Scot to the Touch (The Hots for Scots #7) - Caroline Lee Page 0,20

do dislike ye,” Vina hissed, trying to tug her hand out of his grip. “I’d rather be wooed by a rabid goat than the likes of ye.”

“I dinnae think goats can catch rabies,” he offered, his smirk beginning to slip. “And how can ye say such a thing? After last night, I was certain ye were warming to me.”

“Ye mean last night, when I sat here at this table and thoroughly ignored ye?” Vina spat out.

“Nay, lass, I mean last night when ye discovered the secret passage and—”

With a gasp, Davina pulled her hand from Kiergan’s and shoved herself to her feet in one move. “I dinnae ken what game ye’re playing at, milord, but—”

“Aye, milord,” growled Kiergan, now frowning as he braced his palms against the table. “ ’Tis what ye called me last night when ye offered yerself to me.”

Kat groaned.

Davina’s face had gone white as she stumbled away from the table. “How dare ye?” she hissed. “I would never offer myself to a man such as ye! A—a—whore.”

Kiergan’s blue eyes had gone cold, but he lifted a brow in challenge. “Ye would call me that?” Before she had a chance to answer, he made a little disgusted sound and shook his head. “Nay, I dinnae mean that. But just ken, Davina, that I will be speaking with yer grandda about yer hand.”

Kat blurted out, “A betrothal?” at the same time Evelinde hummed, and said, “Ye’ve always been verra much against marriage, Kier.”

Davina lurched toward the steps, shaking her head.

Kiergan watched her go. “Aye, I was,” he murmured, “because I hated the thought of fooking only one woman for all eternity. But things have changed.”

Her heart began pounding loudly enough that the bairn slowly lifted his head.

Kiergan was speaking about her. He was speaking about what they’d shared last night. Was he saying he’d enjoyed it enough to give up his wandering ways and resign himself to sleeping with one woman…thanks to her?

She swallowed. “The—the fact that she doesnae want to marry ye, does that mean aught?”

He sighed, then scrubbed a hand across his handsome face. “Aye, lass,” he offered with a tired smile. “It does. And I dinnae particularly feel a need to marry a woman who cannae look at me without disgust in her eyes. I dinnae ken why yer sister pretends to hate me—”

“I dinnae think ‘tis pretend,” Kat hurried to explain.

But Kiergan just shook his head, his gaze turning almost indulgent, as if he knew many things she did not.

Thanks to yer lie last night, he thinks he does.

“She might claim she dislikes me, but she showed me last night that she cares, at least on some level. I’ve nae need to marry her, but after—” He bit off his words and shook his head. “Och, well, I’ve nae need to besmirch her reputation. But I suspect yer grandda and I have much to discuss.”

Shite.

Shite, shite, shite!

Davina had been brought to Oliphant Castle to marry Kiergan in order to unite their clans. Kiergan didn’t want to marry her, but he’d happily tupped her last night; at least, he’d tupped a woman he’d thought was Davina. So this morning, feeling guilty, he was going to offer for her.

And it was all Katlyn’s fault.

Fault? Nay, ‘tis no’ a fault. ‘Tis a boon, is it no’?

Katlyn had known Grandda wanted Davina to marry Kiergan, and she was willing to help the match along for the betterment of the MacKinnon clan. She’d known that even when she’d come up with the scheme to offer herself to Kiergan so she could experience pleasure at least once in her life.

So why now did she feel as if her heart were breaking?

Luckily, Kiergan was still staring at the staircase, frowning. And Evelinde was just straightening from where she’d been helping her son.

“Excuse me,” Katlyn murmured, carefully pulling the bairn away from her shoulder. “I just remembered something I need to— I have to go.” She thrust the wee lad into his mother’s arms, then hurried to swing her legs and her skirts over the bench.

“Are ye well?” Evelinde had time to ask, before Katlyn pushed herself to her feet.

Refusing to look at Kiergan, Kat smoothed her hands down her blue kirtle and offered a tight smile. “I am fine, thank ye.” She couldn’t go up to her chamber, not if Davina were there already, but mayhap she could go into the village and wander about. That should cool her head and calm her heart a bit.

Offering a small curtsey, she tried