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He had left her bed early that morning while she still slept peacefully. He hadn’t been able to help gazing down at her and taking in her beauty for a long moment before quietly leaving the room.

“Did ye sleep well?” Domhnall asked.

Her face seemed to flush at that question, and he wondered if, in that very moment, what they had shared together hadn’t just sprung to her mind.

“I did. Thank you. I’m here because I need your help.”

Domhnall’s eyebrows lifted as he gazed at her intrigued. “I see. And what is it ye need help with?”

“Are there any places nearby where I could swim?”

He suddenly frowned. “Are ye mad, woman? It’s freezing outside.”

Nodding, Katherine said, “I know that, but…” she trailed off with a shrug.

And then he remembered her list. For a moment, he didn’t say anything as he thought about the places, he might be able to take her to facilitate what she wanted.

“I ken a place,” he said eventually.

An hour later, Domhnall directed his horse into a cave with Katherine following closely behind. The rock formation above them reached up about thirty feet, and the sound of the horse’s hooves against the rock beneath them, echoed loudly as they continued on. Knowing what she wanted to do, Domhnall had made certain they had brought blankets. He’d also stopped on the way and gathered firewood and kindling.

Not long after entering the cave, a sound of rushing water echoed about their ears. Glancing back at Katherine, he grinned as she looked at him with a beaming smile of delight. It wasn’tthe first time he had seen her smile, but with her face lit up like that, she looked positively angelic.

Beneath that thought was an acknowledgement that he had never been in the presence of anyone so happy to plunge themselves into freezing cold water in the middle of winter, but then, he was discovering his wife-to-be was not just anyone.

Five minutes later, a flowing underground waterfall came into view, the thunderous wall of water spilling into and swallowed up by the body of water beneath it.

“Will this dae?” Domhnall declared, pulling his horse to a stop.

Katherine came to a halt beside him, and with that same beaming smile, she nodded. “This is actually perfect.”

They dismounted and gathered the blankets, and choosing a spot next to the cave wall, they left them there along with the firewood. After that, Katherine began to undress.

“Are ye really going tae dae this?” Domhnall said, his eyes wide.

He had imagined that once they had arrived, she might feel the cold air and change her mind. Clearly, he had not given her the credit she deserved.

“Of course.” She grinned excitedly, her body already beginning to tremble, though whether that was from the cold or the anticipation, Domhnall could not tell.

“This journey would be pointless if I were to back out now.” She then frowned. “You’re not going to try and stop me, are you?”

Domhnall shook his head and raised his hands. “Nae at all. I think ye’re completely mad, but it’s yer list.”

As she continued to undress, Domhnall strategically stacked the wood for the fire, and then with effort, took some time to light it. When it was burning well enough, he turned back to see what Katherine was doing.

Now undressed, she stood at the edge of the water with a blanket wrapped around her. Clearly, she was trying to build up the courage to take the plunge. Most of her list was now complete. She had kissed a stranger, spied on a gentleman bathing, ridden astride a horse, and read a banned book. There were only two more items remaining, and today, she was clearly determined to markswimming with no clothesoff her list.

“Dae ye need a push,” he teased.

She spun to look at him, her eyes wide. “Don’t you dare.”

“Och, now,” he said, taking a step towards her, “ye should never dare a Scotsman.”

“I’m going,” she said, now panicking that he was indeed, going to push her in.

Of course, he would never do such a thing, but the threat seemed to be enough to hurry her on. Waiting around for the courage to do it was pointless. She just needed to get it over with.

Katherine dropped the blanket, giving him a rather delightful view of her rounded behind against the slender silhouette of her body, and carefully lowered her foot into the water. She took a steep breath in, and with her arms out for balance, stepped in fully. Slowly, she walked deeper and deeper into the body of water, panting in short breaths with every step.