Page 11 of Captured By the Highland Devil
She could feel the strength of the arms that passed around her to hold the reins, touching her upper arms. That dastardly scent of his skin unnerved her—but there was something else too.
Is that…salt I smell?
She blinked a few times in the calm, evening sun. There were still a few white and gray clouds lingering, but much of the sky was blue.
They were on a flat above a gentle hill carpeted with bright green grass. The expanse flowed down the hill and around a glen, then up to a point where an imposing castle sat.
From their vantage, she could see at least four towers within an enormous stone curtain wall. The castle was perched on what seemed to be on a cliff, as it could be approached by land on its front side a forest to the east, but the other sides were hemmed in by cliffs and ocean.
A breeze was whipping up the whitecaps on the sea, and occasionally, she saw a blast of mist shot up where the waves crashed against the rocky outcroppings and clumps of heather.
“The sea…”
She had never been so close to the sea in her life. The roll and crash of the waves, the splash of white at the cliff and the brisk, salty air made her feel suddenly invigorated.
Lifting her head, Paige felt Ruben dismounting behind her, then he reached up to pull her down. His hair was disheveled, it looked like he had been dragging his hand through his black hair because it was disheveled.
The hard clench of his jaw threw his face in sharp lines as he clasped her around the waist and brought her off his horse, and she noticed that the other men were dismounting also.
“We’re here,” he said, turning. “McKinnon Castle, me home.”
She froze as a pair of intense dark eyes gazed down at her. Every part of his body radiated sheer power and shrewd intelligence. But how could that be? He was a brute, a savage, a warmonger who only heralded death and suffering.
Something shifted between them and her heart softened a little. Was it fair to keep thinking of the man as a brute when he was so kind and generous to children cast off from society?
They began walking through the small vale, the mist-laden grass wet the tails of her dress as they headed up to the gate. Before they got closer, the great gates began to slowly crank open.
The courtyard was large enough to hold a troupe of soldiers, wagons and even ten large carriages. She looked around, amazed at how well-kept this bastion was; as ancient as it felt, it was cared for. This was nothing like her old home which had been constructed fifty odd years before.
She turned to Ruben to remark on it, only to flinch away when two large bloodhounds leaped to Ruben. One of them was black and tan, the other dark brown and tan. She almost crashed into one of the men she’d seen with Ruben but she did not get his name.
“Steady there, lass,” the man said, his green eyes dancing.
Paige turned to see Ruben crouching to rub both dogs’ ears with the hints of a smile on his face. It was the first time she had seen any emotion on his face.
Something cold nudged her hand and Paige leaped away, only to trip and end on her backside. A large, russet red bloodhound loomed over her, its dark eyes and twitching nose commanded her vision.
Fear settled in her chest as the dog sniffed her face. His cold nose brushed her cheek and ear while she shivered in fear. The dog dropped to its haunches and laid its head in her lap, staring at up her with large, soulful eyes.
“W-w-what—” she spluttered. “What do I do?”
The man from before shooed the dog off her and helped her up. Brushing her skirts off, Paige tried to calm her hammering heart.
The man laughed, “Ye’re going to get used to the hounds, lass. Ruben has had those dog since they were whelps.”
She looked over to Ruben as he was still occupied with the dogs. Turning back, she asked. “Thank ye. May I have yer name?”
“Galan,” he said. “Galan Howe. His lairdship’s man-at-arms.”
A whistle behind her had the last dog over to Ruben who then sent them off with a squire. Galan stepped aside as Ruben came to her side, all hints of the previous happiness seeing his hounds were gone. He had gone back to the stoic, stern face she was familiar with.
“Are ye all right?” he asked brusquely, his gaze running over in a swift check that held no emotion than to make sure she was not injured.
“Aye,” she nodded. “Nothin’ was hurt.”
“Come then,” he inclined his head to the grand doors behind them. “It’s time ye see yer new home.”
CHAPTER SIX
