Highland Wolf by Hannah Howell Page B

who was bastard born did not deserve the respect and courtesies offered a wellborn lady. There was no use in mentioning to such men that her mother had been a true lady born and bred. The fact that her mother had born a bastard diminished her in a lot of eyes. They also seemed to think that her mother’s apparent immorality was passed on to her daughter. None of that attitude shaded Rolfs desire, but she had to turn him away and that made her very sad.
    “It would probably be best if ye did stay away from me,” she said, hoping the regret she felt over the need to push him away did not show in her voice or in her eyes as she looked at him.
    James gently stroked her cheek, pleased when she did not flinch away from his touch. He knew that many people thought French was the perfect language for lovers, but he was rapidly growing weary of it. He wanted to talk to Annora in his own tongue. Soon, he hoped, he would be able to.
    “You do not wish me to be near you?” he asked.
    Annora sighed. “What I want isnae important, is it?”
    “It is to me.”
    She smiled faintly. “Ah, weel, that is verra fine, but we arenae free to do as we please.”
    “I am not a MacKay.”
    “Nay, but I am and ye are a mon who was hired by MacKay.”
    “So you do think you sit too high to kiss a wood-carver.”
    “Dinnae be a fool. What I think is I would like ye to do your work and leave here still hale, still alive. For some reason, Donnell doesnae want ye to, weel, pursue me. And Donnell doesnae like it when what he wants is ignored. Men die for that. Men die in great pain.”
    “Ah, you fear for my safety.” He kissed her again. “That is good.”
    Annora almost laughed, but the very real threat they could both face snuffed out her brief burst of good humor. “Be careful, Rolf. Donnell is a fool at times, but he is also a verra brutal mon. Now, I am off to the great hall to have my meal.”
    He did not stop her. At the moment he could do no more than steal a few kisses and caresses. It was foolish to keep tormenting himself by reaching for what he could not have yet. All it got him was an ache that would torment him all night long, and the cold bath he was going to have to take now would not do much to cure him of that.
     
    Although she hurried into the great hall very late for the meal, Annora noticed that she received barely a glance from everyone already gathered there. She took her seat and smiled fleetingly at the young boy who hurried over to fill her plate with food and her tankard with ale. Egan cast her one hot glare but then returned to discussing something with Donnell.
    Most of the time she liked the way that few of Donnell’s men noticed her, but this time it stung. Annora knew it was for the best that she remained almost invisible to them all, that it was the best way to avoid becoming the target of Donnell’s anger, but tonight it made her feel angry. She might be a bastard, but she was a person who cared for the laird’s child. That had to matter, yet to so many of Donnell’s people she was no more than some ghostie. It might have been what she had wanted to happen, but it should notbe so easy.
    Telling herself not to be so foolish and allow pride to rule her, Annora concentrated on her meal. Donnell and Egan talked in low voices and occasionally glanced her way, but she tried to ignore them. It was blessing enough that she did not have Egan seated next to her. She had to make some plan to find out what they had in store for her. If she could do so without being obvious, she would listen to what they were so intensely discussing in whispers right now, but the last thing she wanted was to be caught out in the act of eavesdropping.
    When Egan and Donnell suddenly left the room, she inwardly cursed. She knew they were going to discuss the matter, whatever it was, somewhere where they felt they could do so more freely, and that was probably in Donnell’s ledger room. If she bolted down her food and left now, it might