Page 8 of Highlander's Wild Lass
Anthony’s brow arched, letting out a slow exhale. “If ye say so, I have trouble with them. One kicked me in my ribs, cracked a few too.”
Celestia didn’t like the sharp stab of desire that hit her in the gut when he talked like this with her. It was not like them tonotbicker.
“Well, ye’ll find all the tools ye’ll be needin’ over there,” she said dismissively, gesturing toward the back wall where pitchforks, horseshoes, hammers, and saddles hung. “What’s left of the hay is out the side door.”
“Aye, thank ye, lass.” He rolled up his sleeves, heading to the back wall.
“One of the twins will fetch ye for lunch,” she told him as she turned to leave.
“Oh, nay,” Anthony said, turning back to her. He waved his hand in dismissal. “Ye daenae have to feed me.”
Celestia stared hard at him, lips set in a firm line.“Ye’ll lunch with us and that’s the end of it, Anthony Moore.”
She left before he could continue arguing, heading back to the garden, and was confronted with yet another visitor. She cursed under her breath when she saw that it was Ryder Koll, a competitor of her father’s, leaning casually on the fence.
Celestia quickened her pace until she was just feet away from him. He was dressed in black leather trews and a thick leather tricorne hat. She had always gotten the impression he imagined himself to be a pirate, but he always looked ridiculous.
“What do I owe this great pleasure, Mr. Koll?” Celestia said caustically, placing her hands on her hips.
“Daenae play the fool, Miss McLean.” Ever since Celestia was a child, the coarseness of his voice always made her hair stand on end.
She laughed coldly yet spoke sweetly. “I never do, but I am hopin’ that yer only here to visit with my faither and wish him good health.”
Koll swiped a hand down his short, well-maintained beard. “I’ll wish yer dear da good health when he’s in his grave.”
3
He clapped his hands free of the dust and dirt from the horse. After he was through with cleaning each stall, he was determined to give each horse a good brushing. When he turned, Celestia’s younger brothers were sitting on the fence, watching him.
“Good day, lads,” Anthony said. From this distance, they looked identical down to the last freckle on their faces. “Do ye want to help me clean?”
One of them laughed. “Only if ye’ll pay us.”
Anthony couldn’t help but laugh. “Ye want me to pay ye for cleanin’ up after yer own horses?”
They nodded, their lips in a straight line. “Hard labor deserves a fair wage, m’laird.”
“I agree, but no one gets paid to take care of their own property. That’s just life, unfortunately.”
One of them sighed. “Well then, ye’re on yer own, I guess.”
He took several steps toward them, wondering if he would be able to tell them apart if he got closer. “Which one of ye is which?” he said, moving his forefinger between them.
The boys looked at each other, grinning.
“Ah, nay messin’ around!” Anthony warned with a slight grin. “I ken how twins like to confuse people and I won’t be havin’ any of that from the two of ye.”
“Then, I guess ye’ll never know, sir.”
“Ye wee cheeky devils, how about this? If ye help me clean the stables, I’ll take ye huntin’ with me sometime soon. Whatever ye kill, ye keep.”
The boys’ eyes widened in shock and turned quickly to each other. It seemed as if they were communicating wordlessly. Within seconds they looked at Anthony and nodded enthusiastically.
“Ye got yerself a deal, m’laird,” the twin on the left said.
“Shake on it,” the other boy said seriously, extending his arm.
Anthony took his hand and gave it a good, strong shake.
