Page 28 of The Veiled Wish of a Highland Bride

After the very last Laird had arrived, she considered retiring for the night. Instead, she found herself going towards the wing where Archibald had been lodged.

Her legs simply moved of their own accord.

Mia could barely believe her luck when he whipped out of his room, looking a little worse for wear, perhaps ready for bed.

Then he saw her, and there was no going back.

Their eyes remained locked as they stood in the middle of the hallway, where anyone at any time could uncover their dirty little secret.

CHAPTERELEVEN

He felt her before he even saw her.

Shewas here.

The woman who had infiltrated his thoughts every day since he had seen her last, rendering him next to useless even in the affairs of his clan. He was not oblivious to the fact that the gaze which they currently shared could easily be read rightly by anyone who did so much as glance at them.

Archibald hurriedly took hold of Mia's hand and tugged her into his room, closing the door behind him. They needed to be cautious.

He took a step closer to her, more tenderly holding the hand he had so roughly yanked, inhaling more of her intoxicating scent.

"Mia," he breathed, leaning into her, but immediately pulled back remembering he was in her husband's home. "What are ye doing here?"

It took all of his will and strength not to grab onto the perfect woman right then and kiss her. He had to consciously remind himself that she was married, albeit unhappily. What was she doing in the guest wing?

"Naething, my laird. Can I nae just waltz around and see how well my guests are settling in?" she replied.

Archibald stared at her, noticing the glint of excitement in her eyes. A few of her golden curls were dipping into the space between her pale bosom.

Archibald grunted in reply.

"I was going to offer an apology to ye for running off like that." She lowered her eyes as she spoke, her lashes gently fluttering.

Archibald tore his eyes away from her and stared at the overlapping stones that formed the walls of his room. There was a dresser on which he had placed his sash and brooch, and the bed was just wide enough to contain two...

What am I thinking?

He glanced back at her only to notice that she was slowly edging away from him to settle herself on his bed. To chat some more, he assumed. He dashed towards her and took her face in his hands, lifting her face to his.

Slowly, he whispered, "If ye do nae stop what ye are doing, I will nae be responsible for my actions, Mia. Ye’re playing with fire.We’replaying with fire."

Mia gasped, the gleam of desire still in her eye. Archibald could feel his cock quirk in response to the feel of his skin against hers. When she moved her cheek against his hand, he stiffened.

"I apologize,” he whispered, drawing his hand away. “I cannae do anything here, Mia. Nae when ye can get in trouble."

Like a spell being broken, she nodded and walked out of the room just as quietly as she had come in, leaving Archibald stunned and more than a little confused.

* * *

"We will be venturing through the valley, andhereis where we will pass through with the Prince to get into Castle Ledoch unnoticed," Bram said, pointing at specific areas on the map spread across the wooden table in his study.

The four men in the room, which consisted of the Lairds of Castle Murray and Castle Ledoch and their war chiefs, looked at one another in silent comprehension. The plan had been set in motion, hatched out while the other Lairds were in the hall, sharpening their spears for the imminent boar hunt.

Bram had just let them know that they might be staying for a few days longer than anticipated to allow the Bonnie Prince to cross the Loch Leven just by Murray castle. The hunting expedition would help keep all surrounding clan heads busy while he rode safely towards Castle Ledoch before sailing to France.

“The Sassenach soldiers usually have checkpoints here, here and here," Lennox began to say, pointing to the appropriate location on the map. "If we can send word to Bonnie Prince Charlie to avoid these locations, that would be best. We dinnae want dead British soldiers on our lands."

Archibald acknowledged Lennox's words with a nod. Ever since the Battle of Culloden and the apparent "Give No Quarter" note, the British soldiers had been brutal in their treatment of the Scottish people, slowly ebbing away at their culture. The last thing they wanted to do was spill British blood on Highland soil.

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