Rogue's Challenge by Jo Barrett Page A

tried valiantly to attribute it to nothing more than a fear that he'd failed in his duty to protect his charge, but something deep inside said otherwise.
    "Are you all right?” he said, grasping her arms and startling her.
    "What? Of course I'm all right,” she snapped, swatting at his hands.
    "You are not to go anywhere alone,” he seethed.
    She shot him a cool, hard glare. “I had to go. Michael could see me the whole time,” she said, squinting toward the barn. “I think,” she muttered.
    "I am responsible for you, woman, and would greatly appreciate better care on your part. When I say you are not to be alone, I mean you are not to be alone!” Twice she'd terrified him and he did not care for the feeling in the least.
    "I'm not about to have you or Michael hold my hand while I'm—I'm indisposed!"
    "Someone should have been standing guard by the bloody door!"
    She rolled her eyes heavenward with a huff and resumed her precarious trek through the mud.
    Time being of some importance, Ian plucked her from the muck and strode off toward the barn.
    "I really wish you'd quit doing that,” she growled. “I have two perfectly good legs."
    "But not two perfectly good eyes."
    She stiffened, and he regretted his words. She had two beautiful eyes, eyes he enjoyed looking into, although he shouldn't.
    Michael came out of the barn with their horses saddled and ready to go. As Ian approached her mount, he tried to find a way to apologize, but for once in his life words failed him.
    He placed her atop her horse but did not move away. There had to be something he could say to make amends. “I did not mean to offend you, little one,” he said lowly.
    "It was the truth.” She turned to him, but her gaze refused to light on his face.
    "In that they do not function well, aye. But that is all.” He rested his hand atop hers on the pommel. “I rather like your eyes."
    She stopped a tremulous smile. “They're just plain brown eyes. Nothing special."
    Ian smiled. Even this woman, learned, stubborn, and constantly at odds with him, needed to hear a compliment, as women often do. “They are not plain, but quite extraordinary. As is the woman they belong to,” he said truthfully.
    She looked at him then, her smile a bit wider, then it quickly fell as her gaze lit on something over his shoulder. He turned, a moment of alarm that some criminal lurked there beat through his chest then settled to a normal rhythm as his eyes lit on Innes coming toward them. Ian smiled, although it was not a true one, and greeted the girl.
    "I brought ye a few biscuits fer yer trip. ‘Twill keep ye from hunger ‘till ye next stop."
    "I thank you,” he said with a small bow.
    She winked and went back to the house, a more happy sight Ian was hard pressed to see. He felt a bit like a rabbit having escaped the snare. Silly really, when he'd dallied with her and other maids of her ilk before. But this time the slightest hint of spending time with the girl didn't feel right.
    "I'd like to get going, if you don't mind,” Jenny said snippily.
    Michael covered his chuckle with a cough.
    Ian handed her the small bundle of biscuits then mounted his horse. They soon left the farm behind, but not Michael's grin.
    Ian pulled his horse along side his. “Whatever you find so amusing, had best be well worth the cost, because once we return home, you and I shall have a go in the lists,” he said low and firm.
    Michael chuckled. “You canna see what's before your eyes?"
    He sighed, hating the fact that he couldn't let that remark go. “Pray, enlighten me."
    The young man looked over his shoulder at Jenny where she sat nibbling at a biscuit. “The lass is jealous, you daft mon. ‘Tis plain as daylight."
    "Ridiculous. She is not used to this form of travel and has grown irritable with the ride. And what could she possibly be jealous of?"
    Michael shook his head with a chuckle. “She may no’ be able tae see Innes clearly, but a blind mon wouldna’ have missed the