Page 41 of Desire of a Highlander

The silence stretched.

“You could teach them,” Elodie said at last. “The villagers, I mean.”

“Teach them what?”

“How to defend themselves.” She took a step forward. “Shall we stop dancing around the truth? We both know you’re a warrior. I saw you practicing with that sword of yours and it’s also very clear you know how to handle that pistol.”

His expression darkened. “That’s not something I’m proud of. I do what I must. Doesnae mean I have to like it.”

“Perhaps not. But you could still teach them to defend themselves.”

“No.”

“Ronan—”

“I said no!”

The force in his voice startled her. He crossed the room, staring out the tiny window with his back to her. “They are farmers and crofters,” he said softly. “I willnae turn them into something they aren’t.”

“But if the bandits come?”

“The lads and I will deal with it.”

“You and the lads? You mean the group you took today? There are only five of you.”

His jaw clenched. She could see a tiny vein throbbing in his temple. She forged ahead regardless.

“Ronan I’m not suggesting you turn them into a band of cutthroats. I’m just suggesting you teach them how to protect their homes.”

He laughed harshly and turned to face her. “That’s how it starts.”

“Standing your ground isn’t aggression.”

His eyes flashed. “What would ye know about it? What could yer pampered life have taught ye about any of this?”

“I beg your pardon? I am not pampered!”

“Are ye not? It’s clear from yer clothes and yer jewelry that ye are a noblewoman. That ye’ve never had to live through the hardships these people have. And yet ye still think ye know what’s best for them.”

Anger flared in Elodie’s chest. Pampered? Never endured hardship? “How dare you? You know nothing about me!”

Something shifted behind his eyes. Something equally angry. Equally frustrated. “Then why dinna ye tell me? Who are ye, Elodie? Where are ye from? Who is waiting for ye back home?”

She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She couldn’t answer any of his questions without sounding completely insane.

His expression hardened. “That’s what I thought. Faye tells me yer head wound doesnae account for yer memory loss. So what does?”

“You expect me to tell you everything when you tell me exactly nothing? Trust works both ways, Ronan Campbell.” She slammed her cup down on the table. “Thank you for the drink.”

She stormed out, letting the door slam behind her. Outside, evening air rushed against her face, but it didn’t cool her anger. Who did he think he was, speaking to her like that? Yet, a small traitorous part of her whispered that he was right. She didn’t know anything about these people’s lives and had no right to think she did.

You’re doing it again, Elodie, she thought. You’ve found yourself a new crusade and you’re letting it blind you to everything else.

She felt tears beginning to gather in her eyes. What was she doing? This wasn’t her fight. She didn’t belong here with these people. With him.

The problem was, she didn’t know quite where she did belong.

THE IRON WASN’T AT fault. Ronan knew that. The glowing bar resting on the anvil was not the source of his anger, yet he brought the hammer down on it with as much force as he could all the same.