Read Online Maid of Deception by Jennifer McGowan - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer McGowan
Ads: Link
height—nearly as tall as the Queen. But he seemed overmuch concerned for my personal safetywhen he was around. “Thank you,” I managed, though I had done myself no favors. Now the Scot’s large hand covered mine, and I had left the castle interior without gloves. The feeling of Alasdair’s rough fingers on my skin left me oddly breathless, and I struggled to remember why I needed to speak with him in the first place. Thinking to head off any comments intended to nettle me, I broached the subject of my failed wedding directly. “ ’Tis a fine day, is it not? For all that it began with a disrupted wedding?”
He grinned fiercely, firming his fingers on mine once again. “The day is all the better for that turn of events, aye.” He glanced down at me. “Tell me you were not relieved. I saw you watch me with hope in your eyes even as you strolled down the aisle.”
“You saw no such thing!” I snapped. That only seemed to goad him on further.
“You like me shaven clean and fit for your English weddings, eh?” He lifted my hand in his meaty paw and drew it down his cheek, before resettling it on his arm. “Find me much more civilized this way?”
“Never fear that I will ever find you civilized, sir,” I said frostily, though my stomach had tightened at the bold caress and how quickly he’d managed it, and my fingers still tingled with the roughness of his face, his beard already returning though he’d likely shaven mere hours before. “In truth you may unhand me completely, if you please. I am well able to walk unassisted.”
“ ’Tis no bother to me,” Alasdair said, and he tugged me along, only the crush of the crowd ensuring that I did notstumble over my own skirts in trying to keep up with his long stride. “You belong on my arm.”
That drew me up short. “Sir, you must be mistaken. My wedding was postponed, not canceled.”
“It looked canceled to me,” he countered. “The look on the face of that stick you were tying yourself to was something to behold. He looked like he’d eaten spoiled haggis.”
“Lord Cavanaugh had every right to be upset,” I reasoned, pricked despite myself. “He was very much looking forward to being my husband.”
“More like he was looking forward to having you all to himself. Not that I can blame the man, but I’d not wish marriage to him on my worst enemy.”
“And you think what you have to offer would far outweigh one of the most noble houses of England?” I scoffed, at once furious with Alasdair and incensed with myself for being drawn out by him. This was not what I needed to learn from the scoundrel!
“I have more to offer in my little finger than he does with all of his horses and land,” Alasdair replied, drawing his fingers over mine to emphasize his point. I felt the color rise in my cheeks, but he just continued talking. “Though your Queen does have an eye for making an entrance in the most dramatic way possible. I’ll give her that.”
“She does,” I said, grateful for the change of subject. “Our Elizabeth is nothing if not dramatic.”
Alasdair slanted me a look. “She is jealous of you.”
I grimaced as we stopped before a stand that sold savory pies. “I rather doubt that,” I said, though with Elizabeth itwas well possible. Even though she was the most powerful woman in England, I’d seen her devolve into an apoplectic fit when she felt she was being slighted by one courtier or another. They’d quickly learned to not invite her wrath, but mayhap I should have had more of a care myself. If she felt I was trying to outshine her, then far more than a postponed wedding would be my reward.
I blinked as Alasdair ordered enough food to feed a family of twelve. “I’m so sorry, sir. Did I interrupt your provisioning of your men?”
“You canna interrupt me, m’lady,” Alasdair returned, tucking the pies into a sack he’d pulled out of somewhere and catching up a flagon of wine as well. He tossed a pile of coins
He grinned fiercely, firming his fingers on mine once again. “The day is all the better for that turn of events, aye.” He glanced down at me. “Tell me you were not relieved. I saw you watch me with hope in your eyes even as you strolled down the aisle.”
“You saw no such thing!” I snapped. That only seemed to goad him on further.
“You like me shaven clean and fit for your English weddings, eh?” He lifted my hand in his meaty paw and drew it down his cheek, before resettling it on his arm. “Find me much more civilized this way?”
“Never fear that I will ever find you civilized, sir,” I said frostily, though my stomach had tightened at the bold caress and how quickly he’d managed it, and my fingers still tingled with the roughness of his face, his beard already returning though he’d likely shaven mere hours before. “In truth you may unhand me completely, if you please. I am well able to walk unassisted.”
“ ’Tis no bother to me,” Alasdair said, and he tugged me along, only the crush of the crowd ensuring that I did notstumble over my own skirts in trying to keep up with his long stride. “You belong on my arm.”
That drew me up short. “Sir, you must be mistaken. My wedding was postponed, not canceled.”
“It looked canceled to me,” he countered. “The look on the face of that stick you were tying yourself to was something to behold. He looked like he’d eaten spoiled haggis.”
“Lord Cavanaugh had every right to be upset,” I reasoned, pricked despite myself. “He was very much looking forward to being my husband.”
“More like he was looking forward to having you all to himself. Not that I can blame the man, but I’d not wish marriage to him on my worst enemy.”
“And you think what you have to offer would far outweigh one of the most noble houses of England?” I scoffed, at once furious with Alasdair and incensed with myself for being drawn out by him. This was not what I needed to learn from the scoundrel!
“I have more to offer in my little finger than he does with all of his horses and land,” Alasdair replied, drawing his fingers over mine to emphasize his point. I felt the color rise in my cheeks, but he just continued talking. “Though your Queen does have an eye for making an entrance in the most dramatic way possible. I’ll give her that.”
“She does,” I said, grateful for the change of subject. “Our Elizabeth is nothing if not dramatic.”
Alasdair slanted me a look. “She is jealous of you.”
I grimaced as we stopped before a stand that sold savory pies. “I rather doubt that,” I said, though with Elizabeth itwas well possible. Even though she was the most powerful woman in England, I’d seen her devolve into an apoplectic fit when she felt she was being slighted by one courtier or another. They’d quickly learned to not invite her wrath, but mayhap I should have had more of a care myself. If she felt I was trying to outshine her, then far more than a postponed wedding would be my reward.
I blinked as Alasdair ordered enough food to feed a family of twelve. “I’m so sorry, sir. Did I interrupt your provisioning of your men?”
“You canna interrupt me, m’lady,” Alasdair returned, tucking the pies into a sack he’d pulled out of somewhere and catching up a flagon of wine as well. He tossed a pile of coins
Similar Books
