still breathing deeply, their sweaty limbs entangled. Frustrated at the heavy weight of his body atop hers, Elizabeth impatiently pushed Calum over onto his side.
Sated, Calum yawned widely, slowly returning to his senses while Elizabeth twirled her fingers in his greasy locks. Calum was not always as fastidious as Elizabeth about his appearance, though she knew better than to draw such issues to his attention. He had a fierce temper, and it was unwise to bring it to the boiling point. Elizabeth had learned long ago that it was wiser to fan the flames of his masculine ego, rather than risk raising his ire.
“‘You ne’er cease to amaze me, my love,” she lied, watching the spread of his self-satisfied smile. If she was to have any hope of meeting her own needs, she knew she would have to flatter Calum shamelessly. Seeing the look of expectation in his eyes, she plunged on. “Indeed, it was almost as enchanting as that afternoon we spent in the stables. Aye, but then, we had company – an audience, if you will – and that always adds to the excitement. Do you no’ agree?”
Calum tensed beside her, drawing himself up on one elbow. Slowly he leaned over her, intimidation burning in his eyes. “What kind of foolishness are you spouting now? You ken no one can learn about us. Yer father would label you a whore, and I would be facing the end of his sword if he kent what goes on between us. You canna be so stupid as to forget that, can you?”
Anger flashed hot and bright in Elizabeth’s pale blue eyes, but she quickly masked that emotion with an air of indifference. She was unused to being insulted by anyone, let alone a ill-bred brute like Calum. Still, she knew it would serve little purpose for her to show him her feelings. “You pride yerself on being such a fierce warrior, Calum, yet you canna even tell when you have an audience?” she cajoled, watching his expression shift from anger to confusion. Slowly Elizabeth drew back from him, slipping from the edge of the bed as she draped a light robe over her shoulders. “Are you telling me you did no’ ken that my sister Catriona was watching us in the stable?” The look of confusion on Calum’s face was too genuine to be feigned. “You did no’ realize she had seen us?” Elizabeth demanded.
Calum had leapt to his feet and grasped Elizabeth roughly before she could register her surprise at the speed and intensity of his actions. Her arms pinned tightly to her sides, he shook her brutally as he muttered fierce oaths under his breath. “Do you not ken how dangerous this game is that you play, lass?” he spat at her, his handsome features contorted in anger. “If anyone learns what goes on between us, it will all be over. I will be banished from the keep – if I’m lucky enough to be left alive, that is – and you will be ruined. Surely you must ken Lachlan Forbes would have naught to do with you should he learn the truth.”
Elizabeth looked searchingly into his flashing eyes, sensing his fear, and realizing the truth behind his words. It was imperative to them both that no one know their secret. But still, she told herself, there was no reason to panic. Her mousey sister posed no threat to either of them. If the silly chit had told anyone what she had seen, her father would have confronted her long ago. An evil smile teased at the corner of her bruised lips as she considered the implications. Even if Catriona did tell their father what she had seen, Elizabeth knew she would have little difficulty convincing Seafield that his youngest daughter was nothing more than a lying trouble maker.
“Hold yer tongue, Calum,” she said finally, breaking free of his grasp, and rubbing her arms to ease the discomfort. Surely there would be bruises, for in his anger he had gripped her hard enough to leave evidence of his fury. “You forget yerself – and yer place,” she said icily, ignoring his
Sated, Calum yawned widely, slowly returning to his senses while Elizabeth twirled her fingers in his greasy locks. Calum was not always as fastidious as Elizabeth about his appearance, though she knew better than to draw such issues to his attention. He had a fierce temper, and it was unwise to bring it to the boiling point. Elizabeth had learned long ago that it was wiser to fan the flames of his masculine ego, rather than risk raising his ire.
“‘You ne’er cease to amaze me, my love,” she lied, watching the spread of his self-satisfied smile. If she was to have any hope of meeting her own needs, she knew she would have to flatter Calum shamelessly. Seeing the look of expectation in his eyes, she plunged on. “Indeed, it was almost as enchanting as that afternoon we spent in the stables. Aye, but then, we had company – an audience, if you will – and that always adds to the excitement. Do you no’ agree?”
Calum tensed beside her, drawing himself up on one elbow. Slowly he leaned over her, intimidation burning in his eyes. “What kind of foolishness are you spouting now? You ken no one can learn about us. Yer father would label you a whore, and I would be facing the end of his sword if he kent what goes on between us. You canna be so stupid as to forget that, can you?”
Anger flashed hot and bright in Elizabeth’s pale blue eyes, but she quickly masked that emotion with an air of indifference. She was unused to being insulted by anyone, let alone a ill-bred brute like Calum. Still, she knew it would serve little purpose for her to show him her feelings. “You pride yerself on being such a fierce warrior, Calum, yet you canna even tell when you have an audience?” she cajoled, watching his expression shift from anger to confusion. Slowly Elizabeth drew back from him, slipping from the edge of the bed as she draped a light robe over her shoulders. “Are you telling me you did no’ ken that my sister Catriona was watching us in the stable?” The look of confusion on Calum’s face was too genuine to be feigned. “You did no’ realize she had seen us?” Elizabeth demanded.
Calum had leapt to his feet and grasped Elizabeth roughly before she could register her surprise at the speed and intensity of his actions. Her arms pinned tightly to her sides, he shook her brutally as he muttered fierce oaths under his breath. “Do you not ken how dangerous this game is that you play, lass?” he spat at her, his handsome features contorted in anger. “If anyone learns what goes on between us, it will all be over. I will be banished from the keep – if I’m lucky enough to be left alive, that is – and you will be ruined. Surely you must ken Lachlan Forbes would have naught to do with you should he learn the truth.”
Elizabeth looked searchingly into his flashing eyes, sensing his fear, and realizing the truth behind his words. It was imperative to them both that no one know their secret. But still, she told herself, there was no reason to panic. Her mousey sister posed no threat to either of them. If the silly chit had told anyone what she had seen, her father would have confronted her long ago. An evil smile teased at the corner of her bruised lips as she considered the implications. Even if Catriona did tell their father what she had seen, Elizabeth knew she would have little difficulty convincing Seafield that his youngest daughter was nothing more than a lying trouble maker.
“Hold yer tongue, Calum,” she said finally, breaking free of his grasp, and rubbing her arms to ease the discomfort. Surely there would be bruises, for in his anger he had gripped her hard enough to leave evidence of his fury. “You forget yerself – and yer place,” she said icily, ignoring his
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