Page 75 of Ruined By the Ruthless Highlander
Her lips parted slightly.
I expected the flattery to work.
Marian met his eyes squarely, a small frown forming on her face. “I do not need your permission,” she said defiantly.
His mouth twitched faintly. “Good. Because ye’re nae gettin’ it.”
“You cannot?—”
“But I will ride with ye.”
Marian’s breath caught. She had expected him to forbid her from going entirely, not this.
“Fine,” she said, though her voice came out softer than she’d intended.
Lachlan’s eyes held hers for a moment longer than necessary, and her heart flipped. But now, it had nothing to do with being startled in the dark.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Lachlan stood in the stables with the reins in his hands.
He glanced toward the path that led down to the main castle, shifting slightly on his feet. His jaw tightened, setting his expression in a firm scowl as the thought settled more squarely in his mind.
He had never ridden with anyone before. Not as a boy, and certainly not as a man. And yet, he had offered to ride with Marian without thinking it through.
His frown deepened as he led his horse out of the stables, his fingers tightening around the reins.
’Tis certainly a bad idea.
He met Marian at the entrance. His gaze swept over her light blue dress, his head shaking at how entirely unsuited it was for the journey ahead.
She must think this is a fancy London trip.
She wore a pair of lace gloves that reached her elbows, her usual leather shoes, and a shawl that looked like it might fall apart in the cold. Her back was turned to him, and her chestnut-brown hair fell in waves down her back, the color appearing red under the early morning sun.
Lachlan cleared his throat, and she turned around to look at him, her polite smile fading once her eyes fell on his golden-maned horse.
He could nearly predict her words from the look on her face.
“My Laird,” she said, bobbing a shallow curtsy. “I presume our carriage is being prepared?”
She took a hesitant step forward, glancing behind him with a hint of eagerness in her eyes.
Laughter tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he coughed to mask it.
“Nay carriage,” he answered, giving her a moment to make sense of the situation.
He watched the shift in her expression with quiet patience.
Her eyebrow arched. “Whatever does that mean?”
Lachlan let out a breath.
She isnae goin’ to take this well.
“I daenae ride in carriages,” he said, resting his arm against his horse. “I daenae find them safe.”
Marian scoffed lightly, folding her arms across her chest in disbelief. “Very well, then, my Laird. You shall ride your horse, and I shall follow in my carriage.”
