Page 18 of The Highlander's Auctioned Virgin
CHAPTER 5
“‘I expect ye in me chambers’?”
“M’Lady?” Thomas said tentatively, his voice low.
“I expect ye in mechambers?Who the devil does he think he is? Does he think he can just come into me castle and order me around? This ismeauction, and the tests were set by me!”
“M’Lady, I am certain the lairds understand that.”
“Iget to order these men around, nae the other way around.”
“They understand that as well,” Thomas assured her.
Elinor bit the inside of her cheek, a wave of despair crashing down on her.
This wasn’t what she wanted. Not in the slightest. She was back in her room and was fuming like a powder keg about to explode. An hour had passed since the first test started, and only a few men managed to sit beside her without causing offense.
Including Ciaran.
He was way too sure of himself, and she hated that. She hated how he carried himself with such effortless grace and how he managed to remain charming despite his reputation.
He was a killer. There was no way on earth a killer would make her a perfect husband. Not with the qualities she was looking for in a man.
“What else do ye ken about him?” she finally asked, once she had managed to suppress her anger.
Thomas shrugged. “Nae a lot, M’Lady. I ken that he kens how to kill. He killed alotof lairds in his day and often worked with his braither closely.”
“His braither.” Elinor’s head snapped up and turned to him. “What can ye tell me about his braither?”
“I ken nothing about him other than the fact that he was the Laird of Clan MacGee. He was incredibly revered across the Highlands because he had the Hound at his beck and call. Nay one dares—or at least dared—to cross him. I heard that he died.”
Elinor shook her head. “I heard Ciaran tell Jack this morning that his braither was alive.”
“Oh well…” Thomas trailed off.
Elinor ground her teeth, her arms folded tight over her chest. “Find out whatever ye can about the Hound or his braither. This must end one way or another.”
“I shall send an emissary by first light to gather information.”
Elinor removed the sash from her shoulders and placed it on the bed. Then, she turned back and headed to the door, the sound of her footsteps echoing through the room.
“M’Lady, where are ye going?” Thomas asked, following closely behind.
“I need to go see him.”
“What?”
“’Tis the only way I can get him to stop with the smugness. I just need to remind him whose orders go around these parts.”
“Let me come with ye.”
“Nay. I need to do this on me own.”
“Ye’re going to shut yerself in a room with a man known for killing lairds?”
Elinor exhaled and turned to Thomas, her bright blue eyes boring into his. “I assume he is banking on that. If I go in there with ye, he’ll think I need protection from him. I want him to think that I’m nae afraid of him, Thomas. Ineedhim to think so.”
Thomas took a step back and folded his arms behind him. “Very well, M’Lady. But at the first sign of danger, I will be there.”
