of an excuse that sounded likely, and then just settled for the truth. It was always easier to go with the truth. No lies to have to remember.
“He thinks ‘twill make ye like me more if I’m more ladylike and agreeable,” she admitted, and wasn’t terribly surprised when he stiffened, his eyes widening and then narrowing suspiciously.
“Why would he want that?”
“Because he’s worried about the message ye want to send to yer family,” she admitted. “He’s hoping if ye like us ye’ll be less likely to complain to yer brothers about being kidnapped and will no’ have them lay siege to Maclean to claim recompense,” she said dryly.
The shout of laughter that burst from him startled her slightly, but Evina smiled faintly as she watched him. He had a nice laugh, and his face was positively gorgeous lit up with humor as it presently was.
“But I was no’ kidnapped,” he said once his laughter faded, and then reminded her of her own words when he added, “Ye merely took me because ye felt it unsafe to leave a handsome bastard like meself naked and unconscious in the clearing on me own.”
“I ne’er said handsome,” she protested at once, flushing.
“So ye do no’ find me handsome?” he asked with a wounded expression.
“Well, aye, but—” Evina began with confusion, then cut herself off and scowled at him for tricking her into admitting as much when a grin replaced his feigned upset.
“But?” the Buchanan queried with a crooked smile.
“But ye’re bossy and cranky as old boots too,” she ended, her eyes narrowed.
“Are old boots cranky?” he asked with obvious amusement.
Evina scowled at him and reached for a cherry, but he grabbed the hollowed-out bread loaf Cook had set them in and pulled them out of her reach. Grinning at her consternation, he plucked one up by the stem and held it out toward her.
“Nah-ah,” he said when she reached for it. “Open yer mouth.”
Evina narrowed her eyes on him, but then her gaze slid to the cherry. It looked ever so succulent and sweet dangling there, the color a red so dark it was almost black. After a hesitation, she leaned forward and opened her mouth. When he lowered the cherry between her lips, she closed them and tugged, leaving him with the stem.
The Buchanan watched her with a smile and then popped a cherry into his own mouth and said quietly, “The message I want to send home is no’ to complain about the manner in which I came to be here.”
“Nay?” Evina asked, her suspicion plain.
“Nay,” he assured her. “While that was unfortunate, once here at Maclean I am the one who agreed to stay. No one made me, and I’m no’ a prisoner, so I’ve naught to complain about,” he assured her. “I wish only to let them ken where I am and that I’m well.”
“Oh,” Evina murmured, frowning as she considered how worried they must be. He’d just disappeared as far as they knew.
“So ye need no’ be especially nice or try to make me like ye,” he said with amusement.
“Good,” Evina said with relief, relaxing back on the fur.
“Would it have been such a trial to try to be nice to me?” he asked with curiosity.
“Aye,” Evina assured him, and then realizing how that sounded explained, “I’m no’ very good at that sort of thing. If I’m told to be nice to someone, I tend to do the opposite by accident.”
“By accident?” he asked with interest, and when she nodded, he raised his eyebrows. “How does that work?”
“I do no’ ken,” Evina admitted on a sigh. “I just get tense and tongue-tied, and usually end up insulting the person somehow.”
“So, if yer father told ye to be unkind to someone, would the opposite be true? Would ye then find it hard no’ to be nice to them?” he queried with amusement.
Evina smiled faintly at the question, and shrugged. “I do no’ ken. He’s ne’er asked me to be unkind to anyone.”
“Hmm.” He was silent for a minute and then asked, “How kind were ye supposed to be to me?”
Evina eyed the innocent expression he was giving her dubiously, and assured him, “No’ that kind. I’m his daughter, no’ the local lightskirt. If that’s what he’d wanted he’d have sent Betsy to yer room.”
“I do no’ have a room,” he reminded her. “I’ve been sleeping on a pallet in yer father’s room to stay close by in case he needs me.”
“Oh, aye.” Evina frowned slightly, and then assured him,