Page 23 of When a Highlander Vows
“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 yecould 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 anyoneelse 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.
12
Caitlin held her breath when the horse surged forward, and again, she felt Lucas’ arms wrap around her as his hands held the reins. She’d never expected to be riding with him again like this. It was such an intimate act, even though they were doing it for a very practical purpose.
But she let it out as soon as the first strong breeze hit her cheeks. They were trotting along, but it was quick, and she wondered if it was because Lucas wanted to get this experience over with. He did have business to attend to, and his grandmother had still found a way to get him to show her the land.
