Highland Heiress - By Margaret Moore Page 0,61

when I’m with you,” she said with a disarming smile.

How could he resist? He had to bring her back into the circle of his arms. He had to kiss her again and was leaning down to do so when Mrs. McAlvey charged into the room.

“What on earth?!” the nurse cried as they jumped apart like guilty children caught stealing cake. “Tea and scones my right hind foot!”

Mrs. McAlvey came to a halt and waggled her finger. “I trusted you, Mr. McHeath, but when I go back upstairs, what do I find? Or not find? You’re down here! I thought you’d have more sense! If that wound’s opened again, I’ve a good mind to let you bleed to death!”

In spite of her annoyance and just condemnation for disobeying orders, Gordon was only a little embarrassed; he was much too happy to learn that Moira cared for him to be dismayed. Moira blushed, but otherwise didn’t look any more contrite.

He reached under his shirt and felt his bandage. “Dry as a bone, Mrs. McAlvey, so no need to fuss,” he said, although the wound was sore. “I did want some tea and scones, but I was feeling so well that I—”

“Thought you knew better than the doctor and me?” Her hands on her hips, she turned to address Moira. “If he didn’t have more sense, you should have, my lady. You should have sent him back upstairs at once.”

“I’m sorry,” she replied, managing to sound remorseful in spite of the happiness lurking in her eyes and the corners of her mouth.

How much he wanted to kiss her there! And on the tip of her delightful nose. And the soft lobes of her ears. The curve of her cheek.

The curve of her breast…

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with you—the pair of you!” Mrs. McAlvey declared as she took hold of Gordon’s arm as if he were an escaped convict. “Now back to bed, you stupid man, before I send to the doctor for something that’ll make you sleep for a week.”

“Yes, Mrs. McAlvey. I’ll do whatever you say, Mrs. McAlvey.”

“You should,” Moira agreed, “since you have to stay a few more days.”

“Yes, my lady,” he said, looking back at her over his shoulder, and giving her a saucy wink that was so unsolicitor-like, she had to laugh as she sat on the sofa and covered her warm cheeks with her hands.

In an instant, everything had changed. There was still her conflict with her father, and her school to be rebuilt, but knowing Gordon cared so much for her made her feel that the worst was over.

She would reconcile with her father. She would rebuild her school. She would have Gordon, and all would be well.

Even the dog was miserable as master and beast huddled in the narrow cave.

“How’s he goin’ t’ know where t’ find us?” Charlie grumbled as he stroked the head of his dog. “We’re nowhere near the meeting place.”

“We’re closer than you think,” Red replied as he crawled forward on his belly to look into the band of trees that covered the slope. They were about five miles from Dunbrachie, where the ground was more uneven and the river in more of a valley. He could see parts of it through the trees and the slight drizzle that added to their discomfort. “He himself told me where t’ go if I thought we had t’ hide better.”

“That other place was warmer. At least there was straw.”

“Aye, but we couldn’t stay there. Not after that dolt fell and killed himself.”

“Then why’d we go t’ all the trouble to move him? I thought we done that so we could stay where we was.”

“Too close for comfort.” Red shivered and muttered a sailor’s curse. “By God, he’s going to have to pay for keeping us waiting in this hole like worms.”

Charlie scratched one of the fleabites on his arm. “If he comes at all. It’s been too long, I tells ya. He ain’t comin’ a’tall. We been cheated. We done what he said, put our necks in the noose and all for naught.”

Red glared at him over his shoulder. “Shut yer gob.”

Charlie’s dog rose, growling.

With a triumphant grunt, Red raised himself on his elbows, then scrambled up on his hands and knees. “Here he comes! I told you he’d come!”

Red moved back from the opening and sat on his haunches, satisfaction on his face. “I told you!”

“Is he by himself?”

“Aye.” Red rose, standing as straight as he could beneath the