Page 12 of Kiss Me, Macrae
“Through our Christmas party, of course,” the countess added.
“I wouldnae dream of missing it.”
“Excellent. Oh, I almost forgot.” Lady Darrow turned to her husband. “Mr. Fletcher wanted to talk with you about the plan to repair the western road.”
“I thought the issue had been resolved.”
The countess shrugged. “Apparently not.”
“If you’ll excuse me, Miss Smithson. Macrae.”
“And me as well,” the countess added. “There is something I must check on before we head in to dinner.”
“Of course,” Miss Smithson said graciously, though Baird noted the stiffening of her shoulders as she watched the other couple walk away.
She waited only until their hosts were out of earshot before turning to him. “You could have told me you’d be here tonight,” she muttered in a harsh whisper.
Baird lowered his chin. It wasn’t easy to hold back the smile that threatened at the hint of indignation in her tone. The woman didn’t like being caught off guard. “I said I’d be seein’ ye again soon. Ye didnae believe me?”
Something bright flashed in her eyes but was quickly smothered before she cast her gaze over the room. “I certainly didn’t expect to encounter you in the Darrows’ drawing room.”
“It cannae be any more surprising than meetin’ atop a mountain…or wakin’ in my bed.”
She met his direct gaze with one of her own. “You should not speak so freely.”
“Why not? The words are just between the two of us. No one’s concerning themselves with our conversation.” It was true. The other guests were too busy conversing amongst themselves as long and old acquaintances did. No one was the slightest bit concerned about the conversation occurring in their private corner of the room.
Seeming to acknowledge that truth, she gave a slight tilt of her head. “You had plenty of opportunity yesterday to clarify your relationship with the Darrows, yet you didn’t. Why?”
“I didnae think the issue has anything tae do with what’s between us.”
“There is nothing between us.” When he simply smiled in response to her denial, she gave him a narrowed look. “I think you enjoy antagonizing me.”
“That could be true.” His voice lowered as he eased a bit closer to her. “I do find a great deal of pleasure in rousing yer…passionate nature.”
“I do not have a passionate nature.”
“Ye do with me,” he argued gently.
Her eyes darkened in a way that had his body hardening. Was she thinking of how she’d melted in his arms? How she’d nearly reduced him to a trembling, overeager lad?
For a moment, he was certain she was.
Then her posture stiffened as an obvious shift came over her, chasing away the heat. She looked back out over the room. “Tell me you did not reveal our prior encounters to the earl.”
The strain in her voice was concerning, as was the tension in her jaw and the shadow in her gaze. Baird angled his body toward hers in an instinctive gesture of protection. “I only mentioned our chance meeting yesterday. Did ye think I’d tell him of the more intimate moments between us?” Her eyes narrowed, confirming she’d suspected exactly that. “Och, lass,” he murmured thickly. “I’d never betray yer honor in such a way.”
Her brown eyes found his once again. Pride and distrust were carefully banked but still evident in her gaze. “Until it benefits you to do so,” she clarified stiffly.
She spoke with the certainty of experience and a hot rush of anger pressed out from his chest. Someone had betrayed her. Dishonored her. A lover?
The thought had him curling his hands into fists. He stepped toward her and his voice was thick with promise. “Who behaved this way toward ye? Give me a name and he’ll come tae regret learning mine.”
Her eyes searched his for a moment—deeply and intensely—before she gave a subtle shake of her head. “He is not worth the time,” she whispered, so softly he barely heard it.
“I dinnae doubt it. But ye are.”
Her chin tipped upward. “I don’t need anyone to fight my battles for me.”