Page 23 of The Cruel Highlander's Bride
“Mhmm.” She nodded. “We are, unusually so.” She laughed warmly.
“I cannae imagine what that’s like,” Magnus said before he could think better of it.
He felt so at ease around Ciara that it was all too simple for him to say exactly what he thought and felt. But there were some things that were better left hidden.
Ciara stopped and turned towards him. Reluctantly, he did the same. He didn’t like the intense way she was studying him. He felt like she could see every emotional scar written plainly across his face. He hadn’t meant to delve right back into his sordid family history.
“Come on,” he said, because he knew they were close to the lake. And, as he’d hoped, Ciara gasped, quickly distracted by the sight in front of them.
The lake looked beautiful at night. It was nothing compared to Ciara, but she was impressed with the sight, nonetheless. And even better, it had distracted her from questioning him further.
Despite it all, Magnus smiled behind her. His second attempt to impress her seemed to be working. Good to know that the moonlit lake worked far better than the elaborate foods and fabrics that adorned his room.
“Here, help me with this,” he said, taking the blanket out of the basket.
Ciara turned her attention back to him, and they set the lanterns down and spread the blanket out on the soft grass near the water.
“So, tell me about this secret, time-consuming passion of yers?” he asked once they were seated.
It was as good a place as any to start discovering everything there was to know about Ciara.
To his surprise, she kept her promise and shyly reached for his hand once again. Their hands were clasped on the blanket between them.
“It’s nothin’ like that.” Ciara chuckled. “But back at home—me old home,” she corrected herself, and Magnus preened. “I used to work in the village, helpin’ people learn to read and write.”
It wasn’t often that Magnus was stunned into silence, but that did it. He paused and just stared at a confused Ciara. He felt her try to draw her hand back, but he held on tight. He couldn’t make his mouth form the words to express how he felt about her dedication and her kindness.
She was just so…good—nothing like him.
“I just think that knowledge is liberatin’ and everyone deserves the same opportunities…” she trailed off, obviously interpreting his silence as something other than absolute awe.
“That’s… amazin’ Ciara. I dinnae even ken how to express how wonderful that is,” he said, shaking his head. “I should have expected somethin’ like that from ye, but that is an incredible way to help people,” he added, holding her gaze.
Her cheeks turned pink once more, and she ducked her head. A loose strand fell in front of her face, and he gently tucked it behind her ear. When she looked shyly back up at him, Magnus was lost.
Just that little contact had his blood roaring, but he focused his attention back on his goal for the night, which wasnotto seduce his betrothed.
“I’d like to do the same here as well if ye think people would be interested,” she said quietly.
“Everyone would love that,” Magnus promised. “I’ll talk to Ewan about it tomorrow. It’s a wonderful idea, lass.”
Ciara looked back at him with a big smile on her face.
This woman. The more he learned about her, the more impressed he became, and it only made him want to know more.
His betrothed began to pick at the food they’d brought, but Magnus was still shaking his head in amazement. “It’s really somethin’, Ciara.”
“Well, what about ye? Ye’re the Laird, that’s pretty impressive,” she replied, ducking her head shyly at the praise.
She would get used to it soon. He planned to shower her with the praise she deserved.
Magnus sighed heavily. “I never had a real purpose before all this,” he started. Ciara, sitting at his side, was listening intently. “But so many people depend on me now. I want to do something good for them… improve their lives somehow, ye ken?”
Ciara was nodding along, and Magnus was struck by the fact that there was a person who knew exactly what he was talking about. The woman sitting next to him understood wanting to use this position of power to help other people.
“Ye ken, I never even wanted this position. Didnae want anythin’ from me faither,” he admitted with a dark laugh.
Ciara broke eye contact and then asked, “Then why did ye kill him? If nae for the position?”
