Page 11 of When a Highlander Vows (Enemies to Lovers #1)

11

“ L ottie, ye daenae have to go to any trouble. I am happy to entertain meself for the day.”

Caitlin still felt uncomfortable using the old woman’s first name, but she knew Lottie would correct her if she didn’t.

“Nonsense. He would be happy to, would ye nae, Lucas?”

“Nan, I am meant to speak to Archie this mornin’. On matters of business. There will be another trip soon, to deal with a few skirmishes on the border, and there are some things that need to be sorted out.”

He glanced Caitlin’s way, and she looked down, thinking of the odd strangers they came upon. She blushed, knowing that he was a busy man, and here his grandmother was trying to force her upon him.

“Surely, nae. Nae when ye have only just returned,” Lottie said with a flash of her eyes.

Caitlin looked down at the food in front of her. She would focus there to avoid even further embarrassment. She didn’t like that Lottie was forcing her grandson to play host when she was perfectly capable of looking after herself.

She picked up a slice of warm bread and slathered it with honey and jam while Lucas and Lottie talked. What she really wanted to do was go to the library and spend a few hours reading. Reading always took her mind off things, and it made her feel less sheltered.

It was a little embarrassing that she’d never traveled farther than the clan lands, especially when she was telling it to the laird, who had to travel far and wide and had, no doubt, come across many fresh places and interesting people.

“What about the sea, Caitlin? Dae ye like the sea?” Lottie asked.

Caitlin looked up, swallowed her food, and answered, “I cannae say for I never been there. But from where I live on the hill atop the village, it looks like a great mystery of gray. Is it very dangerous to swim in it?”

“It can be,” Lucas said, not looking at her as he began to eat.

“But ye must be careful. Can ye swim?” Lottie asked.

Caitlin shook her head. “I never had cause to learn.”

“How wonderful. Lucas can teach ye that as well.”

“Nan,” Lucas said sharply, and Caitlin cut in.

“Please, I beg ye. I daenae wish to be of trouble to anyone.” She held up a hand. “I am also happy to return to me cottage whenever ye think it right.”

She hadn’t meant to say that last part, but it just came out. When no one replied right away, she started to eat again. She’d grown up being taught to care for herself and to help others, not to sit around and let others help her. It irritated her greatly, and she wanted nothing more just then than to go home .

“Nonsense!” Lottie cried. It seemed a favorite ejaculation of hers. “Ye will stay right here. All I wish, Lass, is that ye ken the home in which ye now stay. Daenae worry. We willnae fuss over ye as if ye cannae care for yerself; I promise ye that. But when ye first move somewhere, ye want to become familiar with it. So that ye can dae as ye please once ye ken everywhere. Dae ye understand?”

Caitlin nodded, giving Lottie a faint smile. But she didn’t look at Lucas. He was clearly upset, and very unhappy to do what his grandmother was forcing him into.

“Just for today, then. Let’s say that,” Lottie continued, her eyes moving between the two of them.

Caitlin held her breath, waiting for Lucas to answer. Not knowing how he accomplished such a feat, Lucas spoke both softly and gruffly at the same time.

“Aye.”

The rest of breakfast was only slightly painful, for Lucas remained silent while Lottie spoke to Caitlin of clan matters and plans for a large gathering. A feast to welcome her.

“In a week’s time, I think, we will be fully prepared. Ye will be used to yer surroundings, and the kitchens will have had time to create a meal worthy of celebratin’ yer arrival, Lass. Lucas, ye must send men out to hunt for the meat. I want to invite as many people as possible.”

“Sounds wonderful,” Caitlin lied, trying to keep the peace to get through the rest of her day.

Hopefully, when her time with Lucas was over, she could be left to herself, to do with her time as she wished. To grieve her brother in her own way.

“Are ye ready, Lass?” Lucas asked, wiping his mouth as he stood.

“Aye. I am ready. Good day to ye, Lottie,” Caitlin said.

“And to ye, Caitlin. Daenae go just yet. I will gather a proper plaid for ye. It will be a bit chilly when ye get close to the sea.”

Caitlin nodded, and together, she and Lucas waited for Lottie’s return. Instead of standing next to the sullen laird, she decided to walk the main hall a bit, to see the art that hung on the walls.

Moving toward the wall, she ran her hands along it to guide her way. The McDougall Coat of Arms hung on the wall, as well as swords, armor, and even a few portrait paintings. There were two large hearths to fill the large hall with heat, and the fire was banked in both, keeping it only a little warm in the light of the morning. Even though she could not see everything at once, she could feel the hugeness of the space.

“It must be a merry thing to have this filled with people, Lucas,” she said, turning back toward where he stood, facing one hearth, his hands behind his back.

“Merry is nae what I would describe it as, but aye, it is certainly loud and warm. The drink is flowin’, and the music is good.” Caitlin could hear the hint of a smile in his voice. “Nan loves a ball. She loves dancin’. Ye should see her. Even at her age. She always wants everyone to have a fine time.”

Caitlin smiled at that thought, and for a second, she thought of her mother, always loving when the village had a party in the center of town. The music was lively, and her mother would dance and dance, happiness sparkling in her eyes. It was one of the most wonderful sights that Caitlin had ever seen, and she kept it in her mind always.

“I would like to see that,” she said. “Me maither loved dancin’ as well. Although I cannae say that I have learned her skill, unfortunately.”

Something like a chuckle emerged from Lucas’ mouth, but she wasn’t close enough to see for herself. It warmed her heart.

Did I just make the cold, angry laird laugh?

“Here we are, me dear,” Lottie called as she emerged with a long, McDougall plaid in her arms. “It was made by me maither. Warm as sheepskin but light as a feather.”

Lottie wrapped it around Caitlin’s shoulders, and when Lottie’s hands touched her lovingly, wrapping the plaid tightly around her front, Caitlin yearned for her loving mother’s touch.

“Thank ye, Lottie.”

“Ye will have a wonderful time. I will see ye after and the two of us will have a bit of hot cider.” She winked at Caitlin. “Come, Lucas,” she said, hardly turning to him, “to the stables with ye two.”

There was no chuckling coming from him now as Lucas stiffly walked back toward her and offered her his arm.

Out in the cool morning air, Lucas looked up to the sun as Caitlin held tight to his arm. She said nothing as he led her from the castle gates to the stables around the side. Infuriated that his grandmother was trying yet again to matchmake them, even though he’d spoken to her last night, he kept his mouth firmly closed as well.

Could she not see that Caitlin was thoroughly embarrassed as well and wished to be left on her own?

“We daenae have to ride, Lucas, since I cannae ride on me own. I wouldnae want to be a burden to ye on one horse.”

“Ye act as though ye weigh as much as a boulder,” he muttered, his hands quickly remembering the feel of her thin waist as he lifted her to his horse with ease the day before.

“Nae, but I ken ye daenae wish to do this.”

He thought he heard sadness in her voice, but he ignored it. For being near blind, the woman had keen insight into the feelings of others.

Nay doubt another one of her magic tricks.

How could he make her realize that his problem was not her, but his damned feelings? He could not afford to get close to Caitlin. He wouldn’t. He vowed it.

Sighing with resignation, he said, “We must go, or Nan will be after us. The both of us. Sometimes I find it better to do just as she says, whenever she gets into one of these moods.”

Lucas didn’t look at her as he spoke, and she kept up with his quick pace as they got closer to the stables. It was a lovely morning, the clouds having not yet covered the sun. A breeze was in the air, moving over his face and, out of the corner of his eye, he could see it brushing a stray blonde lock of Caitlin’s hair to the side. But she was warm, covered in Lottie’s plaid, or so he hoped.

She will be even warmer, once she is tucked tightly against me on the horse.

He wondered if that was exactly why his grandmother suggested they ride, knowing that Caitlin would have to ride in front of him. He’d have to relive all the discomfort from the day before. Discomfort that had driven his body mad all through the night and now once again.

“Daniel, get me horse for us, and be quick about it, Lad.”

“Aye, Me Laird,” the young, dark-haired boy said from the doorway of the stables, scurrying to do his laird’s bidding while he and Caitlin waited just outside.

“Did ye need to be harsh with the lad? My, he looks at most maybe eight-and-ten years of age!”

“He is often lazin’ about, Lass, but ye are new, and so ye daenae ken the way things are done around here,” Lucas said defensively, and he let go of her arm, stepping away a bit and looking away toward the sea.

He didn’t want her to be able to see his guilty expression. “Besides, I dinnae speak harshly.” He rubbed a hand over his chin, annoyed that he hadn’t taken the time to shave that morning.

His mind and time were both completely distracted when they should have been focused on finding out the identities of the men who’d attacked him and why. He couldn’t look away from her for long, however, and he wondered if it was part of her spell. Always drawing the eye.

She was squinting at him, hands on her hips. Quickly, he noted the thinness of her waist compared to the curves in other areas.

A very unhelpful observation.

It had been some weeks since he’d last lain with a woman, and so he chalked up his uncontrolled lust due to that. Once he found a woman, he would think of Caitlin as any other.

“I daenae wish to offend, of course, Lucas, but I think a little kindness goes a long way. At least in me experience. Perhaps ye could learn a thing or two from yer grandmaither. She is quite kind and cheery. Always ready to welcome.”

Lucas snorted, leaning down to pick up a long blade of grass which he twirled between his fingers. “Aye, me Nan is kind and cheery. But at the same time, she uses that to her advantage. Keeps the lot of us on strings, so she does.” He rolled his eyes. “Ye will see soon enough. Ye are her newest puppet.”

Caitin’s lovely pink lips twisted in displeasure, but she didn’t have a chance to respond before Daniel returned, Searbas saddled and ready, whinnying when Lucas approached him.

“Thanks, Lad. We’ll be back in an hour or so.”

“Very good, Me Laird.” Daniel slipped away, and Lucas patted Searbas’ nose before walking around the horse to see Caitlin.

She was smiling up at the horse and brushing her hand against the dark chestnut coat.

“What a beautiful animal. I dinnae get a chance to greet ye properly when we first met yesterday.” She chuckled, and Searbas turned to her, nuzzling against her arm.

By God, the lass can subdue any beast, it seems.

While Percy was an angry cat, unused to strangers and dismissive of people in general, Searbas was far worse. He only allowed Daniel and Lucas to handle him, and he pushed anyone else away with his fierce demeanor. But there he was, acting like a young foal cuddling his mother.

Lucas watched in awe for a few seconds. Was Caitlin an angel sent to Earth? Seamus had never spoken of his sister in great detail. Only that she was a kind, good lass who’d lost her sight. But this woman before him was far more than just anyone. There was something about her, a power that vibrated from her, a power that seemed to make everything that was hard and complicated, suddenly soft and easy.

“What’s his name?” she asked, but he didn’t hear her right away.

It was only the sight of her frown that returned him to the present. “What’s his name, Lucas?” she repeated.

“Searbas,” he said quickly.

All the anger he’d been feeling that morning had melted away, and he didn’t know what to do. He was nothing without that anger. He knew that all that made him up was his skin, bones, and the bitterness he held onto from the past and the harshness of the world. But one sight of Caitlin’s kindness and light, and he couldn’t grab hold of it anymore. He felt suddenly hollow.

“Searbas?” she said with a little chuckle. “What an odd choice of name for a horse.”

“Well, normally, this horse does not like people besides me, and he tolerates Daniel. So, we are a match, he and I. Lone men, unloved by the outside world.”

He turned away after that, patting Searbas’ neck, his bitterness returning bit by bit. “Well, are ye ready?”

“Aye, let’s go.”

Quickly, so that he didn’t think too much about it, he helped her up into the saddle, and jumped up behind her. After a quick kick to the side, Searbas led them away from the castle and toward the sea.