How they ravage it.”
“We’ve seen.”
“Some, aye. Ye’ve had a glimpse, but where I live, I see it nearly daily. I’ve had to wipe the tears and blood from a lasses face after she’s been attacked in the wood. I’ve had to comfort a widow when her husband died, and find a family for an orphaned child.”
Lorna blanched, and Jamie realized he’d said too much. No lass wan ted to hear about the cruelties and realities of life. Especially on a night when she was celebrating her youth and freedom.
“Apologies,” he mumbled, letting go of her hand, and glancing around at those who still danced and drank with merriment. “I did not mean to put a damper on this festive occasion.”
Lorna pulled his hand back into hers. “Thank ye.”
Jamie nodded, raising his brow in question. “I am not looking for gratitude, lass. Go and enjoy yourself.”
“Nay, ye dinna understand. I thank ye for being honest with me.”
That caught his attention, and he glanced back at her face, seeing her sincerity there.
“Ye were fierce and grave even at fourteen,” she said, a smile curling one side of her mouth. “And now, here ye are, just as grave, and all the wiser for it.”
“I dinna know about that.”
“’Haps ye should look inside yourself.” She glanced behind her at her oldest brother. “Ye know, Magnus is wise as well. He has refused to give ye men, but coin and supplies instead.”
Jamie nodded, and she met his gaze once more.
“’Tis because he believes he will need them,” she said.
“ He will.”
Lorna glanced down at the ground, and her hands trembled for a moment. “I’m scared. As remote as we are, news has reached us that the English have many. They may not fight as well as we do, but they’ve got more men. More coin for their cause.”
“’Tis a lost cause,” Jamie grumbled.
Lorna stroked a finger over his knuckles as if she’d wipe away his consternation. “It may verra well be a lost cause, Jamie, but since when does a desperate man lie down in defeat when his need is so great he’d risk everything for it?”
“Ye speak of Longshanks?”
She nodded. “He’ll never stop. Not until the day he dies.”
Jamie frowned. “Ye know a lot about bad men.”
She shrugged. “Having your parents murdered can do that to a lass.”
Jamie had the sudden need to take away her fear. Her pain. “Let us talk no more of death and greedy men. Should ye like to dance with me?”
She chewed her lip. “’Haps ye’d like to give me a goodbye kiss instead?”
Jamie’s heart pounded forcefully, and he held his breath, trying to replay what she’d said, uncertain if he’d heard her correctly.
“A kiss?”
Lorna laughed softly, giving him a coy look. “Unless, ye truly wished to dance instead.”
Jamie shook his head. Never would he give up a chance to kiss her. “Nay, lass. I much prefer kissing ye.”
Lorna’s lips parted, perhaps shocked that he would admit as much. But the look in her eyes, the way she’d so boldly expressed her wish made him want desperately to pull her into his arms and give her exactly what they both wanted.
The key was keeping it to a simple kiss, for it could not go beyond that. He’d never take a maiden to his bed, and he had no plans to marry.
But a kiss was… just a kiss.
And so he glanced around and noting that no one seemed to be paying much attention to them, he took her hand in his and said, “Lead the way, lass.” He wanted it to be about her, he wanted her to be in charge, for if he was to steal a kiss from a willing lass, at least he wanted her to be the one who chose when and where.
“Follow me.” She let go of his hand and took off at a fast walk toward the stables.
Jamie kept a respectable pace behind her, hoping not to draw anyone’s attention. Her two brothers had found willing lasses to dance with and her sister and aunt were no longer in sight—perhaps having already gone to bed. None of the other clan members seemed to be the
“We’ve seen.”
“Some, aye. Ye’ve had a glimpse, but where I live, I see it nearly daily. I’ve had to wipe the tears and blood from a lasses face after she’s been attacked in the wood. I’ve had to comfort a widow when her husband died, and find a family for an orphaned child.”
Lorna blanched, and Jamie realized he’d said too much. No lass wan ted to hear about the cruelties and realities of life. Especially on a night when she was celebrating her youth and freedom.
“Apologies,” he mumbled, letting go of her hand, and glancing around at those who still danced and drank with merriment. “I did not mean to put a damper on this festive occasion.”
Lorna pulled his hand back into hers. “Thank ye.”
Jamie nodded, raising his brow in question. “I am not looking for gratitude, lass. Go and enjoy yourself.”
“Nay, ye dinna understand. I thank ye for being honest with me.”
That caught his attention, and he glanced back at her face, seeing her sincerity there.
“Ye were fierce and grave even at fourteen,” she said, a smile curling one side of her mouth. “And now, here ye are, just as grave, and all the wiser for it.”
“I dinna know about that.”
“’Haps ye should look inside yourself.” She glanced behind her at her oldest brother. “Ye know, Magnus is wise as well. He has refused to give ye men, but coin and supplies instead.”
Jamie nodded, and she met his gaze once more.
“’Tis because he believes he will need them,” she said.
“ He will.”
Lorna glanced down at the ground, and her hands trembled for a moment. “I’m scared. As remote as we are, news has reached us that the English have many. They may not fight as well as we do, but they’ve got more men. More coin for their cause.”
“’Tis a lost cause,” Jamie grumbled.
Lorna stroked a finger over his knuckles as if she’d wipe away his consternation. “It may verra well be a lost cause, Jamie, but since when does a desperate man lie down in defeat when his need is so great he’d risk everything for it?”
“Ye speak of Longshanks?”
She nodded. “He’ll never stop. Not until the day he dies.”
Jamie frowned. “Ye know a lot about bad men.”
She shrugged. “Having your parents murdered can do that to a lass.”
Jamie had the sudden need to take away her fear. Her pain. “Let us talk no more of death and greedy men. Should ye like to dance with me?”
She chewed her lip. “’Haps ye’d like to give me a goodbye kiss instead?”
Jamie’s heart pounded forcefully, and he held his breath, trying to replay what she’d said, uncertain if he’d heard her correctly.
“A kiss?”
Lorna laughed softly, giving him a coy look. “Unless, ye truly wished to dance instead.”
Jamie shook his head. Never would he give up a chance to kiss her. “Nay, lass. I much prefer kissing ye.”
Lorna’s lips parted, perhaps shocked that he would admit as much. But the look in her eyes, the way she’d so boldly expressed her wish made him want desperately to pull her into his arms and give her exactly what they both wanted.
The key was keeping it to a simple kiss, for it could not go beyond that. He’d never take a maiden to his bed, and he had no plans to marry.
But a kiss was… just a kiss.
And so he glanced around and noting that no one seemed to be paying much attention to them, he took her hand in his and said, “Lead the way, lass.” He wanted it to be about her, he wanted her to be in charge, for if he was to steal a kiss from a willing lass, at least he wanted her to be the one who chose when and where.
“Follow me.” She let go of his hand and took off at a fast walk toward the stables.
Jamie kept a respectable pace behind her, hoping not to draw anyone’s attention. Her two brothers had found willing lasses to dance with and her sister and aunt were no longer in sight—perhaps having already gone to bed. None of the other clan members seemed to be the
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