Page 46 of Married to a Highland Brute

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

The breeze along the loch was exhilarating.The night was clear and thefull moon was visible in the sky. Jonan was not one to fawn over nature, but the moon's reflection in the loch drew him in.

“Do you come here often?” Amelia asked softly, following him to the large rocks on the loch's side.

“Nae, nae since I was a young man.”

Jonan extended his hand to her, assisting her in taking a seat on the rock and then sat by her.

“Are you very old then?” she asked with a shy smile.

What beautiful lips she has, he thought to himself.

“Nae. Unless five-and-thirty years is an age to ye.”

Her eyes widened. “It is. I am only two-tens.”

“I ken,” Jonan nodded. “Ye are a mere lass.”

Amelia shook her head. “A child? I am a grown woman.”

“A lass.”

Amelia glared at him through slit eyes. Jonan burst into laughter. He couldn't explain it, but he enjoyed prodding her. Amelia couldn't keep her scowl for long and soon joined in the laughter.

“What else do you know?” she asked.

“Nae much,” he said truthfully. “Yer name and yer years. Nothin’ more.” He tried to look into her eyes, but she looked away shyly.

“Perhaps, ye should tell me more,” he suggested. “A man should ken more about his wife than those two things. Tell me about yer family,” he said wanting to understand just why her father had acted so coldly.

“Oh, there is not much to tell.”

“Let me judge that,” he urged.

“Well, I have a sister. Her name is… Nora,” she paused for a while.

“It was always Nora and me. My father did not want… well, he did not have time for us.”

The pause was brief, but Jonan had noticed it but hewouldn't press her for more.

“My mother passed away when we were born.”

“I am sorry to hear that,” he said sincerely. He knew she would not appreciate pity. She did not seem like that sort of woman.

“Thank you. My sister and I are very close.” When she looked at him, he saw the hint of tears in her eyes. “We spent all our time together. I got into trouble more than she did, but it didn’t matter because if I got punished, she would too.”

Jonan felt uneasy around a suffering woman.How did a man deal with sadness and tears? There was no villain he could defeat or quest he could notcomplete. But seeing an emotional woman rendered him helpless.

“Ye must miss her.”

“Yes,” she looked out into the loch again. “Yes, I do.”

There was an awkward silence between them. Even though there was enough space between them, he could sense her sadness.

A cool breeze blew in, and henoticed her shivering slightly.

“Are ye cold?”

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