Free Enraptured by Candace Camp Page B

little expectation that Coll would give her more workers, given how little time she had been able to hold on to these. At least working alone would assure her of many months, even years, of activity . . . provided that the earl did not take the project away from her and give it to someone else when he returned.
    It was all a very lowering prospect. The best thing was to get back to work and not think about it. As she picked up her trowel again, she spotted a man walking toward her. Coll Munro. An increasingly familiar flutter began in her stomach, and she rose to her feet, watching him.
    His stride was long and confident, and despite the gray sky, his hair shone golden, stirred by a stray breeze. Coll glanced up and saw her, and she was surprised to see him smile. She had assumed he would be stern, even frowning. She had little doubt that he had come to take her to task for frightening off her workers.
    â€œMr. Munro.” She went to meet him. “I know what brings you here.”
    â€œDo you now?” His eyes twinkled.
    â€œI assume your men have refused to work for me any longer.”
    â€œThat happens to you often, does it?” His voice was genial, his blue eyes twinkling. Violet wondered why the crinkling at the corner of his eyes was so appealing. “Nae, they dinna refuse to work for you.”
    â€œYou surprise me.”
    â€œI can be very persuasive.”
    â€œOh.” She regarded him suspiciously. “Then why are you here?”
    â€œCould it not be that I thought to keep you company?”
    â€œYou left your work to keep me company? I find that hard to believe.”
    â€œOch, you are far too young to be so cynical.”
    â€œI am old enough to prefer plain speaking to flummery.”
    â€œYou leave a man little choice.” He thrust his hands into the pockets of his jacket and regarded her. “The McKenna brothers and young Dougal complained, that’s true. They felt you did not appreciate their work.”
    â€œThey didn’t know how to dig properly. I had to instruct them. They cannot attack a site like this with picks and shovels. Far too much damage is done by enthusiasts, even antiquarians. Artifacts can be broken. It can make dating objects difficult, almost impossible.”
    â€œI understand.”
    â€œThey simply did not like taking orders from a woman.”
    â€œYou do them an injustice. Like any good Highlander, they do not like taking orders from anyone.”
    His words surprised a laugh out of Violet. “How did you convince them to return to work?”
    â€œI told them that you are a trifle mad, as all English are, but since you are a friend of the earl’s, they must put up with your eccentricities. It may have helped that I told them theydinna have a choice in the matter if they wanted to keep working for the earl.”
    Violet stared at him. “Truly?” Warmth spread through her at the thought that he had taken her side.
    â€œWell, I canna have workers who do what they want instead of what I tell them.”
    â€œOh.” The warmth fled. “Of course not. Then I suppose you’re here to tell me that though you ruled in my favor this time, you want me to change.”
    â€œNae, I wouldna try to change you.” He cast her a sideways smile. “But it might help you with the men if you dinna take everything so seriously. Life is grim enough; there is no need to make it more so.”
    â€œI appreciate your talking to the workmen, Mr. Munro, but you cannot understand my situation.”
    â€œCan I not?”
    â€œYou have a position of authority. You are an imposing figure.” Violet began to tick the points off on her fingers. “You have a voice that impels obedience. Most of all, you are a man. I, as you have pointed out yourself, possess none of those assets. I must be forceful. Otherwise I am immediately dismissed, my words ignored. I cannot afford to be good-natured or mild