Free Beloved Imposter by PATRICIA POTTER Page A

this.”
    “He will not,” Felicia said, hoping that it was true. She truly did not wish to be responsible for any violence.
    Moira gave her a rare smile. “He would make a good husband.”
    Did everyone wish to marry them off? “He obviously has no wish to wed,” she said.
    “He has had much sadness,” Moira said. But then she quickly disappeared out the door and closed it quietly behind her.
    What sadness?
    She tried to remember everything she had heard about the Macleans. There had been the curse. And since then constant war. In her mind, the Macleans had been frightening and evil. But in truth, she had seen little that was frightening and even less that was evil.
    The man called Archibald had been uncommonly thoughtful after their initial encounter, and the Maclean laird had not fit her image of a monster. He was, in fact, the opposite.
    The sea was alluring too, beautiful, but there was also deception and danger in the tides, in the rush of water against rocks.
    It was foolish even thinking such things. She should be thinking about escaping from the keep and making her way to her cousin.
    She found herself yawning. Mayhap something in the foul potion she’d just consumed made her drowsy, or the fact she had stayed awake last night and had had little sleep the nights preceding that.
    She fought it. The fever would leave without her trickery. So would the sneeze.
    Mayhap a short nap. No more.
    Her eyes closed.
    Rory stabled his horse.
    The quiet had worried him. He’d expected Camerons at the gate, and he didn’t understand why they were not.
    Surely the disappearance of the daughter of the house would have aroused men to search all the lands around the area where she disappeared. The fact that this was not happening caused him concern.
    He had ridden out with several of his men. They had spied no Camerons, only a band of Campbells. He had ordered his men to disappear into the wooded countryside. He wanted no confrontation even as he saw the disappointment in the faces of his men.
    Rory knew they were not pleased. Their grumbling was meant to be heard. Patrick would have fought.
    None called him coward. They had seen him fight in the past. But he had heard their whispers that Maggie had softened him, had changed him. He had been gone too long.
    They wanted Patrick.
    Bloody hell, he wanted Patrick back as well.
    When he returned to the keep, he strode up to the chamber the Cameron lass occupied.
    He knocked lightly.
    No answer.
    Moira should be there.
    He opened the heavy door and stepped inside. The fire warmed the chamber and cast flickering shadows across the bed.
    The lass was asleep. Long black lashes sheltered those striking eyes. The red of fever had left her cheeks. She breathed naturally.
    His prayers had been answered. Apparently, Moira had left her because the danger was over.
    He wanted to lean over and touch her cheek, to feel that the fever was indeed gone. But he knew that was an excuse. It had been a long time since he had touched a woman.
    Rory could have bought women in the ports he visited. He probably wouldn’t have to buy favors at all. Women often looked at him with invitation in their eyes.
    But when Anne had followed Maggie in death, he had forsworn casual dalliances, which seemed disloyal to him.
    He found himself staring down at the lass. He did not know why she intrigued him. Nor did he understand the brief tenderness that made him want to reach out.
    She seemed so alone. She had, in truth, seemed that way when she entered his courtyard and met him with a quiet dignity that affected him far more than tears would have.
    He stared at her for several more minutes, at the wild red hair flowing over the pillow, the stubborn jaw. He thought of the fire that had been in her eyes earlier.
    Before he realized what he was doing, he leaned down and tucked an errant curl behind her ear. Her skin was smooth. Cool.
    Thank the saints.
    He should take her to the Camerons on the mom, but mayhap it would