Page 7 of Highlander's Caged Rose
“I’m a guest of the Laird,” she replied, and smiled at him. “Who are you?”
The young man blushed. “Ritchie Young,” he answered. “The head groom.”
He looked away from her as he reached to close another one of the stall’s gates. He was obviously using this as a distraction, since Moira had been aware of his gaze travelling up and down her body as they spoke. She was used to this kind of reaction from men, however, although she had never really understood it.
“I came to visit this horse,” Moira told him. “I was attacked by bandits, and she protected me. I am so glad to see that she is well taken cared of”
“The men brought her in just after you came,” Ritchie told her. “She was a bit shaken up, but she is a’ right now, are ye no’, wee lassie?”
“You love horses,” Moira observed, smiling at him.
He nodded and patted Katie’s neck. “Aye,” he replied. “They are lovely creatures.”
Suddenly, he looked up towards the entrance to the stables, and Moira saw a tall, well-built young woman striding towards them, every line of her body taut with anger.
She looked very familiar, Moira thought, but it only took her a moment to realise why. All her features, from her tawny hair, green eyes, full lips and sculpted cheekbones, were slightly more delicate, feminine versions of Niall McPhee’s.
So this is the sister,Moira thought, intrigued. She was as beautiful as Niall was handsome, and everything about her suggested the same physical and mental strength as her brother.
Then, it occurred to Moira that any chance she had had to escape was utterly ruined. First the groom, and worse still, the mistress of the castle had seen her.
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As she stepped forward, Glennie’s gaze raked down over Moira, and her lip curled in something that looked like disgust.
“Who are you?” she demanded, her eyes blazing with anger.
“I am Moira Jamieson,” Moira replied in a disinterested tone. She had no intention of conversing with anyone in the McPhee family—she simply wanted to disappear as quickly as possible.
However, Glennie whipped round to confront Ritchie, who took a step backwards as her fierce green eyes met his. “So this is what you are doing behind my back,” she snapped, poking a finger into his chest. “Sneaking around having secret trysts with other women!”
“I wasnae daein’ any such thing,” Ritchie protested angrily. “That lassie was here already. She was pettin’ the horse an’ I wondered what she was daein’. I thought she might be tryin’ tae steal it. You always think the worst o’ me!”
Glennie gave him a fearsome glare before Moira turned around and ran out of the stables into the courtyard. Glennie was furious with Ritchie, but even angrier with the woman hehad been speaking to, since it was quite obvious that he was taken with her.
Moira could not move very fast, since she was still limping and her leg was beginning to hurt again, so it was an easy thing for Glennie to catch her up. She laid a heavy hand on Moira’s shoulder and spun her around, almost causing her to fall.
Glennie held her up, however, and kept Moira in place by gripping her upper arms tightly. She studied her adversary for a moment; she was looking at one of the most delicately beautiful women she had ever seen, and the sight of her made Glennie even more jealous.
She had never had to compete for Ritchie’s affections before. Now this woman, who was probably a newly hired kitchen or laundry maid, had information about her that could endanger her relationship with the only man she had ever loved. She would not stand for it.
“Listen to me,” she hissed. “If you breathe a word to the Laird about me and Ritchie, I will have you fired instantly, and I will spread the word to every other family around here that you are not to be trusted. And be warned, I never make promises I do not keep! Do you understand?”
Moira sighed, then laughed. “I do,” she replied. “And I might be terrified of that prospect if I actually worked here, but I do not. Besides, I have absolutely no interest in Ritchie, and I am happy to keep your relationship a secret for as long as I am here. I take it you are the Laird’s sister?”
Glennie was looking down at Moira, feeling a little foolish at having jumped to the wrong conclusion. “Yes, I am Glennie McPhee,” she said, then she looked at Moira curiously. She could see why any man would find her attractive, since Moira almost looked like a creature from a fairy tale.
“Why are you here?” Glennie asked suspiciously.
“I was attacked by bandits, and the Laird’s guards came to my aid. They rescued me, brought me back to the castle, treated my wounds and probably saved my life.”
Moira decided that she might have misjudged the other woman’s motives. She was clearly a person of some status; her dress, although somewhat the worse for wear, was well-made and looked expensive, and she was wearing gold earrings and a gold heart-shaped pendant. Clearly, she was a woman of substance.
“I’m sorry,” Glennie said quietly. “I’m afraid I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I just love Ritchie very much.”
Moira smiled. “I understand,” she said. “There is no harm done, and I am happy to keep your secret.”
“Come to dinner with my brother and me,” Glennie suggested. “It’s the least I can offer after this. We are having venison tonight.”
