Kissing the Countess by Susan King

Highland mistress—more than one. It appears that his son means to do the same."
    "Not with me," she said, pushing against him. "I am done with him—and what happened last night should not interest you or anyone else. Leave me be."
    But he caught her in his arms, pulling her to him. "Listen to me. Keep still and listen," he hissed, while Catriona struggled. "I know about your brother."
    She grew still. "My—brother?" she whispered.
    "Finlay MacConn has been bringing back some of the people who were evicted from this glen years ago. He is setting them up again in their former homes."
    "How... ridiculous," she said, her voice muffled. How did Kenneth Grant know? Finlay was always very careful, and so far had installed families only in remote areas of the glen.
    "I've seen them," Grant said. "I was hunting on my land where it borders Kildonan, and my dogs ran off in pursuit of a stag. I chased them a far distance, and I saw smoke curling up from what should have been an abandoned croft. Then I saw that ancient Mr. MacGillechallum, who was thrown out of his home with his old wife. Both of them sitting outside in the sunshine by their little house—and the house had a new roof and a new door. What do you think of that?"
    "I do not know what you're talking about," she said.
    "Oh, you do," he said, holding her hard at the waist. "I think you have been helping him. You and Finlay are well-known for walking the hills for hours, full days, at a time. That old wifey was singing a tune that day, one I've heard you sing, dear girl. A strange old Gaelic tune, and where would you have learned it but from that old woman?" He tilted his head and hummed a little of the melody.
    The beautiful old song seemed eerie and thin, rendered in his flat voice. She stared at him. "Let me go," she said coldly, "and leave this house. When my father and brother learn that you have put your hands on me in so vile a manner—and you a doctor—there will be plenty said, and done, about it."
    He pulled her close enough to whisper in her ear. "What do you think the new earl will say about all this? His factor taking estate decisions into his own hands—Kildonan will have him arrested for it. The sheriff at Inverness and the magistrate of the Torridon district always supported the old earl. And now Finlay MacConn... and his beautiful sister... have gone against the law. Those people have no right to live on this land. They are not tenants approved by the landowner. They are not capable of doing hard work or paying the rent."
    She stood motionless in his grip, feeling an ugly swirl of fear. "What do you want of me? Why are you bringing this up now?"
    "I want you to kiss me, dear Miss Catriona," he murmured angrily. "I want to know for myself what you shared with the Earl of Kildonan."
    His lips traced along her cheek, and she shuddered. When his mouth touched hers, she felt a wave of revulsion and anger. She buckled against him, but he yanked tightly, a big, strong, determined man, with no bit of lightness or humor in him. All was grim in his view of the world, and Finlay's offense—and hers with Kildonan—had triggered something cruel in him.
    Kenneth kissed her then, his thin mouth hard and cold. She twisted her head away.
    "Now listen to me," he growled. "I will report your brother's activities to the earl and the sheriff, and I will see those old folk, and everyone else Finlay has brought back, thrown out of their homes again. They have no right to be there."
    "What do you care?" she said, writhing in his grip.
    "More than you know. Kilmallie lands border Kildonan policies. The earl plans to sell those acres. I intend to acquire them, but those old folk will not stay on the land if I have anything to say about it. The earl has prospective buyers coming to look at the property. Wealthy men who will either convert the rest of the land into sheep runs or develop it into a vast hunting paradise."
    "No," she breathed. "I thought it was just a rumor. He