Heat suffused her cheeks, and though he kept his eyes firmly covered, the image of Darach Robertson seeing her without proper clothing burned through her mind with astonishing clarity. No matter what she did, she couldn’t rid herself of the memory of him smirking at her. It would take at least three lifetimes to forget this.
“Now?” He chuckled.
Mortification washed over her, and her cheeks grew so hot with humiliation that as much as she tried to slip her dress back on, her hands trembled, and she failed. All she could do was stand there, hands clutching at the dress still slipping off her shoulders. She closed her eyes and wished that the laird would be far,faraway when she opened them.
Please just let this be a bad dream. Let me wake up and find this a dream.
“I dinnae think it is a dream, my lady.”
There was a hint of amusement in his reply that filled Jane with further mortification. She’d not realized that she’d spoken the words out loud. After taking a deep breath, she chanced a look at him and opened her eyes. He stood, legs apart, arms crossed over his chest, and was, predictably, smirking.
Damn him tae hell for finding amusement in all of this!
“Want tae tell me what ye’re doing skulking around in the library?”
He raised an eyebrow, and Jane’s shoulders sagged as she realized it was his home and he could be anywhere he wanted. Apparently,shewas the fool for being too excited about the books that she’d not checked her surroundings.
But how was she to know Darach Robertson liked reading in the afternoon? He didn’t look anything like a reader.
Jane suddenly realized that, for the first time since her arrival, she was alone with him in a room where no one would hear her cries, and no one knew where she was except for Wiley. A mix of fear and curiosity ran through her.
“Did ye purposely ask Wiley tae bring me here?”
He crossed his arms. “Do I truly need tae answer that?”
“Aye,” she mumbled. “I need tae be sure.”
The laird sighed. “What part of me telling ye that ye were under my protection did ye nae understand? I dinnae take kindly tae having my words blatantly disregarded. I am a man of virtue myself, and I’d like ye tae remember nae one told ye to pull off yer clothes. This is nae some sort of plan.”
The words hadn’t been said in anger. It was the truth. She might not be able to read his mind, but she could tell. “Ye kent when I came into the room and yet ye said naething. ‘Tis quite rude and discourteous behavior.”
The laird smirked back at her, his face glowing in the colorful sunlight. “For a lass who barged intae my private reading time, ye’re demanding quite a lot. I believe I didnae call at ye because I’d rather nae have the same discomfiting conversation that I am having now.”
She sniffed. “That’s very uncharitable of ye tae say.”
“It doesn’t make it any less true. Now, if we’re done with this conversation, I suggest ye tie up the laces of the dress properly, preferably before someone else comes in and sees yer dress hanging off yer shoulders..”
Oh, that is simply unfair, and Darach well kens it!
She frowned at him, but he ignored her. “If ye intend tae intimidate me, ye’re destined tae fail,” she said.
He rolled his eyes heavenward for a moment, and she could swear he was cussing under his breath. He waited a moment, as if trying to collect his flagging patience, which amused her, considering he didn’t seem to possess any.
“If I have something tae say, I will. I can be a very accommodating man, lass, but ye’ve sorely tried my will. I’ve given ye a fair warning. If ye cannae stop pushing my patience tae the limit, I promise ye willnae like my hospitality any longer.”
“I dinnae like it now,” Jane said crossly. She waved her hand in his direction. “Ye can leave. I’ll only be tying up the laces now.”
His jaw ticked, and his fingers flexed at his sides. She wondered if he was imagining those fingers around her neck. He looked to be contemplating such a thing right that moment. Jane grabbed the laces of the dress but struggled to tie them again and again. Then, the laird stalked forward until he loomed over her. His jaw twitched, and his eyes narrowed as he stared down at her.
“I could help ye with the matter of yer dress.”
Her face reddened again as she turned to admonish him. “A man shouldnae do such a thing, especially to an unwed lady.”
He raised one eyebrow and continued to look at her. Jane still struggled to tie the dress, to his obvious amusement.
“Ye need my help with those laces, lass. It would be more scandalous if anyone walks in on ye like that. And ‘tis nae my first time tying a woman’s laces.”
She snorted and shook her head in denial. “I never need yer help. Why, I’d rather anything than face the knowledge that ye helped with my dress, my laird.”