He pushed past her and started down the steps without waiting for her to acquiesce, acting as though her refusal wasn’t even an option. His archaicyou will do as I say, and I shall brook no argumentattitude both irritated and piqued her interest in him even more. Who was this guy and what was his deal?
Time to poke the Scottish bear.She couldn’t resist.
“Yeah, I’m weary, all right,” she called down after him from the top of the staircase. “I’m weary of dangling like a piñata in the middle of this late-night kitchen party—that’s why I’m heading into town. Alone. See ya.”
Ramsay froze midway in fetching her bag and his spear from the floor. Ever so slowly, he retrieved the items, straightened, then turned and studied her. His slate gray eyes narrowed and shifted to an even stormier shade. “Beg pardon?” he said through gritted teeth. He took a slow step toward her.
Ha!Katie ignored Ramsay and tossed a smile back at Sarinda. “It was a pleasure meeting you and I appreciate your hospitality.”
“The pleasure was all mine, lass,” Sarinda politely replied. “And dinna fret about moving on so quickly.” Her expression shifted to a smug look—dangerously so. Kind of like she’d just baited a trap and couldn’t wait to see to see it snap shut on Katie. “Yer quite welcome here, child. I assure ye.”
“Katie.” Ramsay had returned to the top of the stairs, his jaw locked in a stubbornwill you stop being difficultlook. “Ye’ll no’ leave here tonight, ye ken? ’Tis late, woman. Now follow me. Please.”
Katie just looked at him and smiled, not so much as twitching a muscle while she leaned against the stair rail.
“Now,” he repeated in a tone that could almost be described as a growling bark.
That was definitely the guttural sound she’d heard earlier, and she had to admit she kind of liked it.An endearing growl. Who knew?
“I’ll lead the way, aye?” He snorted out an impatient huff, gave her a curt nod, then started back down the stairs without a look back.
Anticipation shivered up Katie’s spine.I have stepped into the Scottish twilight zone and I kind of like that too.Shrugging away the heady feeling, Katie hurried to catch up with Ramsay and his long-legged stride. Luckily, her legs were just as long. In fact, Ramsay had seemed a bit irritated when he’d helped her stand and she’d looked him in the eye while standing flat-footed in front of him, but Katie had been relieved.
At least the man was the same height as she was, maybe even an inch or so taller and that was a refreshing change. She towered over most men she knew. Tall, gangly, and flat-chested, she was built more like a basketball player for the NBA rather than one of the cutsie curvy little cheerleaders. She’d decided long ago that was the reason she’d always been “one of the guys” instead of “one of the guys’ girls.”
“Now that we’re out of earshot of your mother, will you please tell me what that battle of wills was all about?” Katie matched her pace to his. “And tell me about your spear. Why is that such a sore subject between you and your mother? And this place? Who designed it?”
Ramsay gave her a side-eyed glare, walked faster, and hitched his grip to the middle of the spear and carried it at his side instead of banging the end of it against the stone flooring with each step like a lethal walking stick.
Time to change tactics. Ramsay needs to know I’m not the enemy if I’m ever going to get him talking about that spear and the history of the MacDaras.Katie smiled to herself. Little did Ramsay MacDara know, he was about to get a new best friend—a stubborn best friend. This place had her archeological senses humming. Shehadto find out its story…and finding it out from a guy like Ramsay was like a cherry on top of the sundae. She smiled.I love it when I get my second wind.
“You know…” Katie increased her stride to keep pace with his. “You’re going to force me to change my earlier classification of you.”
Ramsay halted midstep and faced her, groaning out a deep frustrated sound that appeared to have risen clear from his toes and gained momentum until it hissed out from between his clenched teeth. “Yer classification?”
“Yep.” Katie nodded and lifted her chin. “Knights in shining armor aren’t surly or moody. Now tell me what I said that sent everything straight to the shitter. I know it had something to do with that spear. Talk to me. I don’t like being on the outs with my personal hero and I’m not taking another step until we clear the air.” Katie crossed her arms and gave Ramsay her sternest professor stare that always worked on her research students—especially the newbies who had heard she could be a hard-ass if provoked.
For the first time since they’d arrived at the keep, Ramsay gave her a slow hard-won smile and huffed out a much lighter snort that could almost be labeled a sound of amusement. “Yer a stubborn one, I gi’ ye that. Is there no end to yer hardheadedness?”
“Nope. No end at all. Now. The spear…why a sore spot with your mother?”
“Family relic,” Ramsay finally said as he pointed down the hall with the spear. “The east wing is a bit farther down. Once yer settled in yer room, I’ll answer yer questions as best I can. Will that do ye?”
“Yes.”One victory down.She smiled and tried not to walk with a bounce in her step.
They walked down the long narrow hallway in silence until Ramsay came to a halt in front of an oak door that looked like it had been flown in from some castle in Europe. More heavy bolts with hammered hinges. Even the dented latch looked ancient and worn.
Ramsay propped his spear against the wall, lifted the barred latch, and pushed the door open. “Yer rooms, m’lady.”
Damn. Say that again…slower.
What a shame she was just passing through North Carolina. Of course, a guy like him probably already had somebody. But earlier, he did apologize for being in a mood. Maybe it was ajust broke up with somebodykind of mood.
Ramsay cleared his throat and pushed the door open wider.
Katie blinked.Shit. Stop it before you start drooling.“Um…no key?” Katie hurried into the room and examined the door closer. The latch was a wrought-iron bar that was simply lifted out of the u-shaped hardware attached to both the wall and door on the hallway side of the door. “How do you lock it?”
Ramsay demonstrated. He thunked a heavy-looking iron bar down in place on the bedroom side of the door. “This bar is placed across the door. None can enter without yer permission.”
