to Gilda. Her eyes were round with uncertainty, and he winced. Damn two old men who couldn’t see past their feud.
“Ye arenae a Macrory.”
Ryan returned his attention to the wee, puffed-up lad before him and slid from his horse. “Nae. But I am a friend.”
He heard a dainty snort and flashed Gilda a grin. That’s my lass. Quick-tempered and full of yer own opinion .
Ryan leaned casually against his horse’s shoulder and turned back to the lad. “What is yer name?”
“My name is Finn. And ye cannae be a pirate, can ye?”
Ryan heard the half-hopeful lilt in Finn’s voice and sighed with exaggeration. “Nae. I am no pirate. I have a sister, Lissa, and a friend, Conn.” Ryan gestured to the two behind him.
“Watch what I can do!” With the abrupt decision-making given to the very young, Finn left his defensive posture and turned excitedly to other things. Taking the rock already clutched in his hand, he flung it at the stagnant tide pool. It skipped once, then sank to the bottom.
His hands flew to his hips and he stuck out his chin. “My sister can do it better than that.”
The disgust was so evident in the lad’s voice, Ryan smothered a laugh and bent to find a rock of his own. “Here, lad. Choose yer rock carefully, then give it a solid toss.” With honed skill, Ryan slid his rock through the incoming waves.
Finn’s eyes grew wide as the rock made four complete skips before vanishing beneath the foam. “Can ye teach me that?”
Ryan took a step back, aware Conn stood just behind him, and clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Nae. This man is much better at skipping rocks than I am. He is the one ye need to ask.”
With a firm, meaningful shove, Ryan forced Conn toward the lad. “Take this braw lad and Lissa and teach them to skip rocks.”
Conn brushed past Ryan. “I dinnae know what ye will owe me for this, but ye will owe me.”
Ryan didn’t care. Even if it only lasted a moment, he was again alone with Gilda.
* * *
Observing how Ryan smoothly sent the others away, Gilda half-admired his confidence, half-feared he would hear her heart trying to beat out of her chest. She should be angry with him for abandoning her the other night, without explanation or word that he would try to meet with her again.
His gaze drifted over her and she weakened. Utterly boneless and too overwhelmed at seeing him again, she forgave him everything.
Ryan took a hesitant step toward her, a question in his eyes. Gilda smiled and relief washed over his face. His amber eyes danced and Gilda longed to rush into his arms, but the last bit of sanity left to her kept her feet glued to the sandy ground.
“I have missed ye.” Ryan’s voice pitched low, but Gilda heard every word.
“Why did yer da…?” She hesitated.
Ryan waved his hand in an abrupt gesture. “He is still consumed with anger at being denied his request to marry yer ma. We must talk fast. Do ye wish to meet me again?”
Gilda’s skin tingled. “Of course, I do. But—”
“Ye must listen to me, then. Are ye allowed out of the castle without an escort?”
Gilda stole a look down the beach. Fergus stood tall, his gaze fixed on her and the newcomers. He motioned to Jamie and began to jog toward them.
She made her decision. “I can get away. Where?”
“Meet me at the blacksmith’s in the village tomorrow just after noon. If ye cannae come, I will be there again the next day, but I cannae say if I can return after that.”
Gilda touched his arm, feeling the warmth of him beneath her fingers. She trembled. “I will be there.”
Ryan slid his hand into hers and gave it a quick squeeze before he dropped it and strolled casually to where Conn and the children tossed pebbles into the sea. Gilda released a breathless sigh and picked up her skirts to hurry after him.
Finn’s voice rose over the sounds of the lapping water. “Watch this, Fergus! I can make my rock skip all the way to those fishing boats!” He threw his pebble in a
“Ye arenae a Macrory.”
Ryan returned his attention to the wee, puffed-up lad before him and slid from his horse. “Nae. But I am a friend.”
He heard a dainty snort and flashed Gilda a grin. That’s my lass. Quick-tempered and full of yer own opinion .
Ryan leaned casually against his horse’s shoulder and turned back to the lad. “What is yer name?”
“My name is Finn. And ye cannae be a pirate, can ye?”
Ryan heard the half-hopeful lilt in Finn’s voice and sighed with exaggeration. “Nae. I am no pirate. I have a sister, Lissa, and a friend, Conn.” Ryan gestured to the two behind him.
“Watch what I can do!” With the abrupt decision-making given to the very young, Finn left his defensive posture and turned excitedly to other things. Taking the rock already clutched in his hand, he flung it at the stagnant tide pool. It skipped once, then sank to the bottom.
His hands flew to his hips and he stuck out his chin. “My sister can do it better than that.”
The disgust was so evident in the lad’s voice, Ryan smothered a laugh and bent to find a rock of his own. “Here, lad. Choose yer rock carefully, then give it a solid toss.” With honed skill, Ryan slid his rock through the incoming waves.
Finn’s eyes grew wide as the rock made four complete skips before vanishing beneath the foam. “Can ye teach me that?”
Ryan took a step back, aware Conn stood just behind him, and clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Nae. This man is much better at skipping rocks than I am. He is the one ye need to ask.”
With a firm, meaningful shove, Ryan forced Conn toward the lad. “Take this braw lad and Lissa and teach them to skip rocks.”
Conn brushed past Ryan. “I dinnae know what ye will owe me for this, but ye will owe me.”
Ryan didn’t care. Even if it only lasted a moment, he was again alone with Gilda.
* * *
Observing how Ryan smoothly sent the others away, Gilda half-admired his confidence, half-feared he would hear her heart trying to beat out of her chest. She should be angry with him for abandoning her the other night, without explanation or word that he would try to meet with her again.
His gaze drifted over her and she weakened. Utterly boneless and too overwhelmed at seeing him again, she forgave him everything.
Ryan took a hesitant step toward her, a question in his eyes. Gilda smiled and relief washed over his face. His amber eyes danced and Gilda longed to rush into his arms, but the last bit of sanity left to her kept her feet glued to the sandy ground.
“I have missed ye.” Ryan’s voice pitched low, but Gilda heard every word.
“Why did yer da…?” She hesitated.
Ryan waved his hand in an abrupt gesture. “He is still consumed with anger at being denied his request to marry yer ma. We must talk fast. Do ye wish to meet me again?”
Gilda’s skin tingled. “Of course, I do. But—”
“Ye must listen to me, then. Are ye allowed out of the castle without an escort?”
Gilda stole a look down the beach. Fergus stood tall, his gaze fixed on her and the newcomers. He motioned to Jamie and began to jog toward them.
She made her decision. “I can get away. Where?”
“Meet me at the blacksmith’s in the village tomorrow just after noon. If ye cannae come, I will be there again the next day, but I cannae say if I can return after that.”
Gilda touched his arm, feeling the warmth of him beneath her fingers. She trembled. “I will be there.”
Ryan slid his hand into hers and gave it a quick squeeze before he dropped it and strolled casually to where Conn and the children tossed pebbles into the sea. Gilda released a breathless sigh and picked up her skirts to hurry after him.
Finn’s voice rose over the sounds of the lapping water. “Watch this, Fergus! I can make my rock skip all the way to those fishing boats!” He threw his pebble in a
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