Page 100 of A Highland Bride Disciplined

“Scarlett.”

The deep rumble of her husband’s voice made her turn. Kian stood in the doorway, shoulders filling the frame, his expression unreadable.

“What is it?” she asked softly, instinctively lowering her voice as though Elise might wake.

He stepped in, closing the door behind him. For a heartbeat he only watched her, then his eyes shifted to the cradle. “Effie,” he said quietly, “will ye sit with the babe?”

Effie blinked, surprised. “Aye, m’laird.” She bobbed a quick curtsy, though her eyes flicked curiously between them. Scarlett opened her mouth to protest, but Kian moved closer.

“I’ll nae keep her long,” he promised, voice pitched low.

Scarlett hesitated, then pressed a kiss to Elise’s temple before rising. Effie slipped onto the chair by the cradle, already humming some cheerful tune.

Kian’s hand brushed Scarlett’s elbow, guiding her out into the corridor. His touch was gentle, but it sent a ripple of awareness through her tired body. “Kian,” she murmured, half-annoyed, half-curious. “Where are ye takin’ me?”

“Ye’ll see.”

She followed as he led her through the dim halls, out into the cool night air. The sky overhead shimmered with stars, the moon bright enough to silver the stones of the keep. Scarlett tugged her shawl tighter around her shoulders, suddenly conscious of the quiet after so many hours of noise.

They walked toward the stables. A pair of horses stood ready, reins looped loosely around the posts. Scarlett stopped short. “Ye mean for us to ride? At this hour?”

His mouth curved not in a smile, not exactly, but something close. “At this hour. It will be quick.”

Scarlett’s brow furrowed. Her body ached with weariness, but curiosity pricked through it. “And Elise?”

“I spoke wi’ Effie before supper. She’s confident she can manage a few hours. Ye’ve nae left Elise’s side since the festival. She’ll be safe.”

Scarlett’s throat tightened. The thought of leaving Elise, even for a moment, pulled against every instinct. But Kian’s gaze was steady, unwavering.

“Trust me,” he said quietly.

She hated how easily those two words unraveled her. For months she had led this clan, doubted every man’s loyalty, and fought for every scrap of respect. And yet, when Kian saidtrust me, something inside her wanted to yield.

Scarlett drew herself tall. “Very well,” she said, though her voice wavered more than she liked.

“Can we just take one?” she asked, her voice was more pleading in tone than she anticipated, but the exhaustion was truly starting to take over.

Kian smiled and mounted first before offering her a hand. She swung up behind him, skirts rustling against the saddle, her palms flattening against his broad back. The warmth of him seeped through wool and leather, steady and solid.

They rode in silence, hooves thudding softly against the earth. The night air was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and distant heather. Scarlett found herself relaxing despite the tight knot of worry in her chest. Elise would be fine. Effie was capable. For once, Scarlett allowed herself to lean into the moment, into the man guiding her away from the noise and duty of the keep.

After some time, she whispered against his shoulder, “Where are ye takin’ me, Kian Murray?”

He glanced back, and in the moonlight his eyes glinted with something she couldn’t name. “Somewhere that’s only ours.”

Scarlett’s heart stumbled in her chest.Only ours?

She tightened her hold around his waist, curiosity winning over hesitation.

The sunset ride ended at a quiet loch nestled between two low ridges, the waters black as ink save for the pale shimmer of stars scattered across its surface. Scarlett drew in a breath, the sharpscent of pine mixing with the faint sweetness of late heather blooming near the banks. It was breathtaking that she almost forgot the weight pressing against her chest.

Almost.

Kian swung down easily, boots crunching against the damp earth. He held up his hands to steady her as she dismounted. Scarlett hesitated, her palms still tingling from where they had clutched the breadth of his waist. When she slipped down, her skirts brushed his thigh, and for a heartbeat she thought he might not release her. But then he stepped back, gesturing toward a patch of grass where a blanket was already spread, a basket set neatly atop it.

She blinked. “Ye prepared this?”

“Aye.” His voice was quiet, unreadable. “I thought ye might need somethin’ that was just for us.”