stiffened beside her. He also had caught sight of the pair. He swore under his breath, not the sort of reaction that Seraphine usually engendered in men.
But as Meg and Blackwood descended the rocky slope to meet the pair, Meg realized that Blackwood did not even appear to notice Seraphine. His unwelcoming scowl and his stony regard were directed at his friend.
Sir Patrick bowed to Meg, but before he could speak, he was cut off by Seraphine. “Damnation, Margaret Wolfe, you frightened me half to death. What did you think you were doing, disappearing this way?”
“I was searching for la Mère Poulet. You do recall that was why we split paths and took separate directions.”
“Which I never thought was a good idea. But I thought you would at least have the good sense to confine your search to the village, not go wandering off to some remote spot with this—this—” Seraphine gestured toward Blackwood.
“This doctor,” Meg filled in before Seraphine could come up with a more insulting epithet. “I am sorry if I worried you, but all is well. We have found la Mère Poulet, or rather we must thank Dr. Blackwood for that.”
Seraphine appeared more inclined to run the man through than thank him. She glowered at him as though she had caught him attempting to ravish Meg. But the doctor was oblivious to Seraphine’s murderous look, his attention focused on Sir Patrick.
“Graham, you should have waited back at the inn. There was no need to come in search of me. I told you I could handle this matter.”
“I was sure that you could, at least with regard to the old woman. I did not come here in search of you.” Graham’s tone was as mild as Blackwood’s was curt. The knight shifted to address Meg.
“It was you whom I needed to find this morning. I was hoping that I could speak to—”
“So there she is. Speak,” Seraphine said.
“I would speak to you alone,” Sir Patrick continued as though he had not been interrupted. “Would you honor me with a few moments of private conversation?”
“No!” Seraphine and Blackwood snapped in unison.
“This is a waste of your time, Graham,” Blackwood added. “She will not be interested.”
Seraphine scowled. “And there is nothing you could have to say to her that I cannot hear.”
“
She
is standing right here,” Meg said tartly. “So will you kindly allow
her
to reply?”
Seraphine grabbed Meg’s arm and dragged her aside. “Meg, you should not go anywhere alone with that man. You were foolhardy enough to wander off with that drunken doctor.”
“I thought you had decided Dr. Blackwood and Sir Patrick were naught but a pair of idle travelers. You even teased me for being so nervous about them.”
“I have changed my mind. There is something amiss with both of them, especially Graham. He has been asking far too many questions about you at the inn, among the villagers. He even had the impertinence to press me for details about how long you had been the Lady of Faire Isle, where you hailedfrom before that. I get the impression the man wants something from you. I have no idea what that might be, but I don’t like it.”
“Neither do I. But would it not be better to speak with Sir Patrick and find out?”
Seraphine pursed her lips. “I suppose. My father taught me it is always best to know as much of one’s enemy as possible. But only go a few yards down the beach with that man. You stay within my sight.”
Meg nodded in agreement and then stepped toward Graham, who patiently awaited her decision.
“I cannot imagine what you have to say to me, Sir Patrick, but I am willing to listen.”
Blackwood muttered something and Meg half expected him to protest again. But when she looked at him, he merely shrugged as though the matter was no longer of any consequence to him.
“Five minutes,” Seraphine warned Graham. “That is all the time the Lady can spare. The two men—the two very large, muscular young men—who rowed us over from Faire Isle are
But as Meg and Blackwood descended the rocky slope to meet the pair, Meg realized that Blackwood did not even appear to notice Seraphine. His unwelcoming scowl and his stony regard were directed at his friend.
Sir Patrick bowed to Meg, but before he could speak, he was cut off by Seraphine. “Damnation, Margaret Wolfe, you frightened me half to death. What did you think you were doing, disappearing this way?”
“I was searching for la Mère Poulet. You do recall that was why we split paths and took separate directions.”
“Which I never thought was a good idea. But I thought you would at least have the good sense to confine your search to the village, not go wandering off to some remote spot with this—this—” Seraphine gestured toward Blackwood.
“This doctor,” Meg filled in before Seraphine could come up with a more insulting epithet. “I am sorry if I worried you, but all is well. We have found la Mère Poulet, or rather we must thank Dr. Blackwood for that.”
Seraphine appeared more inclined to run the man through than thank him. She glowered at him as though she had caught him attempting to ravish Meg. But the doctor was oblivious to Seraphine’s murderous look, his attention focused on Sir Patrick.
“Graham, you should have waited back at the inn. There was no need to come in search of me. I told you I could handle this matter.”
“I was sure that you could, at least with regard to the old woman. I did not come here in search of you.” Graham’s tone was as mild as Blackwood’s was curt. The knight shifted to address Meg.
“It was you whom I needed to find this morning. I was hoping that I could speak to—”
“So there she is. Speak,” Seraphine said.
“I would speak to you alone,” Sir Patrick continued as though he had not been interrupted. “Would you honor me with a few moments of private conversation?”
“No!” Seraphine and Blackwood snapped in unison.
“This is a waste of your time, Graham,” Blackwood added. “She will not be interested.”
Seraphine scowled. “And there is nothing you could have to say to her that I cannot hear.”
“
She
is standing right here,” Meg said tartly. “So will you kindly allow
her
to reply?”
Seraphine grabbed Meg’s arm and dragged her aside. “Meg, you should not go anywhere alone with that man. You were foolhardy enough to wander off with that drunken doctor.”
“I thought you had decided Dr. Blackwood and Sir Patrick were naught but a pair of idle travelers. You even teased me for being so nervous about them.”
“I have changed my mind. There is something amiss with both of them, especially Graham. He has been asking far too many questions about you at the inn, among the villagers. He even had the impertinence to press me for details about how long you had been the Lady of Faire Isle, where you hailedfrom before that. I get the impression the man wants something from you. I have no idea what that might be, but I don’t like it.”
“Neither do I. But would it not be better to speak with Sir Patrick and find out?”
Seraphine pursed her lips. “I suppose. My father taught me it is always best to know as much of one’s enemy as possible. But only go a few yards down the beach with that man. You stay within my sight.”
Meg nodded in agreement and then stepped toward Graham, who patiently awaited her decision.
“I cannot imagine what you have to say to me, Sir Patrick, but I am willing to listen.”
Blackwood muttered something and Meg half expected him to protest again. But when she looked at him, he merely shrugged as though the matter was no longer of any consequence to him.
“Five minutes,” Seraphine warned Graham. “That is all the time the Lady can spare. The two men—the two very large, muscular young men—who rowed us over from Faire Isle are
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