand closes around my arm.

“Easy there,” Robert says, steadying me before I disgrace myself entirely.

“I’m fine,” I reply at once.

He looks at me for half a second too long. “Aye. You look it.”