Page 24

After watching her ride away, Archibald picked himself off the grass.

He did not fail to notice that Mia’s mat still lay on the ground, and he picked it up, glad to have an excuse —anyexcuse — to see her again.

With what had just happened between them, he wondered if she was still thinking of Bram as she moaned Archie's name. He didn't dare to ask. He was curious whether she had come to see him to learn how to bed her husband or if their desirefor each other wasgenuine.

These questions will do me no good.

It had hurt too much to hear that they could not see each other again. She was different, just like he had expected she would be. Different from any other woman he had experienced, and something inside of him whispered that this was not the end for them.

Throwing the blanket over his shoulder, he strode towards his horse.

As he rode closer to the tavern where he was staying with his retinue, he saw Lennox standing outside, presumably waiting for him.

“My laird,” Lennox said, approaching Archibald as he slowed his horse to a halt. “I have been worried sick. Ye left without saying a word. I almost dispatched a search party after ye. They were still waiting from the last time.”

“I ken, my friend. We are to return home tomorrow morn, but I have to tell ye that I cannae. Nae yet,” Archibald said, a grimace on his face. He dismounted his horse.

For a war chief, Lennox worried a lot. “And why might that be?” he asked, brows furrowed, his arms folded firmly over his chest.

“’Tis pretty late, is it nae? Ye and our other men can begin the journey home now and still make it there in time for supper tomorrow. I will join ye the morning after, dinnae ye worry.”

Archie could tell that Lennox was eager to go home. The truth was that he wanted some time to himself to decide what to do about Mia. The lass who even now plagued his consciousness.

A part of Archibald knew that Lennox would be able to tell that something was bothering him. The man had always been so perceptive, even more now with age.

But Archie had to figure this out on his own.

“But what about yer injuries? I think it is best for ye to come with us and get some tending from the healers back at the keep.”

Archibald laughed. “Ye’re a man, Lennox. Ye should nae be fussing so much. All I have are wee cuts and bruises. It is naething I cannae handle. I am a warrior first, ye forget.”

“But what about the men that seek to kill ye?” Lennox grunted.

“I am Laird Archibald Macnab, who survived the Battle of Culloden and fought many before that. I tell ye now—the men only caught me off guard because I had been drinking.”

Lennox scoffed.

Archie sauntered closer to his war chief and gave him a pat on the back. “I will be perfectly fine here alone, my friend. But if it will put yer mind at ease, ye may leave a man with me. Although I cannae assure ye that I will nae send that man home ahead of me as well.”

“Ye areLaird,Archie. The only heir to that throne, ye ken? We will nae suffer Dallas as our Chief, so dinnae get yerself killed over a lass.”

He could hear Lennox's sincerity in his words, and he smiled.

“Aye,” Archie acknowledged. “I ken it and I vow to never take it for granted. Now, would ye get going before it gets any darker? Take our best men and ensure that they are careful. We carry nae valuables back, but the brigands like to take whatever they can.”

Lennox had begun to signal the other men to prepare for their departure.

“Stay safe, my friend,” Archibald said as Lennox walked towards his readied horse.

“And ye too, my laird,” Lennox replied, immediately followed by a sharp, “Yah!” as he whipped his horse into a gallop.

* * *

The next day dawned more quickly than Archibald had anticipated.

He hadspent the night writing and tearing up letters to Mia. Before long, he realized it was all pointless as there was no guarantee his letter would not be intercepted before it got to her in the castle.

Just when he had decided to get some sleep before his journey home at dawn, the sun began to rear its head.