Page 81 of The Laird's Masked Desire
He was already turning toward the archway. Behind them the children began speaking all at once.
“Me lady fell through the roof!”
“She climbed up tae get the ba’!”
“It was Jamie’s throw!”
“It was nae!”
Cameron’s voice rose above the noise. “Enough, all of ye.”
Domhnall did not slow. Margaret twisted slightly in his arms, clearly attempting to regain some dignity, but he only held her tighter, almost as if letting go now would mean that he would be letting go of her forever. And that was not something he wanted to do.
“I am perfectly fine,” she said firmly. “And quite able tae walk on me own.”
Domhnall did not even look down at her. “Aye.”
“That means ye may put me down.”
“Nay.”
She frowned at the side of his face. “Ye are being unreasonable.”
“Ye climbed a roof that is twenty years old.”
“That is nae a crime.”
“Fer what?” he demanded.
Margaret’s lips curved. “A ball.”
Domhnall’s jaw tightened.
“A very important ball,” she added brightly.
He did not respond. The great doors of the castle loomed ahead as he crossed the courtyard with long strides, Margaret still cradled securely against him. Servants glanced up as they passed. Margaret noticed.
She lowered her voice as she spoke. “Everyone is staring.”
He still refused to look at her. “They may continue tae dae so.”
They climbed the stone stairs quickly. Margaret shifted again.
“I truly am nae hurt.”
“That remains tae be seen.”
“Ye caught me.” She was smiling through her words.
He knew that if he looked down at her, at those luminous eyes, he would forgive her everything, and she needed to learn a lesson. What was she thinking? She could have been gravely harmed, had he not been there.
“I did,” he responded both to her and to the little voice inside his head.
“So logically I cannae be injured,” she said philosophically.
“That is nae how falling works.”
Domhnall pushed open the chamber door with his shoulder and stepped inside. Only then did he lower her carefully onto the edge of the bed. Margaret straightened her skirts immediately.
