Page 46 of Sinful Scottish Laird

“Why do you look at me as if I’ve stolen your dog?” he asked amicably.

“How did you come to be in the company of my son?”

“He and his keeper were wandering about like two pilgrims when I returned the oar Somerled sent sailing out to sea.”

“That’s not hiskeeper—that’s his tutor.”

“Histutor,then,” Cailean said with a shrug. “The man is no’ inclined to throw rocks and returned to his books, I suppose. Fortunately, your uncle sees the value in it.”

Ellis threw another rock, too hard, and it plunked into the lake, sending big circular ripples out across a glassy surface of the water.

“Try again, lad,” Cailean said and handed Ellis a rock, reviewing with him the proper mechanics.

Ellis threw the rock, and it skipped twice. He laughed with delight. “Cailean knows how to sail a ship,” he said. “He uses the stars. Do you want me to teach you how to skip a rock, Mamma?”

“I happen to know something of it,” Daisy said confidently.

“Youdo?” Ellis asked, eyeing her skeptically.

Daisy laughed. She reached into her pocket and withdrew a rock and showed it to Ellis. “Now watch,” she said. She braced her feet apart and then threw the rock. It splashed into the water and sank without a single skip.

Ellis burst into laughter. “That’s not how it’s done at all, Mamma!” he cried. “Don’t be sad. My first rocks sank, too, aye?”

Aye?There it was again, that word coming from her son.

“Here, Mamma. Here’s one for you.” Ellis said, holding up one of his rocks.

“Aye, a bonny one,” Cailean said and took it from Ellis. “Shall I instruct your mother, then?”

“Yes!” Ellis exclaimed.

“Thank you, but I don’t require instruction,” Daisy said pertly.

“Ah, lass... I’ve yet to meet a woman who didna require a wee bit of instruction,” Cailean said with a wink as he stepped behind her. He slid his hand down her arm, to her hand, and then held it out. “When you throw, turn your palm up, like this,” he said and mimicked throwing as he held her hand.

Daisy nodded. Her son was watching with keen interest. She was very aware of the hard, broad man at her back, his hand dwarfing hers. He put one hand on her hip, and Daisy stifled a gasp. He was too bold! But she dared not call attention to it in front of Ellis.

“When I give you the word, throw the rock,” he said. He swung her arm back, then thrust it forward.“Now.”

Daisy released the rock from her fingers. It sailed perhaps a foot and splattered into mud a foot short of the water.

“Aye, I see that you are indeed quite the expert,” Cailean said softly in her ear. “Here, then.” He put a rock into her hand and shifted closer to her back.

“You are too familiar,” Daisy whispered.

“You didna think so yesterday, aye?” he asked with a chuckle, and this time, instead of his hand going to her hip, he put his arm around her waist and drew her into his chest.

Daisy’s gaze flew to Ellis, but he seemed not to notice at all.

“Och,breathe, then.”

“Iambreathing.”

“You’re as stiff as a new bride, aye?”

Daisy could feel the heat crawling up her neck; she couldn’t bear to look at Ellis, certain he was scandalized beyond repair.

“Hold out your arm, Mamma!” her son said encouragingly.