Page 55 of A Dash of Scot
“Aye.” Dougal smiled. “’Tis peaceful there, breathtaking. I think ye’d like it.”
“Then perhaps we ought to visit?”
“I would be happy to bring ye for a visit.”
“And maybe Anise too?” she asked. “To get her out of her melancholy. A castle might do the trick.”
Dougal nodded. “What it doesna do, the mountains might.”
They walked back to the house, but before they arrived, he tugged her behind a tree, pressing his spine against it and tugging her close enough to smell the delicious pine scent of him.
Dougal glanced down at her mouth, and she suddenly knew what he wanted. The same thing she did. A kiss.
She closed her eyes as he leaned toward her, soaking up the feel of his lips brushing over hers. Every part of her came alive with the touch of lips on lips. Tingles, shivers and a wicked heat pooled in her belly. Poppy lifted her arms around his shoulders to bring herself closer. Dougal’s hands cupped her face, and he deepened the kiss with a swipe of his tongue over her lower lip and then began to duel with hers.
As swiftly as his kiss had begun, it ended. She stared up at him, a little dazed.
“Something to remember me by.” And he tucked a small yellow flower behind her ear; she hadn’t even realized he’d picked one.
“I could never forget you, Dougal. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“A picnic by the water.”
“Sounds like heaven.” And she imagined there might be more kisses like this one.
The following day, after breakfast, a carriage arrived from Castle Varrich for the ladies to make their way. Mama begged her pardon, remaining behind and sending Poppy and Anise off without her.
The journey was less than an hour, and the sun shone on the water of the Kyle of Tongue and spread golden fingers through the forests covering the mountains.
“’Tis beautiful,” Poppy murmured.
Anise had yet to recover, eyes puffy, mouth frowning, but even she couldn’t help peering out the window of the carriage at the breathtaking landscape.
“I never thought when coming out to the Highlands for our house arrest that we’d be spending the day at a castle.” Her bemused mention of the castle softened the slight sarcasm of her statement about their imprisonment.
“I’m grateful for those we know.”
“I’m just glad he didn’t turn out to be a world-class jackass,” Anise said, raising a brow at her sister. “Not like the one I fell for.”
“Sir John was charming and handsome. It’s not your fault he duped you.”
“Oh, Poppy, you can say that all you want, but I should have seen past the charm.”
“There’s no way you could have. He wouldn’t let you.”
Anise rolled her eyes. “I’ll never fall for another man like that again. Maybe no man at all. I’ll just let myself age up into a dried prune of a spinster and live out my life taking care of Mama until we both perish.”
Poppy refrained from rolling her eyes. Anise was doing a fabulous “Woe is me” job, and she hoped she stopped before the carriage did. Today was supposed to be fun, not sour.
Dougal was waiting for them outside the castle, a large dog sitting stoically beside him. Poppy couldn’t help but smile as the carriage door opened and she hopped down.
“Who is this?” she asked, offering her hand to the dog for a sniff.
“This is Sentry.”
“Oh, a perfect name for a brave guard dog.”
Sentry gave her a lick on her hand, and she found herself crouching before him to scratch behind his ears and coo.
