His delight at seeing Kerensa died. ‘I’ve met her once or twice. Why? Has she made a complaint about me being there? Is that what this is all about?’

The water in the bay was coloured in soft greens and blues. It lapped calmly onto the shore in slow, majestic sweeps of lightly frothing waves, as though it was taking care to disturb as few of the smooth dull pebbles as possible. But Kerensa knew it was not going to stay gentle and lazy for much longer. There was a hint of the sweep and swell getting stronger, the waters whipping out a deeper dip a few feet down the shoreline and making a longer slope of the beach. She took her eyes from the sea and stared at the uncertain youth.

‘Why are you so agitated, Bartholomew?’

‘I’m not!’ he said crossly.

‘You are,’ Kerensa corrected him sternly, ‘and it only serves to convince me that certain suspicions I have about you are true.’

‘What suspicions?’ he demanded, kicking at the pebbles. ‘I haven’t been landing contraband in there. Is that what she’s been saying?’

‘Last night I noticed a mark on Ameline’s neck, the kind of mark made by lips in contact with the flesh. Many things lead me to believe you are responsible for making that mark. I know of your reputation with women and I don’t give a damn about what you do with others but Ameline is my guest, she’s my responsibility while she’s under my roof. She’s very young for her age and innocent of what experienced men like you can do to her. I want you to leave her alone.’

Bartholomew hated to be told what to do. Adopting the Pengarron stance of hands on hips he said angrily, ‘And what if I don’t choose to?’

‘So you don’t deny it was you?’

‘No, why should I? I haven’t done anything to her that she didn’t want me to. If she wants to meet me I consider it none of your damned business!’

Kerensa was furious. All the hurt and frustration she had suffered at Oliver’s cruel behaviour broke to the surface and found an outlet in lashing the youth before her.

‘Well, I’m making it my business whether you like it or not! I will make sure you don’t have the chance to see her again or do anything else to her.’

His dark eyes flashed. ‘If I want her I’ll take her and you won’t be able to do a thing about it!’

‘Don’t you be so sure about that, Bartholomew Drannock! Ameline will listen to me and there are other steps I can take to stop her from seeing you, I can assure you of that.’

‘Like telling Sir Oliver, I suppose,’ he taunted, his mouth curling to a snarl.