The Highlander's Secret(23)
“Now, lads, that’s what I call a pretty picture,” he told them with a grin. “I’ve never seen anything quite as beautiful as a woman on her knees.”
Scott and Murray laughed at his little joke, but Jain’s cheeks flushed as she stood up hastily to brush the leaves off her apron.
“What do ye want, Conrad?”
“Oh, dinnae be like that,” he scolded. “I was just telling my friends how lovely ye are, tis all. Ye should take it as a compliment.”
“Fine, I accept yer compliment. Now be on yer way and leave.”
Murray laughed, “Be careful, Conrad. This one has teeth.”
Conrad grinned, leaning in to lick his lips while raking his eyes across her body, his black hair hanging down across his shoulders and said, “Ye ken, Jain, ye really should be nicer to me. I was just here the other day asking yer da if he’d consider giving me yer hand in marriage. Surely, that proves my affection and entitles me to a certain level of civility.”
Jain snickered at the ridiculous suggestion Eamon would even consider such an offer. She could only imagine how that conversation went and tried to stifle a laugh at his expense. “Ye asked my da to marry me?”
Conrad nodded, his arrogant smile never failing.
“Interesting, since this is the first time I’ve even heard of it. He must not have approved.”
The warrior’s smile faded. “I’m sure yer da would change his mind if ye let him ken that I was amiable. Keenan wouldn’t deny such a humble request if it came from his own niece.”
She flinched away from him when he came nearer. His breath reeked of ale when he spoke to her and had the bitter hint of body odor. Jain’s nose crinkled at the smell, appalled that Conrad would be drunk this early in the day. Having the casual drink was one thing, but his speech and behavior was clearly beyond what could be considered socially acceptable. He was potted.
“Are ye drunk?” she asked.
This time it was Scott who laughed, while crossing his arms in front of his chest. “I dinnae ken we ever stopped after the festival!”
“And why would I?” Conrad chuckled. “After all it’s a celebration. Who are ye to judge a man fer when he’s been drinking?”
Jain turned to him and smiled, knowing that she had the upper hand for the first time since he arrived. “Ye’re absolutely right. I’m in nae position to judge ye for having a drink, it’s none of my business. I could probably change their minds if I wanted to, but that’s never going to happen, Conrad. What makes ye think I would ever accept yer hand in marriage?”
“I could take care of ye, and provide a lovely home. Ye shouldn’t dismiss my affection so carelessly. Women like fer their men to take care of them, telling them what to say and do. Tis proper and good that way. Ye should be nae different.”
Conrad stepped towards her once again and Jain stiffened. Every muscle in her body tensed when he came nearer. There were whispers about him from the other girls in the village. He made all of them uncomfortable with his leering gazes and sense of entitlement. Just because he was skilled warrior and hunter, Conrad seemed to think that he could get away with anything.
Without warning or permission, he reached up and brushed his hands across her cheek, scraping Jain’s delicate skin with his callouses. “Such spirit,” Conrad mused. “And yet, so quiet and lovely at the same time. Ye’ll make the perfect wife one day once ye’ve been sufficiently broken. All ye need is a good, strong man who kens his way around a woman’s body to give it to ye. I’d be more than happy to show ye how it’s done.”
“Get away from me!”
The large man scowled, his eyes narrowed with unspent anger. She strode past him to continue with the wash, but he grabbed her by the arm and whirled her around to look at him.
“I’d thank ye to treat me with more respect, lass. One of these days ye might not be so lucky. Yer da cannae afford to support ye living here forever. It’s high time ye accepted that and start looking fer a husband. Ye should be honored that I even took a liking to ye to begin with. I doubt anyone else will make such a generous offer.”
Jain knew perfectly well that nothing he said was true, it was just Conrad’s way of shaming her to make her feel less than human. “I’ve seen how ye treat yer women. Weren’t ye making eyes at Heather last night just before she went missing at the festival? I could have sworn I saw ye talking to her. That’s quite a coincidence, dinnae ye think?”
Conrad stiffened. “Aye it’s a shame what happened. I hope they find her soon.”
When he finished speaking, her eyes narrowed; she didn’t believe a word of it. Jain squared her shoulders, deciding to press the issue further. “I’m sure ye and the lads here are just coming back from helping with the search party. Run along now so I can finish with the chores.”
Thinking their conversation finished, Jain attempted to walk around him into the house. Conrad stepped in front of her, blocking the path as he looked down with a vicious sneer. “Why do ye let such venom spew from yer lovely mouth? I could think of a hundred better uses fer those lips which have nothing to do with speaking.”
“Let me pass.”
Conrad’s eyes grew dark as he responded, towering over her from his great height. “Nae. I think the lads and I should teach ye a wee lesson about respect. A woman should ken her place in this world. Truthfully, I liked ye better on yer knees.”