Part 17 (1/2)

”No.”

”No?” she asked. ”Why in heaven's name not?”

Brod.i.c.k didn't actually smile, but the corners of his eyes crinkled together in what she decided was amus.e.m.e.nt. ”Because you are Iain's woman,” he drawled out.

She shook her head. ”Where did you get that ridiculous notion? I'm only a guest-”

She quit trying to explain when Brod.i.c.k turned and walked inside the cottage. She watched the obstinate man leave. Alex and Gowrie followed. Those two were openly grinning.

Judith stayed where she was. Iain finally let go of her shoulders and gave her a little prod:

She didn't budge. He moved to stand beside her. His head was bent down toward hers. ”You may come inside now.”

”Why didn't you say something when Cameron called me your woman?”

He shrugged. ”I didn't feel like it.”

He wasn't telling her the truth, of course. Cameron had been wrong; Judith wasn't his woman, but he had liked the sound of it too much to take exception. Lord, he was weary to be thinking such foolish thoughts. ”Come inside,” Iain ordered again, his voice a bit more gruff than he'd intended. .

She shook her head and turned her gaze to the ground.

”What's this?” he demanded. He forced her face up with the back of his hand under her chin.

”I don't wish to go inside.”

She'd sounded downright pitiful. He tried not to smile. ”Why not?” he asked.

She shrugged. He gently squeezed her jaw. She knew he wouldn't let up on her until she'd given him a proper answer. ”I just don't want to go where I'm not wanted,” she whispered. His smile was filled with tenderness. She suddenly felt like crying. Her eyes were already getting misty. ”I'm overly exhausted this evening,” she excused.

”But that isn't the reason you wish to stay out here, is it?”

”I just explained... I was humiliated,” she blurted out. ”I know I shouldn't take his dislike personally. All the Highlanders hate the English, and most of the English hate the Scots, even the border Scots... and I hate all the hatred. It's... ignorant, Iain.”

He nodded agreement. Some of the bl.u.s.ter went out of her. It was difficult to stay outraged when he wasn't arguing with her. ”Did he frighten you?”

”His anger did,” she admitted. ”It was most unreasonable. Or am I overreacting again? I'm too weary to know.”

She was exhausted. He hadn't paid enough attention, or he certainly would have noticed the dark smudges under her eyes before now. She had taken hold of his hand when she'd admitted she'd felt humiliated, and she still hadn't let go.

Yes, Judith looked tired, defeated too, and utterly beautiful to him.

She suddenly straightened her shoulders. ”You must go inside. I'll be happy to wait out here.”

He smiled as he pulled his hand away from hers. ”But I'd be happier if you went inside with me,” he announced.

He was through discussing the topic. He threw his arm around her shoulders, gave her a little squeeze, and then dragged her along with him toward the doorway.

”You said you might be overreacting once again,” he remarked as he hauled her along. He was deliberately ignoring the fact that she was acting like a stiff board. The woman had a stubborn streak in her nature. That flaw amused him. No other woman had ever appeared to be disgruntled with him, but Judith was quite different from all the women he'd known in the past. She was glaring at him every other minute, or so it seemed. He found her reactions refres.h.i.+ngly honest. She didn't have to try to impress him, and she sure as h.e.l.l didn't have it in her nature to cower away from him, either. Odd, but her uninhibited behavior freed him. He didn't have to act the laird over a submissive subject with Judith. The fact that she was an outsider seemed to break the bindings of traditions pressed upon him as leader of his clan.

Iain had to force himself back to the question nagging him. ”When was the first time you overreacted?” he asked.