Highland Hawk: Highland Brides #7 by Lois Greiman

all was black. But I shall make it up to you, Catriona. Let me stay with you this night."
    "Nay. Please take care of Grandmother," she said, and pulling her hand from his, she turned rapidly away.
    He let her go with only a little resistance and she quickly stepped inside her room. There was solace of sorts here. Private and quiet, but for a single chirp from the cage of willow sticks that stood beside the door. One small finch was perched atop the cage while the other dozed inside.
    Retrieving a tallow candle from a sconce on the wall, Cat lit it from the one in the hallway before setting it back in its place.
    Golden, mellow light softened the shadows.
    Closing her door, Catriona leaned back against it and sighed. All seemed peaceful except for herself. But she should not feel so distraught. At least Hawk had felt no need to follow her here. Either Lord Tremayne had convinced him to leave her to her own defenses, or he had simply refused to follow the king's orders. Did he dislike her so much? she wondered, but halted those turbulent thoughts with a single reprimand.
    She had no time for such foolish worries. It mattered little if the hulking Highlander cherished her or hated her. That was the least of her problems. If he learned the truth...
    She stopped the thought abruptly, for if he learned her true reasons for coming to Blackburn the consequences would be unthinkable.
    Turning rapidly toward her trunk beside the door, she pulled it open, drew out a simple, dark chemise, and tossed it over the open cover of the wooden chest. Untying her girdle, she slipped her pouch and knife from her hips and dropped them to the floor, then set her hands to her laces.
    The day had been long and wearing. The night promised to be the same, but for now she would rest and let the castle settle into silence.
    Her gown slid down her legs and onto the floor. Her undergarments followed. She rolled her shoulders and stepped from the rumpled linen. The night air felt soft against her skin, like a lover's caress.
    But she had no lover. Even now, when her mind should be occupied with a thousand other details, she could not help but remember the intensity of Hawk's eyes when he had questioned her about that. She should have told him that she had no lovers, but pride was as fickle as the wind and could blow in any direction. He had called her troublesome, and she had no desire to confirm or deny his belief with tales of her innocence, especially when his very nearness confused and titillated her. When his voice evidenced the same raspy quality as Fayette's partner. But where Matthew had been pink and narrow, he would be dark and thick. Catriona's nippies tightened at the thought, puckering in the cool night air and plunging her back into reality.
    What the devil was wrong with her? she wondered, and turned, angry and frustrated, toward the bed.
    A shadow rose from the floor on the far side of the mattress. "So," said a voice. "You have finally arrived."

Chapter 8
    "Lord de la Faire!" Catriona gasped.
    "Aye." He leered at her then let his gaze slip sloppily to her nipples. "I see you are ready for me, Princess."
    Backing away a step, Cat snagged her dark chemise from the trunk's edge and whisked it in front of her.
    "Nay." He staggered forward a step or two, but didn't manage any more. "Do not cover yourself. I have been waiting here for an eternity."
    "Waiting?" she stalled and glanced quickly to the right in search of some kind of weapon. But the knife she'd taken to dinner had been dropped to the floor with her discarded gown.
    "Aye. I knew you would eventually break away from the crowd. So I waited here on your bed." He waved wildly at the mattress he had just managed to skirt.
    She shook her head. "I did not see you."
    "Well, in truth, I may have slipped onto the floor." He grinned. " 'Tis a wild pallet you keep, Princess Cat."
    "Aye." She nodded at his nonsensical words. " 'Tis indeed a wicked bed. Mayhap you'd best leave and find your