Read The Rogue: A Highland Guard Novella (The Highland Guard) for Free Online Page B

guesthouse.”
    It certainly sounded as if it were an imposition as well. It was his turn to frown. “I am happy to escort you. I’m sure Sir Gilbert won’t mind.”
    He gave his longtime companion-in-arms a look of warning, which the other man heeded with a speculative lift of his brow. “Not at all,” de la Haye said gamely. He wasn’t a fool. He wouldn’t challenge a warrior of Randolph’s skill. But de la Haye also wouldn’t back down completely, and added provocatively to Isabel, “As long as you promise I may do so another night this week.”
    If he was trying to anger Randolph—which he probably was—it worked. Randolph’s eyes narrowed, and the other man smiled as if he’d just made an interesting discovery. Whatever de la Haye thought he knew, he was wrong. Randolph wasn’t jealous. He didn’t get jealous. It was a wasted emotion—as so many emotions were. He liked women, they liked him. Why did it need to be any more complicated than that? Keep it simple. He’d seen too many of his friends act like idiots over women. But he was fortunate to be immune to those kinds of feelings. And he had no intention of letting that change. His focus was on one thing and one thing only: winning the war and cementing his position as Robert the Bruce’s greatest knight.
    Douglas might disagree with that title—especially after his dramatic taking of Roxburgh Castle—but Randolph had no doubt that he would come out on top. If he could just figure out a way to take the damn castle. Preferably by something dramatic. He needed a little excitement. More than two months of sieging was wearing on him.
    “Of course,” Lady Isabel said, looking back and forth between the two men as if understanding that something was going on, but not sure what. Finally, her gaze rested on de la Haye. “Whenever you can tear yourself away from the siege again. Besides you did promise to show me those drawings.”
    Randolph didn’t like the sound of that. “What drawings?”
    Lady Isabel smiled conspiratorially at de la Haye before turning to Randolph. The smile fell from her face. “Nothing that would interest you, my lord.” She stood. “If you are ready?” Without waiting for him, she gave de la Haye a nod and started off.
    Randolph had to hurry to catch up to her, which he did just as she exited the refectory and started down the steps to the yard.
    She was bloody wrong. He was very interested. Didn’t she know drawings were a euphemism men used to lure unsuspecting innocents to their chambers?
    He put his hand on her arm, turned her toward him, and told her so—along with an admonishment to stay away from de la Haye.
    She looked at him as if he were crazed—which wasn’t that far from how he was feeling—and burst out laughing. He sensed a few eyes on them as more people flooded out of the refectory and dispersed across the yard. “Are you serious?” She laughed some more. “I can assure you Sir Gilbert has no nefarious purpose in mind. He is a kind and honorable man.”
    De la Haye was a fierce and ruthless warrior who has had an eye for pretty ladies since the death of his wife a few years back. Feeling conspicuous standing there in the middle of the yard, and aware that they were attracting attention, Randolph pulled her into a small walled garden. “And you’ve made this determination after knowing him what, an hour?”
    She shrugged and crossed her arms. “Some men are easy to figure out.”
    Now why did he feel as if that were directed at someone other than de la Haye?
    With a deep sigh, as if the conversation was wearying her and she just wanted it done, she added, “I hardly think he was trying to lure me with drawings done by his five-year-old daughter that featured the last nursemaid he’d hired to look after her, whom she’d turned into a dragon, and then a gorgon. Apparently, the child is having some difficulty after losing her mother and thinks that any woman in the household is a threat. But the