Page 6 of Dark Side of the Laird
I chuckled, slowing my pace until a few lazy thrusts were all I could manage, then rolled to the side and pulled her into my arms.
“Thank ye,” I murmured.
“For what?”
“For taking my mind off the sniveling tart for a few moments.”
Emma laughed, though I could tell that beneath her bluster, she was pained by Isabella’s presence.
“I will try my damnedest to send her away,” I said.
“Can you do that?”
“The deed will not please my brother. In fact, he will undoubtedly punish me for it, but it can be done. She likely will not leave willingly, so I’d have to truss her up and have her escorted by my men.”
“Does she reside near her uncle?”
“Wouldn’t be surprised if she lived with that bastard.”
“Just don’t send her back the way you sent him.”
I couldn’t help a laugh. That MacDonald swine had tried on so many occasions to harm my clan, to kill me. The last time he came, he even threatened the life of the king. Proclaiming himself Lord of the Isles and future king of Scotland.
I’d sent him back to his northern isles shackled to his ship with the very manacles he’d brought in chests to enslave my people. When he’d returned yet again, I’d shown him my idea of hospitality in the dungeons, but he’d escaped, and now his niece roamed freely within my castle.
“She is his spy,” I said, wondering what the wench was up to at that moment.
Emma nodded, her head bouncing against my shoulder. “Looking for your secrets right now even.”
“Under MacDonald’s instruction.”
“That, and because she wants to trap you.”
“Trap me?”
“Into marriage.”
“Hmm. I dinna know whether she truly wants to marry me.”
Emma snorted. “Please, Logan, she was practically growling and peeing on your leg as though that might ward off any other women.”
“I’m glad she didna do that.”
“Me, too. What a mess that would have been.”
“Aye.” I stood and pulled her up, too. “I’ve got to meet with Ewan. What have you planned for your day?”
She smoothed out her gown and frowned. “Nothing quite yet. With Isabella lurking around, I might just stay in my chamber.”
“Dinna let her get to ye.” Anger at the wretched intruder made me scowl. Emma didn’t deserve to be a slave to her chamber.
“What choice do I have? I don’t want to have her confront me.”
“’Haps she’ll ignore ye. Ye made it clear we had no designs on each other.”
Emma pursed her lips. “Yes. But woman’s intuition is…”
“Usually right.”
