The ninth Earl of Ellesmere had his chin thrust out as far as it would go, but the defiant look in his eye was tempered with a certain doubt as he intercepted Jamie's cold blue gaze. Jamie set the horse's hoof down slowly, just as slowly stood up, and drawing himself to his full height of six feet four, put his hands on his hips, looked down at the Earl, three feet six, and said, very softly, No.
In the scene described, the ninth Earl of Ellesmere appears both determined and uncertain as he confronts Jamie, who stands tall and imposing. Despite the Earl's defiant demeanor, Jamie's cold blue eyes reveal his strength and confidence. He carefully places the horse's hoof down, signaling an awareness of the tension between them.
As Jamie rises to his full height, his posture reinforces his dominance in the encounter. He addresses the Earl softly but firmly with a simple "No," which conveys a powerful rejection of whatever the Earl may have proposed. This moment emphasizes the clash of their characters, with Jamie embodying strength and authority while the Earl, despite his effort to maintain bravado, is ultimately diminished in the exchange.