Page 11 of Ruining a Highland Healer
There’s nae nobility in sufferin’ in silence.
The trip back to Halberry Castle would have been a short one had Torrin been on his own on the horse, but now that he was sharing his saddle with Valora, the last thing he wanted was to overexert the creature. His mare was strong and reliable, but even she had a hard time carrying the weight of two people and all their belongings, and so he made sure to give her the time she needed as they rode.
That, of course, also meant that he was putting them in more danger.
It was crucial to keep his eyes peeled for any signs of danger. Torrin kept glancing around, peering into the shadows and glancing over his shoulder. The night air was cold, the wind whipping his face, but Valora’s body was warm against him, her heat seeping into his chest every time their bodies brushed. Whenever the motion of the horse brought them closer, Torrin could smell lavender and rose on her, the scent saturating the delicate, pale skin of her neck.
She was a beautiful woman. Her big, blue eyes, those auburn strands of hair that looked like a burning halo around her head, her shapely figure and delicate facial features were enough to make any man desire her—even Torrin, who had long since sworn ff the pleasures of the flesh, too dedicated to his goals.There had been no time in his life for companionship, no space for a woman, and now that he was bringing Valora back home, he didn’t know what to do with her.
There was one thing he did know, though; every man would envy him for having a wife like her.
But dae I want her tae be me wife?
He could hardly call her that when he had outright bought her. Almost all marriages among nobles were transactional, based on the needs of the clans, but to pay for a woman’s hand—and her body—seemed wrong to him. Valora was right when she claimed no one had asked her or the other young women in that auction whether or not they wanted to wed. And he, in the name of saving her from an unwanted marriage, had thrown her right into another.
"Dae I truly have tae be tied like this?" Valora asked. It had taken her a while, but she had proven Torrin right, after all—he had finally received a complaint from her. "It makes me feel like… a sheep or a donkey."
"It’s fer yer safety," said Torrin simply.
"It is, really?"
"Aye."
"An’ here I thought it was because ye didnae want me tae escape."
"That’s what I mean," said Torrin. "It isnae safe fer ye out there. Who kens what will happen tae ye if ye try tae escape?"
"Who kens what will happen tae me if I make it tae yer castle?"
"Naethin’ will happen tae ye."
Tugging at the cord around her waist, Valora said, "I doubt that fer some reason."
Torrin couldn’t help but roll his eyes, though he said nothing more. The more he spoke to her, the more he entertained her antics, the worse it would be. It was better, he figured, to let her stew in her own thoughts until they reached the castle, and perhaps by some miracle, she would calm down before then.
"I think I ken what’s happenin’ here," said Valora, breaking the silence once more, much to Torrin’s chagrin. "I think ye enjoy havin’ control."
"I enjoy naethin’ about this," said Torrin under his breath.
In fact, he wished he had never gone to that damned auction in the first place.
CHAPTER SIX
Valora was cold, furious, and miserable.
Her life had changed within a night, and just when she thought her nightmare would be over, she was handed off to a complete stranger who was meant to be her husband. And then, after enduring an attack that had left her more shaken than she would like to admit, she had also had to endure the trip to said man’s castle, where she would know no one and where she would have no allies of her own.
And I havenae even said goodbye tae Althea…
The wind whipped at her face, pulling the strands of hair out of their updo. By the end of the night, it would all be tangled up in a knot, she knew, and it would take several pairs of hands to undo the damage. The chill of the air seeped right into her bones, her skin pebbling into goosebumps, her teeth chattering. Even with her cloak wrapped tightly around her shoulders, battling the cold seemed like an impossible task, the heavy wool only doing so much to keep her warm.
Behind her, Torrin was like a wall of heat, but one she tried her best to avoid. She sat on the saddle with her back straight and stiff, her entire body leaning away from him as much as it could in a vain attempt to keep some distance between them, even as the small saddle and the motion of the horse continued to push them closer and closer together. She had made it very clear that she didn’t want to touch him at all, and she wouldn’t be the one to break that barrier between them.
So why did she crave it so terribly? All she could think about was leaning into his chest, into his touch, in that warmth that emanated from him as though he was a bright flame. Every time Torrin pulled on the reins, Valora could feel the muscles in his chest and stomach ripple under his clothes, hyperaware of every minuscule movement that he made. It drove her crazy, that absolute awareness of him, this proximity that gave her no space to catch her breath, no reprieve.
I am going out of me mind…
As they rode in silence down the path that led to a place unknown to Valora, Torrin brought the horse off-course, down a smaller side path. Instantly, she froze, her heart hammering in her chest as she considered her options.
