Never Seduce a Scot (The Montgomerys and Armstrongs #1)(53)

Bowen sighed. “Your temper always makes trouble for you, Rorie. You have to learn to control your tongue.”

Rorie looked near tears and her gaze was solidly fixed on Eveline, who still stared down at the bowl in front of her.

Graeme reached for Eveline’s hand, but it was in her lap, her fingers balled into a fist. He touched her arm instead and she glanced up in question, as if all this time she’d been focused on eating and hadn’t been privy to Rorie’s outburst.

“She didn’t mean it, Eveline,” Graeme said.

Eveline’s eyes widened in pretend confusion, and then she looked down again, but she never glanced in Rorie’s direction. Her lips trembled, betraying her upset, and it was all Graeme could do not to carry her away from everyone. Take her up to their chamber and away from the world, where no one could hurt her again.

Rorie started to rise, but Graeme motioned her down. “Not now, Rorie. You’ve done enough.”

“But I didn’t mean it,” Rorie said, distress obvious in her voice. “I can’t allow her to think it a moment longer. What I said … What I said makes me no better than the women who maligned her. It makes me worse because she trusted me.”

“She’s right,” Bowen said quietly. “Allow her to speak to Eveline, Graeme. If she doesn’t, it will only hurt the both of them, and Eveline has already had an upsetting enough day.”

Graeme reached for Eveline’s hand, this time prying it from her lap and then gently uncurling her fingers. He raised it to his mouth and brushed a kiss over her palm. She looked shocked by the public display of affection. Her eyes were wide and her mouth open as she stared at him.

“Allow Rorie to state her case, Eveline. She didn’t mean to hurt you. Look at her. See how upset she is.”

Slowly Eveline turned, her gaze reluctantly going to Rorie, who by now was in tears, her nose red and eyes puffy. Eveline’s lips turned down unhappily as if she couldn’t bear the sight of Rorie’s distress, even though Rorie had hurt her with her careless words.

Rorie shot up from her seat and hurried around, kneeling between Graeme and Eveline. She took Eveline’s hand from Graeme and turned so she was facing Eveline directly.

“I did not mean it the way you heard—saw—it. When you first arrived, Graeme came to me—”

Rorie was talking so fast that Eveline was looking at her in complete bewilderment.

Graeme put his hand on his sister’s shoulder. “Rorie, slow down. Start over. She cannot understand because you’re speaking too fast.”

Rorie took a deep breath and then began again, speaking more calmly.

“Graeme came to me because he wanted me to spend time with you, to make you more comfortable, and I bargained with him because I wanted him to send for Father Drummond so he could teach me to read and to write. I fully expected to hate you, or at the very least be only able to tolerate you, at best. Whatever my bargain with Graeme was, it had no bearing on our friendship, I vow it. You must believe me, Eveline. I do not want to lose your regard.”

Eveline stared searchingly at her for a long moment and then finally allowed a small smile. Then she leaned down and kissed Rorie’s cheek.

“I’ll forgive you if I can sit in on your lessons with Father Drummond.”

Rorie laughed and then launched herself at Eveline so hard, she nearly knocked them both from the bench. Bowen reacted quickly and caught Eveline before she fell backward.

Rorie hugged her tightly and then drew away so Eveline would see her mouth. “Of course you’ll sit with me during the lessons. I’d be terribly bored without you.”

Eveline squeezed her hand and then released it so Rorie could go back to her seat.

Graeme touched Eveline’s arm in silent support. Then he mouthed the words so no one else would hear.

“You’re very generous, Eveline. Thank you for that. Rorie would have been terribly upset over the thought of hurting you. She’s young and until now has been very much alone, devoid of the company of other women even though she’s surrounded by the women of our clan. She’s attached herself to you. It will be good for her to spend time with another woman.”

Eveline smiled slightly and then glanced back at Rorie, who was eating in silence. When she looked back at Graeme, she said in a very low voice, “I like her, too, and enjoy her company.”

“Give the rest of the clan time,” he said. “I’ve no doubt you’ll win them over as well.”

Eveline shrugged. Maybe she didn’t believe him. He doubted it was that she didn’t care. He’d seen how much it hurt her to field the attacks from the women. She had a tender heart and a gentle spirit. If anyone deserved kindness, it was she.

And he’d do everything necessary to ensure she received it. From him. From his clan.

If anyone had ever told him he’d feel so strongly about protecting someone named Armstrong, he would have laughed in their face. And yet here he sat with Tavis Armstrong’s daughter, knowing that he’d do anything at all to ensure her happiness.

CHAPTER 25

After the meal, many of the clansmen gathered in the sitting area before the fire. Eveline watched from her seat at the table to see what it was they discussed. But all she could see was casual talk of the day, the training the men were undergoing. Two of the men engaged in a discussion of sheep and another joined after a moment when they began to talk horses.