Page 6 of Highlander's Rebellious Affair
The breeze ruffled her hair and carried the scent of lavender to him. His gaze dropped to the side of her neck for a moment, and he sucked in a deep breath when he noticed how soft and creamy her skin was.
She had a pale-white skin tone; her shoulders were gently sloped down to her arms. He felt her tension as she sat in front of him, and he made sure he was securely behind her. He had told her nothing yet, and he knew soon they would need to stop to rest. The moment they passed the borders of Drummond and approached the fields leading to Cawdor, he would find shelter with an old friend before they continued their journey.
He still didn’t know where they were headed, but he knew he would figure something out once they both got some rest. The thick darkness of the night was gradually clearing into daylight, but it was still soft, and they could still cover a large distance before it was fully day break.
Ian looked at her again. He would need to get her a change of clothes, and also take her someplace where he could hide her from his uncle until he thought of a better plan. Thankfully so far, she hadn’t asked any questions, making it easy for them to escape in time, but he knew she would soon voice them out.
After two more hours, it was considerably bright enough and they had reached the borderlands of Cawdor, a neighboring land that had good relationships with his home, Galloway.
They stopped when they reached a local village market, and he got down and helped her down when he had dropped the horse off at a corner. He pointed to a shed where an old woman sold fruits. “Would ye eat a meal?” he asked.
“Berries? Ye want to eat berries?”
He nodded and left her standing there and walked over to get a small basket of the fruits, blueberries and raspberries, and a meal, a small bowl of porridge they could share in exchange for a gold band on his finger because he had no shillings on him. He tossed one into his mouth and handed over some to her, expecting her to eat it.
“I want food, I am hungry because I had nothin’ to eat all night,” she complained and took the bowl of porridge from him first.
He laughed, and cocked a brow. “We’re arenae in the Castle, My Lady. Out here in the wild, like ye wished to experience, we eat what we can get,” he replied, then took one and popped it into her mouth.
She chewed and the movement of her lips instantly sent a spiral of heat through him. They were small, and a rosy-pink color, and he immediately imagined his lips on them, and what it would taste like to run his tongue over them.
He cleared his throat and heat rose to the back of his neck. He rubbed it, and spoke, “Eat, so we continue our journey. We still have a lot of ground to cover before we make it to my home.”
“Yer home?” she asked, excited as they walked away from the small crowded market. “Where is this place?” she asked and started to eat the porridge.
He hesitated replying and they stopped when they got to the horse. “Where are we though?” she asked again.
“We are in Cawdor,” he replied her second question first. “My home is in Galloway.”
He saw her eyes widen and the flash of shock and something else in her gaze as she whispered in a shaky voice. “What did ye say?”
5
“Galloway,” he replied and he saw her tense.
“Ye… ye’re from Galloway? That… that is the Clan of my betrothed husband,” she replied.
Ian nodded and took the reins of the horse. “Let us move, My Lady, we need to cover more ground before we get there.”
“Nay,” she replied, her eyes wide as she shook her head. “Nay, we cannae go there! Laird Galloway… my faither and Laird Galloway would be searchin’ everywhere for me and ye want to go right to them?”
“My Lady,” he began, but she stopped him from talking by raising her hand to stop him.
“Let me think,” she replied and Ian fell silent for a moment. “Did ye say we were in Cawdor?”
“Aye.”
“My maither has a sister who lives here, her name is Orlaith,” she said after another moment of thought. “They call her a witch,” she added.
Ian paused. He was skeptical of her suggestion, so he asked, “A witch?”
“She doesnae have any magical powers of any sort. She is a healer, but she is… different, so they call her a witch. She married a man from Cawdor when I was little, so I ken she lives here. We should find her; she can give us a place to stay till we come up with somethin’ else.”
“My Lady–”
“Call me Hope,” she said. “I hate being called Lady,” she continued and sucked in a deep breath.
“Ye are dressed like a lady,” he pointed out. “A noble one… nay man would see ye and pass ye for a peasant lass.”
