Page 25 of Healing the Highland Sinner
Rosalind hadn’t mentioned her sparring sessions with Ellair to Ciar. He was right to be suspicious of everybody and she was grateful that he watched her back so closely. She wished shedidn’t need somebody to protect her. Wished she could better defend herself. It was one reason she was happy to receive the lessons Ellair was giving her. She was far from competent with a blade, but she felt like she’d been making progress.
She felt guilty for keeping that from Ciar. But as she’d thought about it, she realized the reasons were personal. She was beginning to trust Ellair. Probably more than Ciar did and definitely far more than he would have approved of. And if Rosalind was being honest with herself, she would have to say that her trust for Ellair was growing along with her other feelings for him. Something Ciar would definitely frown upon.
He wouldn’t understand and would likely be upset by it. So, until Ciar had learned to trust Ellair as much as she was coming to trust him, she thought it was probably best to keep their growing bond to herself.
“And?” she asked. “What did ye learn?”
“Naethin’ useful. He’s got an eye fer the ladies who work the docks. He was with a dark-haired woman last night and they looked friendly enough,” he said.
Rosalind’s stomach clenched and a flash of disappointment or even pain tore through her heart. The idea of Ellair cozying up with one of the women who worked the docks ignited a churning tempest in her belly. It was ridiculous, she knew. Beyond ridiculous. They were not sharing a bed, he had not claimed her, so there was no reason for her to feel… jealous. And yet, thethought of him bedding another woman made her feel exactly that.
“I see,” she said. “And… ye’re sure?”
He nodded. “They were all smiles when I found ‘em and I watched him hand her a fat purse. Only one reason a man hands a woman like that a purse that full.”
Rosalind pressed her hand to her belly and tried to hold down the warm bile that was bubbling inside of her. She cleared her throat and tried to keep her face calm and neutral.
“I see,” she said.
“’Twas nae what I was expectin’ tae find, I’ll admit.”
“And what were ye expectin’ tae find?”
“The lad meetin’ with our enemies,” he admitted with a shrug.
Rosalind laughed softly. “Ye really arenae the trustin’ sort, are ye?”
He gave her a smile and squeezed her shoulder. When they turned the corner though, and the building they were heading to came into sight, the smile faded from Ciar’s lips, and his body grew tense. Rosalind glanced at him and then the bandage on hishand. As if he sensed her looking at him, Ciar tucked his hand under his cloak.
“How is yer hand?” she asked.
“’Tis fine.”
Rosalind didn’t know what they were walking into. It had been Ewan who’d asked to meet with her and from the start, Ciar had been uneasy. Probably with good reason. Ewan was about as trustworthy as a rattlesnake. But he still wasn’t in fighting shape. He was doing his best to hide it, but the wound on his hand had not yet healed completely, and it was still causing him no small amount of discomfort. She could see it whenever he tested his hand when he thought she wasn’t looking. But she had been watching him closely.
She had tried to leave him behind at the compound, but Ciar wouldn’t hear of it. So, as she’d done often over the last couple of weeks, she’d brought Ellair along. She knew Ciar wasn’t happy with it. He was a proud man, and he took his role as her protector very seriously. He was frustrated that he was not in fighting shape, and even more frustrated that Ellair had been supplanting him by her side. But what he wouldn’t understand was that she was trying to protect him by not putting him into a position where he was going to be forced to fight. Trying to fight one-handed was a sure way to get him killed. Not to mention her along with him.
“All right,” Rosalind said. “I want ye tae stay out here and watch?—”
“Nay. I’m nae lettin’ ye go in there alone.”
“I willnae be alone. I’ll be takin’ Ellair in with me.”
His face darkened and his brow furrowed. “Me lady, I dinnae think that’s a good idea.”
She stopped and turned to him, laying a gentle hand on his arm as a small, gentle smile touched her lips.
“’Tis the only good idea in a bad situation,” she said. “If Ewan is in there with some men and they’ve all got bad intentions, I dinnae want ye tae have tae fight. Ye’re nae one hundred percent and I worry that ye’ll be put in a bad spot.”
His chuckle was a deep rumble in his chest. “’Tis me job tae watch yer back and worry about ye. Nae the other way around.”
“’Tis what makes us so good taegether,” she replied. “We watch each other’s backs.”
He glanced toward the building, a frown on his lips. But then he turned back to her and sighed, giving her a nod.
“All right. I ken ye’re right, but…”
He didn’t need to finish the sentence. Rosalind already knew. It wasn’t just his hand that was wounded, but his pride as well. Even still, Ciar was a levelheaded man and knew that what shewas saying was true. Knew that in his present condition, he was more of a liability than an asset.
