He eyed her for a long moment. "Well, I daenae believe that ye did."
"Then why am I barred?" she exploded. "Did you bar those other men, too?"
"Nay, I dinnae."
"That's notfair!" she cried. "I haven't done anything wrong!"
He frowned, and Paisley bit her lip. She needed to have more control over herself. Mama always said that.
"I daenae trust ye," Dominic said, slowly and pointedly. "Those idiots that accused ye of cheatin', I know them. I daenae like them – I daenae think many people dae – but they're a known quantity. Predictable. Ye, on the other hand, are something else. Ye are a risk, and I'm not much of a risk-taker. So, ye're banned."
He didn't turn to go this time. He stayed where he was on the path, half-turned away, looking at her curiously, expecting something else.
Paisley drew in a deep breath, anxiety bubbling up inside her. This would be the third pub she was barred from. Well, technically only the second, but she had such a terrifying near miss at the first that she'd decided never to go back. Her choice of pubs to visit was growing thin.
"I... I need to go back," she stammered. "I earn my money by playing cards."
Dominic turned towards her and narrowed his eyes. "Ye just said ye didn't cheat."
"I don't!" she replied, peeved. "I just win."
"Ye cannae win all the time, though."
"It's not easy, I grant you," Paisley admitted, tilted up her chin. "But it's not as if I can do anything else."
"Aye, I can tell that by yer hands."
"My hands?" she echoed, frowning and glancing down at them. They were justhands, glittering and white in the moonlight.
He gave a chuff of laughter. "Aye, look at them. Lily-white and smooth as a baby's arse."
"Smooth as a baby'swhat?"
"Oh, I think ye heard. Nay working woman has hands like that. All the women around here have strong hands and calloused fingers, with dry, cracked skin from laundry and scrubbin'. Ye have never done laundry in yer life, I warrant."
Color rose to Paisley's cheeks. "Well, you wouldn't have noticed that if you had just given me back my gloves." she snapped.
He rolled his eyes, pulling the gloves out of his pocket and tossing them to her. "How much did a pair like that set ye back, eh? Or do I nae want to ask?"
Paisley didn't answer until she'd pulled the gloves back on. Then she could breathe a sigh of relief. "I don't know," she replied loftily. "They were a present from my papa."
"Papa," Dominic muttered to himself, almost as if he were trying out the word in his head. "It's pretty clear to me that ye daenae belong here. I wish ye well, lassie, but steer clear of me pub. Sorry if it's yer livelihood, but I suggest ye choose somethin' else."
"Well, give me a job then," Paisley said desperately, barely thinking about the words that left her mouth. "It's only fair."
There was a long, tense silence. The wind had picked up, ruffling the foliage and creating a gentle, insistent susurrus. Clouds were starting to move across the sky, blocking out the moonlight and starlight.
It was getting colder, too, and Paisley was not by any means dressed for the cold. Coming straight from the heated interior ofTheSinner, she hadn't had time to cool down. Or rather, hadn't had time tonoticethat she was cooling down.
She certainly noticed now. The wind whistled past her, and Paisley's skin broke out in goosebumps. The patches of sweat soaked into her dress felt like ice against her skin, and she shivered uncontrollably. Dominic, on the other hand, seemed entirely unmoved by the drop in temperature.
He's probably used to it,Paisley thought enviously. She hadn't adapted to the freezing weather of the Highlands and was starting to think that she never would.
"Dae ye think I need a new hirelin'?" Dominic said at last, breaking the silence.
Paisley blinked. "I... I don't know. Do you?"
"Daenae answer a question with a question, lassie."