Page 13 of Married to the Highland Devil
Amelia did not want to get married, and even though she found Duncan interesting, she could not forget one fact. She did not know him, and she could depend on no one like she did on herself.
6
The ride out of Brandon Estate was the most silent Duncan had ever experienced. He had had no idea his compliment would offend her.
I wish I never said anything.
They had only begun their journey to Scotland in the early hours of the morning, and he already hated her silence. Only two days since he had met her, and he was growing used to her soft voice.
Their carriage bounced when it jumped over a log in their path. Duncan rode with Amelia, and his arms kept her steady as they sat astride the horse and galloped.
When they finally took a break, Duncan helped her dismount, and she murmured a thank you before walking away. He watched her stand near the lake they stopped by. While his horse, Maple, drank to quench its thirst, Duncan stood a distance away and tried to think of what to say to her.
He rubbed the back of his neck and suppressed the heated sensations that rolled through him, banishing thoughts of her beauty out of his mind.
Truth was when she had touched his face last night and brought her face close to his, he had nearly kissed her. Duncan couldn’t understand where the urge had come from. He had inhaled her scent,lilies,and had lost control.
“Amelia,” he called without hesitating and walked over to her when she looked over her shoulder at him. “I am sorry,” he continued, “about last night when I talked about how bonnie ye are.”
“You need not apologize to me,” she answered in a soft tone. “I understand that you feel obliged to compliment me as your betrothed, but I do not wish for compliments. I have lived with them my entire life.”
He stared into her pale blue eyes and forgot everything else he was going to say to her. How could he convince her that he did not lie? Amelia was a beautiful woman. Her brows were full, her lashes a soft brown shade, and her eyes the most captivating he had ever stared into.
The breeze in the air picked up strands of her hair and tossed it around her face. He reached out, but she brushed them away before he could touch her then dropped her hands to her sides again.
“Still, I am sorry,” he said again then pressed his lips together and forced his skittering pulse to steady.
Amelia sucked in a deep breath then bent down and tried to sweep her hand through the lake water. She missed it, she had not bent low enough, so Duncan lowered himself into a squat, took her hand, and gently guided it to the water.
“It is cool,” she said once she touched it.
He watched her sweep her hand through the water repeatedly then lift the wet hand to her right cheek and place it there.
He watched her, of course. He could not tear his eyes off her face.
Amelia heaved out a deep breath then she turned towards him. “How many days does it take to get to the Highlands?”
“The travel is a bit longer than what you’re used to, I’m afraid,” he answered. “We shall arrive in Scotland soon, but it will take an entire day to travel to my clan. We are the farthest in the Eastern Highlands.”
She looked away again then began toying with the hem of her dress. “Are the flowers in Scotland the same as what we have in England?” she asked after some time.
“Aye. They are always just as lovely,” he answered then touched her chin lightly.
“Just as ye are,” he wanted to add, but he stopped himself.
She was still mad at him for last night, he could tell.
“Would ye like something to eat?” he asked in turn. “I always carry some nuts around.”
She extended a hand, and he placed some in her hand. Duncan watched her eat, and he smiled a little; she looked like she was savoring the taste.
“Ye must miss yer lady servant, Lily,” he said to her. “I tried to convince yer faither to let her journey with us, but he insisted that ye arrived first and then he will come with Lily for the weddin’. We both want ye to get accustomed to my home durin’ our courtin’, so ye can decide if this is somethin’ ye really want to do.”
“Lily is a friend. And I did not realize I had a choice in this matter,” she answered with a light chuckle.
Duncan’s brows furrowed, and he shook his head. “Ye do have a choice, Amelia. Ye forget that ye chose me.”
“That was because out of all my suitors, you were the politest and most exciting. I may have lost my sight, but I do not wish to spend the rest of my life with a man who thinks women are only good for childbearing and drinking tea to entertain the wives of their gentlemen friends.”
