As he did, he said quietly, “There is nowt occurring here to trouble you, sir.” “Faith, but you have drawn a conclusion that insults us both, James,” Catriona said. “Did you come seeking us for any other purpose?” Seeing fury leap to James’s face, Fin set himself to intervene if necessary. But Catriona remained calm, clearly awaiting an answer to her question. At last, after a measuring look at each of them, James visibly relaxed. “The lad at the gate said that you had come this way. I just wondered… that is, I thought you might have walked out with Morag, Cat. It surprised me to see you with him.” “The guard at the gate did not tell you that I was with Morag.” “Nay, nay,” James protested. “I didn’t say that. I never asked him about Morag. Sithee, I awoke and she was gone, but I did not want the lad thinking that summat was amiss with her, so—” “Amiss betwixt the two of you is what you mean, I think,” she said gently. Fin nearly uttered a protest.
