Page 20 of The Veiled Wish of a Highland Bride

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Mia sat in the grass, watching as the setting sun cast an orange glow over the world and refracted off the surface of the loch. It was a beautiful scene to behold. She was glad she had chosen this place. As far as she knew, rarely did anyone wander to this side of the loch.

She sighed contentedly upon seeing Archibald galloping towards the foot of the hill, his eyes solely fixed on her.

"Mia," he too sighed, sliding off his horse and tying it by her own, before proceeding with sitting down beside her on the mat she had laid out.

Mia could not help but notice the confidence with which he carried himself.

The thick grass tickled Mia’s bare feet, but she ignored it, instead taking in the man beside her—the man who was hopefully going to show her things she had never experienced. It felt right.

"Thank ye for coming," she said, trying to conceal her nerves and excitement. She stared at his perfect face, unsure of how to begin, his unreadable expression not helping at all. "I like when ye say my name."

"Mia," Archibald repeated. He smiled. "I will say it as many times as ye need.”

Mia could not tell if his eyes softened in pity or desire.

"It's a bonnie name, Mia. For the bonniest of lasses."

She felt her heart flutter at that. No man had spoken to her so.

It felttrue.

"We dinnae have to do a thing. I am happy to hear ye speak,” he reassured her, looking over the loch. “So tell me of yer family,Mia," he said. "How did ye get here? On Murray ground?"

Mia broke their gaze, directing her attention to the trees that lay beyond the loch.

“For the love of a man. That was what was promised to me. Is it nae what is normal for a man to love his wife?” she said thoughtfully. “Even if the man didnae ken the lass before… is he nae supposed to love the lass like he promised in his vows?”

Archie looked taken aback by her question.

“Nae everyone holds true to their promise,” he explained. “Some really do try but it takes so much more than love to stay true to those vows.”

“Then let us put love aside for a moment. What abouta man’sduties? What about his duties as a husband?”

He said nothing, and she merely drew her attention back to the trees.

“Why promise to protect and honor a woman if ye never intended on doing any of those things?” she whispered.

“Mia,” Archibald started, extending his hands to touch hers. “What does the Laird do to ye to cause ye so much pain?”

There was nothing to convince her that the Highlander who sat by her could be trusted, but in this instant something drew her to him. She felt the urge to give herself to him completely—to trust him, despite all odds.

“I never said I was in any pain,” Mia deflected. She gave him a rueful smile. “I dinnae think ‘tis wise to say.”

“As ye have probably noticed, we’re nae so wise.” Archibald smiled reassuringly.

“The worst so far is that he threatened to hit me, and I might have been shoved aside more times than once.” Mia began to pluck at the grass to distract herself. Although it was true that her feelings were hurt over how Bram constantly treated her, there was only so much of her pain that she wanted to show Archie.

“Nae one should lay a violent finger on ye,” Archibald said sadly. Mia knew that men were expected to discipline their wives, but she was always careful to do everything Bram asked… just like she had done for her father to avoid his anger. Nothing worked then and nothing was working now.

Archibald's thumb traced soothing circles along the back of her hand.

“I ken a wee bit about pain. I experienced pain in the war. And while I cannae say I understandyerpain, I ken that a lass should never have to feel like her husband is her enemy,” he said.

Mia was comforted by his words. She had thought all men were just like Bram and her father, but Archibald was slowly proving her wrong.

Until he said his next words.

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