Page 31 of Desiring the Highland Laird
“The others will come.” Hamish sounded as if he knew this for a fact.
He glanced back at the tapestries hanging on the wall. “Ye dinnae say where ye got these.”
“I dinnae,” Hamish said. “They were given to me. By the goddess herself.”
“The goddess?” He lifted one brow in question.
“Aye. The goddess whose name is Moira.”
Chapter Eleven
Moira.
That was the name of the woman who gave Evie the stone. The one she said she talked to in the antique store, whatever that was. She said a great many things he didn’t understand, using a great many words he didn’t know. One thing was clear, though, she was concerned about the safety of her sister. Her sister whom she had left behind in danger from a man named MacDonald.
Moira, the goddess, was immortal and had used her divine machinations to push them together.
Still, he wasn’t sure he believed in the prophecy, even after seeing the tapestries and hearing the story from his da. Even after seeing the arrival of the mysterious lass. The lass he was certain belonged to Clan Sinclair and whom he would return at the first opportunity. He hadn’t told anyone this yet, for fear he would face resistance from the lass.
“’Tis all coming true, lad,” Hamish said, sounding well pleased.
“I want to believe but—”
“Ye must,” he insisted. “If I cannae convince ye, then what will?”
“I intend to take her back to her clan,” Callum announced, changing the subject. He’d had enough of this nonsense.
Hamish’s eyes went wide. “Ye cannae do that. She doesna belong to them.”
“She’s a Sinclair,” he said. “Where else does she belong?”
“Here with us. Here withye, ye daft bastard.” There was no mistaking the frustration in his father’s voice.
Callum shook his head and turned from the wall hangings, heading out of the room. “Nay, Da. If she’s fit to travel in the morn, then I intend to take her back.”
“Och, ye always were a stubborn one.” Hamish followed him, closing the door to the chamber behind him with a snap. “Taking her to Clan Sinclair is a mistake. They dinnae ken who she is.”
“Taking her to Clan Sinclair is the right thing to do,” Callum said. “I willna discuss it more.”
He didn’t wait for his father to reply as he headed through the keep back to his own bedchamber. It occurred to him as he entered that the lassie was still there.
When he pushed open the door, he came to a halt. Her form was curled under the coverlet. A fire burned bright and hot in the hearth. A candelabra near the bed illuminated the room in a soft yellow glow.
Evie slept on.
He paused in the doorway, indecision flashing through him. It wasn’t right of him to climb into the bed next to her, even though he longed to feel her against him once more. Instead, he closed the door and stood a moment, watching her sleep.
Her breathing was steady and calm. Her arm was curled under the pillow as she slept on her side. Her face was peaceful, serene.
And beautiful.
He heaved a sigh. Nay. He was not going to climb into the bed with her, as much as he wanted. He turned to the hearth and tossed another log onto the fire to keep it going throughout the night since it was chilly. Then he lowered down into the chair, stretched out his long legs, and crossed his arms over his chest tothink. It was a long day. Made longer by the unexpected arrival of the lassie.
Hamish was insistent the prophecy was true and even if it was, what was there to do about it? He had but one piece of the stone. Not all three. He refused to believe there would be two more travelers from the future to show up to put the pieces back together. It was all madness.
Nay, he did not believe in the prophecy.
It was his last thought as he drifted off to sleep.
