Free Loving A Highlander by Aileen Wells Page A

her to meet his gaze.  “Are ye mad, woman?  Why would you want to spend the night in this drafty old tower when you have a perfectly comfortable bedchamber waiting for you?”
    Isabella briefly wondered if his concern had anything to do with her spending the night in the tower or had more to do with the fact that she wouldn’t be sharing his bed.
    She didn’t expect him to understand.  How could she explain to him that the tower room with its containers of herbs and unhindered view of the night sky felt like home?
    “I like it here,” she said, moving away from him and over to the fireplace.  The fire was cold in the hearth and had been for months.  She doubted if it had even been lit since the healer’s death.
    Isabella turned.  “Would you mind helping me to light the fire?  I always did it at home, of course, but my dress is a bit cumbersome.”  She swooped her hands over the folds of the fancy dress as she spoke.  She had always envied noble women with their fine clothes, but now that she had the chance to wear such a garment, she found herself wishing for her serviceable tunic.
    “No, lass.”  Gerard’s eyes flared with a challenging light as if he dared her to defy him.  “I will not build a fire for you.  You can’t stay here tonight.  It isn’t safe.”
    Isabella folded her arms and tilted her chin as she met his steady gaze.  “I will ask the laird.  I’m certain he won’t mind if I spend the night in the tower room.”
    Gerard snorted.  “Rowan will more than likely think you have gone mad and lock you in your bedchamber with a posted guard out front.  Believe me, he won’t approve of any of this.”
    Isabella sat down on the small bed and smoothed her hand over the thin cover.  “I’m staying.  You can’t make me leave this room.”
    Gerard arched a brow.  “Don’t challenge me, lass.  You won’t win.  I have half a mind to toss you over my shoulder and carry you.  If you think the diners in the Great Hall were talking about you before, just wait until I lug you through the room like a sack of potatoes.”
    “I’m staying,” Isabella repeated.  She didn’t know why the tower room meant so much to her, but from the moment she had stepped through the door it had felt like home.
    She crossed the room once again to the fireplace and began to toss in logs that had been sitting in a pile beside it.  She removed the flint and tinder from the metal tinderbox, only to have Gerard take them from her hands.
    “You are a stubborn lass,” he growled, as he made quick work of the fire.  Within a matter of minutes, flames were crackling cheerfully in the hearth.
    Gerard turned back to her, his expression unreadable.  “The fire should last the night.  If you find it getting low, just toss another log on the pile.”
    He moved to the door and prepared to leave.
    Isabella stared after him in surprise.  He was letting her have her way?  Giving in, just like that?
    At the door, Gerard turned back to her.  “Keep the door locked, Bella.  The men in the castle left the healer alone.  Most were afraid of her.  But believe me, they won’t hesitate to climb the stairs and pay you a visit.”
    He arched a brow before continuing.  “Or is that what you want?” he asked, taking a step toward her again.  “Are you eager for some male company, Bella, because if that is the case, I will be more than happy to stay and keep you company.”  He glanced toward the bed.  “It is a little small, but I can make it work.”
    Isabella’s cheeks heated as images of them intertwined on the bed flashed through her mind.  She had no doubt that Gerard would make it work and do a fine job of it.”
    She tilted her chin and looked him the eyes.  “What will the laird and lady think if you spend the night in my bedchamber?”
    Gerard flashed her a grin that bordered on wicked.  “Rowan and Eva won’t even question it.  They already suspect that I brought you here to warm my