Page 10 of The Rogue’s Redemption

“From Sara. She told me about the family, and Catrina, when Graeme and I . . .” Her sister paused.

Allie did not mean to laugh. But she so loved to tease her sister about the circumstances surrounding her first encounter with Graeme. “Encountered each other in the garden?”

Gillian smiled, taking the jest as easily as she did each time. “Aye.”

“Well,” Allie said. “You’ve no cause for concern. He’s merely curious. I met him earlier, in the courtyard, and was taken aback by his . . .” There were so many things she could say. Allie settled for, “Arrogance.”

“Very well.” Gillian looked back toward the hall. “I really should go—”

“Attend to your guests. I believe I shall retire early.”

Gillian looked like she wished to say more, but having made her argument against Reid, one Allie took seriously, she simply smiled and bid her a good night.

Allie turned back toward the moon, staring at it once again. It fascinated her that her parents saw the very same moon when they looked up into the sky. Was her father easier to tolerate now that he no longer worried about their home being taken? More importantly, how much longer could she pacify him and his attempts to see her “safely wed”?

“Good evening, Lady Allie.”

Thank goodness the wall in front of her was higher than her waist. Otherwise, she may have toppled over it, so startled was she at the deep, unwanted voice.

* * *

“I never told you my name.” She turned slowly, addressing the man who’d so offended her sister at The Wild Boar.

“I know many things about you now that I did not know when we first met.”

The dark blue of her surcoat blended with the night sky, making the long, pale slope of her neck and elegant hands even more pronounced. He could hardly see much of her upon his initial approach. Now that she’d turned fully toward him, Reid could see the lady quite well.

He waited, and she did not disappoint him.

“Such as?”

It was simply too easy.

“You live here with your sister and her husband, though some believe the stay is temporary. Apparently Lord Lyndwood believes his youngest daughter is well past marriageable age. You’ve seen a few more than twenty summers?”

She didn’t answer.

“I believe you have.”

“I believe it is time for you to leave.”

Reid frowned. “Have I offended you in some way, my lady?”

Though he clearly had, she did not move to abandon him.

Yet.

“Why are you up here?”

He took a step toward her, the smell of rose petals wafting toward him as he moved. “The same reason you are, I suspect.”

Well aware that he was walking a fine line, Reid stopped his approach and abruptly turned his back to the wall and leaned against it.

“I was speaking privately with my sister.”

“About me?”

The look on her face said it all. She wanted to rail against him, push him out of the way and leave. Surprisingly, she did not. Yet her expression hardly changed.