Page 71 of The Laird's Masked Passion
“Dinnae dare laugh.” Elspeth muttered. “If ye dae, I shall dismiss ye.Badly. With nae references.”
Skye made a strangled sound and covered it with a cough. “I would never.”
“Ye absolutely would.”
“Aye, perhaps.”
The absurdity eased something in Elspeth’s chest, but only for a moment. Then the deeper confusion returned, warm and restless.
“He said things,” she confessed. “Improper things.”
Skye grew attentive. “How improper?”
“Very.”
Skye leaned forward. “How very?”
Elspeth looked horrified. “I cannae repeat them.”
“Ye must… fer moral guidance.”
“Ye have nay morals tae guide me with.”
“Nae, but I have curiosity,” Skye chuckled.
Despite herself, Elspeth laughed once, then pressed a hand to her mouth as if the sound betrayed her.
Her voice dropped. “He said that women can feel pleasure.”
Skye’s teasing vanished. For a few seconds, they only looked at each other.
“Can they?” Skye whispered.
Elspeth’s blush returned fiercely. “How should I ken?”
“But did he seem certain?”
“Laird MacKenzie is always certain. It is among his most unbearable qualities.”
“And yet?”
Elspeth looked down. “And yet I think… perhaps he may nae be wrong.”
Skye’s eyes widened.
Elspeth hurried on, mortified now that the words begun and seemed determined to ruin her. “Nae that I enjoyed anything. I am nae saying that. I endured several things with composure.”
“Several?”
She frowned. “Dinnae seize upon the wrong part.”
“I am trying tae seize upon all parts equally.”
Elspeth groaned and covered her face with both hands. “He kissed me.”
“At the wedding?”
“In the garden.”
