Page 28 of Desiring the Highland Laird (Highland Destiny #1)

C allum was up early the next morning thinking about Evie.

Relief swept through him when she refused to take the keystone.

Relief that deep down she decided to stay.

He wanted her to stay. He wanted her with him.

That was why he had given her the stone for safekeeping.

Because of the trust that had formed between them.

Guilt washed over him with her as his first thought. He should be thinking about his da and worrying about the continued strife with the MacDonalds. Not thinking about the bonnie lass.

He had a difficult time not thinking about kissing her, even though the kiss had been nothing more than the brush of his lips against hers. He couldn’t forget the way her pulse had thrummed in her neck or the way she had shivered against him when he had done it.

He still did not know why he had done it. But the impulse had been too great to resist.

It did not satisfy his needy curiosity, either. It served to make him want to kiss her more.

He decided to look for her and offer to take her out for another riding lesson.

Mayhap that would keep his mind off the lump of grief in the middle of his chest. When she wasn’t in her bedchamber, he found her helping Roslyn in the kitchen.

He was surprised to see Roslyn showing the lass how to knead bread and stood in the doorway a moment to observe.

“Aye, like that, lassie. Ye got it!” Roslyn said.

Evie giggled and smiled brightly as she pushed her hands through the dough.

For the first time, he noticed the faint dimple in each cheek.

She blew a piece of wayward hair that had come loose from her braid as it dangled in front of her face.

He clenched his hands into fists, squelching the sudden urge to rush over to her and tuck it behind her perfect round ear.

“Och, Callum! I dinnae see ye there.”

Roslyn’s voice shook him from his staring. He straightened and cleared his throat, pulling his gaze away from Evie as he stepped into the kitchen. Evie’s head snapped up, her eyes wide and round in surprise.

“Goodness me, I’ve forgotten to gather the eggs this morning,” the woman exclaimed.

“I’ll help you, Roslyn.”

Evie handed the dough off to the woman and then reached for a towel to wipe her hands clean. Her gaze flickered over to him and she gave him a shy smile. It made his stomach drop to the soles of his boots and a tingling sensation prickle over every inch of his exposed skin.

“I was looking for Evie,” he said, finally finding his voice. Much to his dismay, it was rough and ragged. He swallowed hard.

Evie’s eyes widened again as she looked at him. Those big, brown eyes were so bright and deep he could get lost in them.

“You were?”

“Aye. To see if ye’d be interested in a riding lesson today.”

“Oh.” The word shuddered out of her on a breath.

Roslyn had a knowing glint in her eye as she busied herself in the kitchen gathering the morning meal to take to the great hall.

“After ye finish here in the kitchen, that is,” he added.

“Go on, lass,” Roslyn put in. “I dinnae need any more help this morn.” She winked as she said it.

Evie flushed. Her lashes fluttered as she nodded, turning back to Callum. “I’d like that.”

“I’ll make ready the horses.”

He turned from the kitchen and fled, his stomach in a tight knot. He chastised himself for that reaction. He had seen bonnie lasses before. But none of them had caused such an uproar of emotions as Evie. He decided he had to calm himself to get through this riding lesson and not act a fool.

At the stable, he ordered his war horse and her mare to be saddled and ready to go.

The stable hand was quick and able to get the horses ready by the time Evie exited the keep.

She clutched her cloak tight around her small frame, the wind whipping it around her ankles.

Sprigs of her fiery red hair came loose from her braid.

She tucked a tendril behind her ear. The same one he itched to do.

Her face exploded in a wide grin as she approached, seeing the small gray mare next to him. When she reached the horse, she patted her nose. The mare nuzzled her, looking for a treat.

“She’s a sweet horse, isn’t she?” Evie asked.

“Aye, she is.”

She brushed her neck in a tender, reverent way. “I used to be scared of horses.”

“But no the now?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No. Not anymore.” She leaned over to eye his large war horse. “Though I have to say your horse is a bit intimidating.”

As if in response, his horse stomped a hoof. She laughed, the sound lovely and sweet to his ears.

“Well, then, shall we?” He swung up into his saddle. She followed. “I want to be back before the midday meal.”

She settled into the saddle, holding onto the reins with confident hands. “Where are we going?”

He motioned toward the gate. “Yer choice, my lady.”

Though he said it in jest, he saw the color rise in her cheeks. She nudged the gray mare into a slow walk and headed for the gate. Smiling, he followed.

*

When they returned to Dundale after their riding lesson—truly the lass was getting better—Callum was surprised to see his youngest brother, Jamie, had returned from his travels with their uncle.

Jamie, along with Malcolm, and Uncle Argyle, were in the great hall seated at the long table.

Upon seeing him, Jamie granted him a wide smile.

“Ah, there ye are, brother,” Jamie said. “And yer bonnie lass. Malcolm was telling us of her surprising arrival.”

Evie cast him an uncertain glance as they paused in the great hall. Callum stepped in front of her to shield her from his brother’s piercing gaze full of wonder and curiosity. As though he had never seen a lass before.

“Was he now?” Callum’s stern gaze landed on Malcolm, whose face remained impassive.

Callum folded his arms over his chest as he sized up his younger brother. He looked as though he had aged over these last several months while traveling. His face no longer held that youthful glow he once had. Now it was tanned as though he was a man of the world. And mayhap he was.

Argyle was their father’s brother. When he saw Callum, he rose to his imposing height, which seemed to tower over all of them.

His hair was long and white peppered with gray, his beard full and thick and the same.

He had one good eye, which was a pale blue, and the other he had lost in battle some years ago.

He kept his blind eye covered by a black patch.

His weathered face was lined with age and wisdom.

“Callum,” he greeted, tipping his head. He glanced at Evie, looking her over from head to toe then back at him. “I was sorry to hear about yer father. The MacDonalds, was it?”

“Aye,” Callum replied as he looked at Malcolm. “We bury him on the morrow. I dinnae expect ye or wee Jamie.”

“I cut our travels short. It was a wise decision seeing as how yer da has passed.”

There was some underlying meaning there in his terse words and the tone of his voice. Another glance at Jamie revealed nothing, though. Callum had to wonder if there was something the lad had done to warrant a swift return to Dundale.

Argyle made no mention of the fact that Hamish was his older brother, nor did he show any signs of grief or sorrow. But then, that, too, was like his uncle. He was not a man of great emotion. Callum often thought Malcolm was much like him as well.

Jamie rose from the table and ambled over with his normal cad-like swagger. His gaze was firmly fixed on Evie.

“Are ye going to introduce us to the lass?” There was a broad grin on his face Callum didn’t like.

Behind him, he sensed Evie edge closer to him. She slipped her small hand into the crook of his folded arms, as though making everyone in the room aware of her status. She belonged to him.

“Evie, this is my brother, Jamie, and my Uncle Argyle.”

Jamie bowed with a flourish. Argyle merely regarded her with cool indifference.

“’Tis good to meet the lass who fell from the sky,” Jamie said, eyeing her and edging closer. “Since her mention, I couldna wait to see who holds my brother’s attention so well.”

Callum stiffened, ready to do battle with his brother if he stepped one inch closer. Her hand tightened on his arm but otherwise she remained where she stood. She lifted her chin higher in defiance which made him admire her all the more.

“Is that so?” Evie said, her voice calm and cool. “Funny, Callum hasn’t mentioned you at all.”

Jamie looked stricken as his gaze met Callum’s. Behind them, Malcolm snickered. Callum managed to stuff down the bark of a laugh he wanted to emit. He knew Evie was familiar with his younger brother and the reason for the feud between them and the MacDonalds.

“Ye haven’t?” Then he pressed a hand against his chest as if he were mortally wounded. “How that pains me, brother.”

“I’m sure you’ll recover,” she said, with that same exterior coolness.

Jamie’s gaze flitted back to her as his eyes widened.

“A sharp-tongued lass, to be sure.” Argyle grinned. “I like her.”

Callum dropped his arms and turned to her, taking her small hands in his and giving them a gentle squeeze. “Mayhap see if Roslyn needs help in the kitchen.”

For a moment, annoyance flashed in those deep brown eyes. It was quickly followed by understanding but even so, she couldn’t resist one last barb.

“Right. So you men can talk without me being around. I get it.”

Then she did something that completely shocked him.

She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek.

When she stepped back, there was a warm smile on her face.

A smile that said she understood far too well what was about to happen.

She walked away with the swing of her small hips.

He watched her go, his cheek still tingling where she’d kissed him.

Aye, he wanted to speak to his younger brother without her in the room. There were things left unsaid between them when Argyle swooped in and took the lad away.

Jamie gave a low whistle. “A bonnie lass, indeed.”

“And ye’ll stay away from her,” Callum nearly barked.

Jamie blinked innocently. “Why so cross, brother? I mean her no harm.”

“Yer a cad and ye ken it.”

“Aye,” Argyle said, then, his face pinched with the fury he had masked before. “Tis why we returned. The lad and his errant roguish ways have caused me enough trouble.”

“So, that’s the right of it, then,” Callum said. “Yer return is because of him.”

“I did nothing,” Jamie said, sounding cross.

“Would ye like to explain yer behavior in France, then?” Argyle snapped. Fire flashed in his one good eye.

“I would not.” Jamie ambled back to the table and sat, propping his boots on the edge. “I did nothing wrong.”

“Ye did everything wrong,” Argyle said.

Jamie pulled out the dagger at his side and picked at the dirt under his nails, ignoring them both. Malcolm glanced from his younger brother to his older brother, a look of bemusement on his face.

“We can discuss that later,” Callum said. “What we need to discuss is the consequences of ye spurning the MacDonald lass.”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “That again?”

“Ye dinnae understand the conflict that was set into motion with yer behavior,” Malcolm snapped. “Da is dead because of you .”

“I dinnae kill Da,” Jamie said, glaring at Malcolm. “I wasna even here.”

“Ye did,” Malcolm insisted.

Callum held up his hands for silence. “What Malcolm means is that the MacDonalds were angered by breaking the handfasting.”

“She dinnae produce a bairn,” Jamie said, as if that was all that mattered.

But if he knew his youngest brother—and he did—there was likely more to the story than what Jamie was letting on. The ire of the MacDonalds was why Jamie was whisked off to travel with their uncle and even that appeared to have failed to tame the little knave.

“Aye. Likely because ye dinnae tup her properly,” Malcolm said. Then added with a sneer, “Or at all.”

Jamie took offense to that and jumped to his feet, his fists clenched tight and his face red with rage. “Ye ken nothing of that, brother.”

Malcolm rose to his feet, his hands also fisted at his side. Callum realized he had to step in between them before they came to blows. Thankfully, he was bigger and taller than the both of them and shoved himself between them, pushing them apart.

“’Tis enough, both of ye,” he said, his tone low and warning. “Fighting between us will no get us anywhere. We must find a way to broker peace with Rory MacDonald.”

“There is no way to broker peace.” Malcolm moved away from them and sat on the other side of the table, putting distance between him and Jamie, which was probably for the best.

“We must find a way.” Callum eyed Jamie, who shoved away from him and returned to his seat at the end of the table.

“What do ye want from me, brother?” Jamie asked. “I cannae take the lass back.”

“Nay,” he agreed. “But ye can go with me to meet with the laird and offer yer apologies.”

Jamie snorted. “I will do no such thing.”

“Och, yer a hard-headed lad,” Argyle said, speaking up. “Callum is yer laird now. If he wants ye to apologize, ’tis what ye’ll do.”

“And take back the lass if that’s what it will take for peace,” Callum added.

Jamie’s face turned red with fury. “I will no take the lass back and I will no apologize.”

Then he jumped to his feet and stormed off. Callum heaved a weary sigh. Argyle shook his head in dismay.

“Ye’ll no get him to do either of those things, ye ken,” Malcolm said.

“Then he leaves me no choice,” Callum said.

“And what is that, lad?” Argyle asked.

“I go to the chieftain to ask for help settling our feud.”