Chapter Six #3
“Of a certain I am concerned. We are in the garden!” The look of confusion that passed over his handsome face made her want to hit him even though she knew most of her growing anger was aimed right at her own weakness. “Anyone could see us.”
Harcourt opened his mouth to argue that when a young male voice called out to her.
A moment later young Gavin hurried over to them, having spotted them from the moment he had entered the garden.
The chances of such a thing happening every time he sought to steal a kiss in the garden were very small, but one look at Annys’s face told him it would be wise if he kept that opinion to himself.
She looked briefly horrified and embarrassed before she assumed that calm, sweet expression he had begun to call her m’lady face.
“The MacQueen laird has sent an answer,” Gavin said.
Seeing no missive in his hand, Annys asked, “Did ye put it in the ledger room ere ye came to find me?”
“Nay, he didnae write anything. He told me to tell you he needed to ponder his answer a wee bit and would send it on soon.”
“Ponder his answer?” Annys shook her head.
“Thank ye, Gavin.” The moment the youth walked away, she looked at Harcourt.
“What is there for the mon to ponder? I asked him to do something about the trouble his son was causing me. A simple aye or nay, or e’en a my son can do no wrong reply was all that was needed. ”
Harcourt stood up, reached out to her in the hope of easing her agitation, and then tried not to wince when she smoothly moved out of the way. “He but delays, makes ye wait.”
“Wait for what?”
He shrugged. “For him to see for himself if what ye told him was true? To keep ye waiting and thinking he might help so that his son has more time to ready his next attack? All I am certain of is that the mon plays some game. I am just nay exactly sure which one.”
“Which do ye think is the most probable?”
“That he tries to make ye think ye could find help there and so will wait and do nothing else.”
“Thus, as you said, giving Sir Adam that time he needs to ready himself for his next strike.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try to tamp down a rising anger, then looked at him again.
“Weel, he will soon see that I am nay such a weak fool. We shall continue to do whate’er is needed to protect ourselves. And I hate this,” she added softly.
When he moved to take her into his arms, thinking only to comfort her, she evaded him again. “What is wrong? I but meant to try to ease the pain I heard in your voice when ye spoke.”
Annys studied his face, seeing no lie there.
She doubted the embrace would have remained one of only comfort, however.
She was not being vain in believing that he wanted her, was just not sure it was a want as whole-hearted as the one she had for him.
As with too many men, Harcourt’s wanting probably sprang from just one part of him while hers was rooted so deep inside it was as much a part of her as breathing.
“Then I thank ye for that thought,” she said.
“And, aye, this is a matter which causes me great pain. I simply cannae understand how anyone could wish harm upon a child or a place as fine as this just for their own gain. And that is all Adam sees when he looks at Glencullaich. Gain. His gain. He would bleed this place dry if he got his hands on it. I willnae allow that. I willnae play his father’s sly games, either. ”
“Good, although I wasnae verra worried that ye would cry a halt to all we are doing just to wait on that mon’s word.” He held out his hand. “Sit with me for a wee while and we can discuss it all.”
Harcourt inwardly cursed when he saw wariness creep into her expression. He was not surprised, however. It had been an awkward ploy. For reasons he could not fathom, he lost all his reputed wooing skills when dealing with Annys.
“I begin to think ye play a wee sly game as weel, Sir Harcourt Murray.”
“Me? What game would I play with you, sweet Annys?”
“Seduction. Weel, ye can cease playing for I am wise to you now.”
Harcourt watched her walk away and slowly smiled.
It was freeing, in a way, that she now understood he was trying to seduce her.
He had discovered that his well-practiced seduction ploys did not work well on a woman who had never played the game.
Such ploys were for the more worldly wise ladies, not one like Annys.
The fact that he wanted to win this prize with a desperation that surprised him made him clumsy at the game anyway.
Now he could openly hunt her down and he found he was heartily looking forward to that.
He walked toward the bailey to rejoin the others in training the men.
Annys was still giving him a free hand in firming up Glencullaich’s defense.
Sir Adam’s father had badly misjudged the intelligence of the woman he was dealing with.
There would be no pause as she waited for his reply.
In truth, Harcourt had every intention of working harder and faster.