Page 5 of Highland Heart

She startled and stared, and he wondered if she’d refuse. He was hardly likely to drag her out of the room in front of their daughter, but perhaps she didn’t know that. Over the years her image of him might have darkened.

Rosina glanced at the other two, and said, “Wait here. I won’t be long.”

“Daughter—” her mother began but Rosina walked past her, brushing by Dugald as she did so.

He turned and followed.

She went down the stairs so quickly that he caught only a swirl of her blue skirt as she turned the corner. By the time he reached the bottom and was in the great hall, she was striding toward the door that led into the castle yard.

Outside there were Campbell men everywhere engaged in the usual activity that followed the claiming of a castle. In this case it didn’t look like the losers were bearing any grudges. They seemed very happy with the change of regime.

Rosina had reached the gate, which was open and guarded by one of Ewen’s men, and stopped. She turned to face him, her arms folded, and her mouth was turned down again. Bitterness, unhappiness, anger ... it was as if all those emotions circled around her like dark clouds.

“Why have you bullied me into returning to the castle?” she demanded. “You must know it is not where I want to be.”

“Even if it keeps you safe?” he growled.

Her grey eyes narrowed. “Even then.”

“And what of our daughter? Do you not want her to be safe? And your mother? Surely,” and he stepped closer until she had to tilt her head to continue to meet his eyes, “their lives matter to you?”

She scoffed. “No reivers would dare take on the Campbell brothers.”

“You are wrong.” He waited while she glared at him, but she did not respond. “The Laird of Tighe had many enemies, it is true, but some of those enemies preferred a man they could manipulate and steal from, rather than one like my brother who is trustworthy and decent. If they can make trouble then they will. You being out here,” he waved his hand, “is an invitation to such men.”

Rosina stared up at him a moment more, and then turned away. “I don’t have time to argue with you,” she informed him. “Thanks to you I have more of our belongings to bring to the castle.”

He followed her, his long strides soon catching her up as they reached the cottage. He still thought it more of a hovel, and eyed it with distaste as Rosina unbarred the door and went inside. Dugald peered in after her.

The place was gloomy but surprisingly clean. He should not have been surprised but he had been in many such places and they were not always pleasant. Men like Tighe did not care if his people were poor and starving, as long as he could eat six courses every night and lie in a soft bed.

Rosina was gathering up more of her family’s belongings, using a shawl as a bag, twisting it shut at the top.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

The next moment she had dumped the makeshift bag into his arms, and turned back for more. Dugald strolled to a cupboard and examined the shelving above it. There wasn’t a great deal but he thought perhaps some of the utensils had come from Rosina’s former home.

“Is this Mary’s?” he asked, noting a wooden toy doll that had seen better days.

Rosina glanced at it. “Yes. When she was younger. She is still fond of it so I have kept it.”

“I wish I had known her then.”

She stared at him and then showed him her back. He saw her hands pause over some apples and a loaf of bread.

“Do you really make the duke laugh?”

Her question wasn’t what he was expecting. She sounded curious and the anger had gone.

“When he is inclined to,” he answered her. “He is a busy man with many schemes to keep watch over.”

“Will you return to him when Ewen no longer needs you?”

She still had her back to him but he saw the stiffening of her shoulders, as if she held herself in check, awaiting disappointment.

“Rosina,” he said quietly. He set down the bundle in his arms and stepped up behind her, so close that his body brushed hers, his chest to her shoulders and his thighs to her bottom.

“It is a fair enough question,” she said coldly.