Page 45 of Ruined By the Ruthless Highlander
When her maid stepped behind her, pinning up her hair and exposing her slender neck to his view, Lachlan swallowed hard. He looked away quickly, his gut stirring as though he’d crossed a line he had not meant to approach.
It was the same unwelcome heat he had felt the previous evening at the well.God help me.
He had meant to humble her out of Glen Carrick. Everything he’d done today had been intended to remind her of her place. And yet, here he was, carried away admiring how well she seemed to fit in it.
He shook his head.
’Tis all a ruse. It has to be.
He cleared his throat and strode toward her, his expression hardening into something colder.
Marian stood up graciously, despite her situation. The sun hit her face as she turned to him, settling softly on her cheekbones, nose, and lips. She held her chin high, not bothering to wipe her muddy hands on the rag her maid had handed to her. Instead, she smiled at him.
Her smile was polite, paling in comparison to the laughter she’d shared earlier with the lads.
Lachlan felt an unwelcome sting deep in his chest.
“My Laird.” She dipped into a polite curtsy, and he clenched his jaw harder.
“Ye’re interferin’,” he said the words to spite her.
An emotion quickly flashed across her face, though he barely caught it.
Marian held his gaze, her smile lingering for a moment longer than necessary.
Lachlan had come. Despite everything he’d done to show her that she wasn’t welcome on his land—if it was even his—he had come to see what she was doing.
Perhaps he’s tired and ready to give up.
The thought pleased her more than it should have.
A tinge of satisfaction stirred in her chest before she pushed it aside.
“My Laird.” She curtsied, and when she looked up at him again, his frown had deepened.
Her fingers curled slightly at her sides, still stained with mud from mending the fence. Her chest warmed in a way she would never admit out loud, and she steadied her breath before he noticed the pulse in her throat.
“Ye’re interferin’,” he said, his lips barely moving. His voice was rough and low, and his eyes darkened as she stood before him.
She ought to have felt embarrassed, standing outside in such a state in front of him and the boys she’d just gotten acquainted with. Her hem was heavy with mud, her sleeves were undone, and her hair was barely held together by a random string that Lilly had found somewhere in the courtyard.
And yet, she did not. Rather, she felt free in a way she’d only ever dared to imagine back in London.
She looked at Lachlan, resolved not to give in to this feeling without putting up a good fight first.
Perhaps this is precisely what I need.
Lachlan’s throat bobbed, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her. Her breath caught for the briefest moment before she steadied herself, still holding his darkening gaze.
Very well. If he wishes to play this game, I shall meet him in it.
“No, my Laird,” she said sweetly to throw him off. “I am only observing.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The kitchen became Marian’s territory sooner than she had expected.
It started with tea the day after she had arranged the pantry. The kitchen maids failed to find the herbs needed for her brew, so they sought Lilly to help in their search.
