Page 22 of Wicked Highland Wishes
Lachlan nodded. “Since the winter ye killed the boar.”
Her mouth dropped open slightly, and her heart stuttered. “How do ye ken that?”
Lachlan’s gaze locked on hers. “He told me. The night of the feast. Before I told yer brother he should let ye hunt.”
A deep numbness invaded Bridgette. Graham had told Lachlanfour years agothat he cared for her! She wanted to scream out her frustration. That would explain why Lachlan had never acted upon any desire for her. He would never betray his brother!
“I could nae have betrayed my brother,” he said in a low, tortured tone as if he had read her very thoughts.
She frowned. “But ye could betray Helena?”
His jaw tightened noticeably. “Of course nae. I was speaking of the past.”
She felt utterly foolish for misunderstanding that he might have been referring to now. “I imagine Helena is waiting for ye,” she said, giving him the perfect opportunity to depart gracefully. She expected him to seize it.
“Aye.” The weariness in his voice and his seeming disinterest in departing surprised her.
She did not understand Lachlan at all. Why had he followed her out here? Because of guilt over desiring her long ago because she would soon be bound to his brother? She certainly could not ask him.
“I best take my leave,” she said but found herself reluctant to move, as if once she did, the hopes and dreams she had harbored for them would be forever gone. Of course, they were gone already. She knew it to be so, yet she stood there. Her heart hammered and she felt foolish, though not quite so foolish when she comprehended that he was not moving, either. A breeze whispered across her face, filling the air with the scent of heather and fluttering strands of her hair over her cheek. She pushed it away and thought she saw his eyes track her movements. God’s teeth, she was a clot-heid! Now she was imaging things she had longed to see. She swallowed hard, counting at least a hundred thuds of her heart. She had to move.
“Away now, Bridgette,” he commanded, his voice gruff.
“Why must I depart first?” she blurted, feeling suddenly churlish at what fate had done to her. She despised the pity swirling inside her.
“Because,” he said seriously. “I want to watch ye depart.”
“Ye want to watch me?” she asked, astonished, as hope that she most definitely should not feel spiked within her.
“Aye,” he replied in that low, rumbly voice, the one that could entrance a woman with one word. He did not blink, and she felt trapped—body and soul—by his stare. “To ensure ye reach the inside of the castle safely. I’m remaining out here a spell longer. I need the fresh air.”
She jerked her head in a nod as embarrassment made her heart, chest, and throat squeeze. He had once desired her, but no more, and she should be thankful for that, not disappointed. Her body trembled, but she managed to turn and walk away without stumbling. As she made her way into the castle, she stopped at the sight of Helena wandering the halls. Helena moved very slowly as if looking for something—or likely someone. Likely Lachlan.
Bridgette cleared her throat, and Helena twitched with obvious surprise, her gaze flying to Bridgette. “I was just—”
“Looking for Lachlan, I imagine,” Bridgette supplied, wishing to simply dispense with the woman as quickly as possible. She knew it was horribly uncharitable of her, but she longed to crawl into her bed and hide, at least until tomorrow morning.
Helena cocked her head as if thinking on what Bridgette had said, which was odd. Why else would the woman be wandering the halls if not searching for Lachlan?
“Were ye nae looking for Lachlan?” Bridgette asked slowly.
“Aye. Of course I was. What else would I be doing?”
The question and the notes of hostility Bridgette heard in the woman’s voice was strange. “I dunnae,” Bridgette supplied. “Do ye wish to tell me?”
Helena glanced around as if ensuring they were alone and moved closer to Bridgette. “Truth be told, I wanted to see the Fairy Flag,” she whispered, sounding embarrassed.
Bridgette frowned. “Why would ye want to see the Fairy Flag?”
“Colin told me of its history.”
Why would Colin be speaking of the history of the MacLeod clan’s treasured flag to his sister? Mayhap he’d simply been trying to give her the history of the clan of which she was to become a member. Jealousy tightened Bridgette’s belly, but she pushed it aside.
Helena’s eyes sparkled with what appeared to be wonder. “I could nae sleep”—she shrugged—“so I thought I’d search out the most prized possession of the MacLeod clan and take a glance at this flag that the MacLeods’ very honor and existence depends on. Have ye ever seen it?”
Bridgette felt as if Helena was studying her. It was probably guilt over wanting Lachlan who was now bound to Helena. “Nay,” she finally replied.
“Do ye ken where it’s kept?”
