Page 74 of Desiring the Highland Laird
“The clan chieftain?” she asked.
“Aye.”
“And you still wish me to ride with you?”
He stopped walking, turning to her and taking her cold hands in his. Her heart skipped a beat at the warmth coursing through her. She marveled at that, wondering how he managed to haveso much body heat against the treacherous wind. He wore his plaid wrapped around his shoulders. How was he not freezing like she was?
“I should tell ye what I mean to do.”
Oh, she didn’t like where this was going. She forced herself to remain still and allow him to hold her hands despite her impulse to want to jerk them out of his grasp.
“What is that?”
“I mean to ask him for help in this fight with the MacDonalds in the hopes we can settle it once and for all.”
“Peace,” she said. “You want peace from them.”
“Aye, lass, ye have the right of it. And I mean to see to that.”
“Do you think he’ll help?” She tried hard to keep her teeth from chattering.
“I dinnae ken.” He pulled her closer, perhaps sensing her shivering. His body heat radiated outward from him, sending delicious tendrils through her. “There is something else I wish to tell him.”
The hot pulse of fear flashed through her. She blinked up at him. “And what is that?”
“I intend to tell him about the prophecy.”
She stared at him for a long moment in silence. “To what end? What will that accomplish?”
“He’s MacLeod. He will tell me if he’s heard of it.”
And thus, confirming in Callum’s mind the prophecy was real. Standing in front of him as a flesh and blood woman didn’t seem to count. She understood and she wanted to bite out a retort, but she held her tongue. It wouldn’t do to fight with him on the day his father was buried.
“I see,” was all she said and nothing more. She tugged her hands free of his grasp and clutched her elbows. “Thanks for the walk but I think I’ll be heading back now to the keep. I’m freezing.”
He seemed to understand and fell in step beside her. The silence was heavy between them and she was unsure what to say or how to feel. Hamish had told her she was the one who could convince him the truth of their situation. She felt, deep within her bones, that telling the clan chieftain of the prophecy was a mistake.
Or was it?
What was it Hamish had said? Something about the secret being within the MacLeod bloodline and then something else about a warrior’s heart and a maiden’s grace. Perhaps the chieftain of MacLeod would have words of wisdom to add to the prophecy.
Evie couldn’t understand why he was having such a difficult time believing. She had to come up with some way to convince him before they left in the morning.
“I should warn ye, lass, ’tis a two day ride,” he said, breaking the silence.
Her head snapped up at him. “Two days?”
She had barely mastered the saddle. How was she supposed to ride for two days straight?
“I ken I ask much of ye,” he said, his voice low and soft. “But I need ye with me.”
The way he said it made her heart skip a beat. It sounded like a heartfelt sentiment.
“There’s an inn on the road we can stop at for the night.”
Heat washed over her despite the chill in the air. All she imagined was spending a night alone with him at an inn. Her mouth went dry at the thought.
“Is that…proper?” she asked.
