Page 114 of The Highlander's Irish Bride

“You are incorrigible, Mr. Kendrick.”

“I believe that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me. And didn’t we agree you should call me Grant?”

She adopted a mock frown. “No, I don’t think we did.”

His answering laugh reminded Kathleen once again how much she loved the sound—warm and welcoming, like a hot toddy but infinitely more stimulating.

She made a concerted effort to rein in her skittering emotions. After all, they were in the middle of a ballroom. She hardly needed another scandal on her hands, triggered by publicly mooning over Grant Kendrick.

“To return to the original point of our discussion, sir—”

“Would that be sneaking off to find a nice, quiet corner?”

“No, you booby,” she tartly replied.

“Och, it’s a hard lass, ye are,” he said with a dramatic sigh.

“Mr. Kendrick—”

“Grant.”

“Mr.Kendrick, do not force me to whack you over the head with my fan.”

His grin was unrepentant. “No need to fash yourself, Kathleen. I mean,MissCalvert.”

“You know, you’re as bad as your twin.”

“No one’s as bad as Graeme. Except possibly our older brother Logan.”

“Then I will be sure to avoid that brother at all costs.”

“Don’t count on that happening, lass.”

She frowned, this time with genuine confusion. “But he’s in Canada, is he not?”

He skated over her question. “As to the point of our discussion, I assume you’re asking if we’re safe from having further incidents like this afternoon’s unfortunate occurrence.”

“Yes.”

“For the moment we are, but we need to bring a stop to this as soon as possible. I should be out there looking for the blighters right now, not standing about guarding the punch bowl.”

“As competent as you are, Mr. Kendrick, even you can’t see in the dark. There’s no moon, and it’s now overcast.”

His smile returned, as did the wicked gleam in his eyes. “I can see some thingsverrawell in the dark, ye ken.”

She shook her head. “You’re hopeless.”

“All right, I’ll stop teasing. You can be assured that for tonight, at least, everything is fine. We have guards posted everywhere, including in the village. So you should just try to enjoy yourself.”

“Speaking of enjoying one’s self, I seem to have lost track of Jeannie.” She craned up on her toes again. “I had a good eye on her for most of the evening, until now.”

Until she’d let herself get distracted by Grant.

“Jeannie left the main drawing room a few minutes ago while we were talking. She seemed to be following some young ladies to the supper room, so I assumed she was going with them.”

Kathleenverymuch doubted that. “Can you see David?”

“He was with his irritating brother not ten minutes ago. Now I only see the captain. No David.”

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