Page 52 of Desire of a Highlander

Ronan’s jaw tightened at the sight of her. “What can I do for ye, Faye?”

The healer glanced at Elodie. “In private maybe?”

“Here’s just fine.”

Faye fixed him with a glare. “Fine. Ye know why I’ve come. Ye canna keep putting this off, Ronan.”

He scrubbed a hand through his hair, looked away, then sighed. “I dinna wish to have this conversation again.”

“Do ye not? Then today just isnae yer day. Because we are going to have it.”

Elodie looked between the two of them, wondering what was going on.

“The danger is getting closer,” Faye said. “If last night is anything to go by.”

Last night? Elodie thought. What about last night? His message said everything was fine. Had something happened that he’d not told her about?

“I handled it,” Ronan growled.

“This time.” Faye’s gaze hardened. “What about next time? How many warnings do ye need? Will someone have to get seriously hurt before ye act?”

“What exactly do ye want from me?” Ronan growled, temper flaring. “I’ve done all I can!”

Faye wasn’t in the least intimidated by his anger. “No. Ye havenae. There is still one thing ye could do and we both know it.”

The words seemed to hit him like a punch to the stomach. He turned away. “No.”

“Ronan—”

“I said no!” His yell echoed through the clearing. “I left all that behind! We agreed long ago that this would be a place where a person’s past doesnae matter.”

“Aye, but there is one crucial difference isnae there?” Faye snapped back. “Ye have a past that could save us all!”

Ronan glared at her but Faye glared right back, tension crackling in the air between them. For a second, neither spoke. Then Ronan turned and marched away, the dogs racing behind.

Faye stared after him. “Bloody stupid, stubborn man,” she muttered under her breath. Then she stomped off in the other direction.

Elodie was left alone in the clearing, wondering what the hell she’d just witnessed. What had Faye been talking about? And why had it angered Ronan so much? She hesitated, wondering if she should go after Faye or Ronan.

She chose Ronan.

She was puffing for breath by the time she caught up with him out in the woods that bordered the Steading. He must have heard her coming but he didn’t slow until she ran up behind him and grabbed his arm.

“Wait!”

Reluctantly, he came to a halt and turned to face her. Anger flashed in his blue eyes.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“I’m fine.”

“Really? Because you don’t look it. What happened last night? You said everything was okay.”

“It was. There were some people at the waymeet, that’s all.”

“More refugees?”

He shook his head. “No.” He hesitated. “They were part of the same group that attacked Thomas in the woods. They work for a Lord and Lady Murdoch. They’re looking for the Steading.”