you’re tough to take down. I’ve yet to see any tears, and most women I know cry when a drop of rain hits them. Tough would be a more accurate description. Does that offend you?”
She pursed her lips, chewing over his answer. To be called tough was, to her mind, a better compliment than beautiful. “Nay, you have not offended me, but ‘sparkly’ is not a word I’d use to describe myself.”
“Well, I’m rather fond of my name for you.”
She gave him a light tap on his shoulder with one of her arrows, something he probably didn’t even feel through the thick fabric of his tunic. Then she glanced up and down his body, pleased to see her first assessment had been correct. Derric had been working hard to build his upper body size and strength.
“Enough jesting,” she said, tearing her gaze away from his body. “Why are you here?”
“I came to visit my sister…and you. Is that not allowed?” he asked, setting his stance wide and crossing his arms. “She is here, is she not?”
“Aye, she’s here, but I can tell you’re hiding something,” she said, moving about the meadow to collect her arrows to return them to the quiver. She could sense it in the way she knew things.
What secrets did Derric Corbett hold?
She bent over to retrieve an arrow, glancing back at him—only to catch him staring straight at her arse, his gaze quite pleased with what he saw. She bolted upright.
Something flickered on his face, but he recovered quickly. “I have naught to hide. But I can tell something is wrong. What happened?”
“Naught. Why do you ask?” She bent over again for the next arrow and watched him, not surprised to see his mouth drop open. If a huge pine had been felled next to him, sending a hundred crows into flight, she doubted he’d have noticed.
She stood up and turned to him, a wee smile on her face because now she had something she could use against him.
He knew his lips had a special way of tormenting her. That she couldn’t change.
But now she knew he liked her arse.
“You can’t fool me, Diamond. You may have an uncanny ability to guess the future, but I have my own special skill.”
“You do?” she drawled. “Please do tell. I’ve been trying to determine if you have any at all.”
“My skill is the ability to tell when something is bothering you. And whatever ’tis, I can see ’tis weighing heavily on you. What has you so upset?”
She responded with a loud sigh and said, “Two Scottish sheriffs came to warn us that the English are after Grandsire again.”
“Who sent them?” His expression turned serious, his comportment telling her he was as upset by this news as she was, though of course that was impossible.
No one worried about her grandfather the way she did. Mayhap Alasdair had before he’d started a family with Emmalin, but now he was more focused on his wife and children. Her other cousins were no better, both of them newly married, turned daft from marriage, sex, and the possibility of bairns. Nay, it was up to her to guard Alex Grant. She was the only one who could think clearly.
But only if Derric wasn’t around to cloud her mind with his hard biceps and long blond locks. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. “Edward’s son, the new king. He’s a fool, but we’re inclined to take the threat seriously. Grandsire may not be safe here anymore. I may have to return to Grant land with him.”
“That would be perfect,” he said, a sly grin building on his face.
“Why?” she asked, drawing it out.
“Because I’m headed north. Mayhap you’d like to travel with me. Edward’s son will not let up and King Robert could use your skills. He needs to convince a few ornery Scots to support him instead of this daft new English king.”
Her arrows all packed up, she said, “Only if Grandsire decides to travel that way. I go with him. Come inside, you can visit with Joya for a few days, then we’ll decide who is going where.”
She made it over to her horse and had just settled her things when she found herself airborne. Landing on her saddle with a huff, she shouted, “I can mount my own horse, if you please.”
“I do not doubt the truth of that statement, but it would have denied me the chance to touch you.”
“I suppose you’re going to keep trying that the