Page 32 of Highlander's Runaway Seductress
“Aye,” Damien nodded. “While the blasted thing killed the birds that I was seekin’.”
Ben had awoken then and chuckled along with Amelie while Damien narrated his memories. Before Damien pulled the rabbit off the spit, Ben went off to the bushes and Amelie decided to ask Damien about Morgana.
“I ken it’s days behind us, but when ye went to say goodbye to Morgana, did she give ye any hint that she may have heard us?” Amelie asked, hoping that Damien would not lie to her.
He grunted. “She did more than that. Well, she dinnae speak about hearing us, she told me that she was the Laird’s daughter, so it’s clear she kens somethin’, and, aye, I am thinkin’ she did hear us.”
Pleased that he had not lied to her or tried to brush off the matter, Amelie nodded. “And there is nay way for her to be, aye?”
“None,” Damien shook his head. “Morgana is too old to be the lass, she doesnae have the color of the eyes we ken the lass has and I…” he paused. “I ken she only did it because she is jealous of ye, lass.”
Amelie’s head snapped to him, and while his attention was trained on the roasting rabbit, somehow, she was tempted to smile. “Ye think so?”
“Aye.” He nodded curtly.
Not having to push him, she shook her head. “It’s sad.”
He shot her a quick smile before prodding the smoking hare, plucking it off the fire, and sticking the spit upright into the snow so the meat could cool. “I still daenae think she will be a problem for us.”
“I hope nae,” Amelie replied, hoping that she could drop the worry about Morgana once and for all. Reaching for her pack, she reached into the sack to pull out a rag—and plucked out a dress ripped to shreds.
Yelping in shock and dropping the ruined dress, Amelie scooted away from it. Damien, seeing her, went to grab the pack. He reached in and pulled out a mound of ripped cloth, that were once dresses and a blanket. He upended the sack and his mouth flattened grimly.
“How did this happen?” he asked.
“I daenae ken,” Amelie said, her voice cracking. “And it is nae as if a wild animal did it. Otherwise, it would have ripped the sack too.”
While examining a section, Damien nodded. “These are knife cuts, lass, nay teeth of claws.”
“What is this about teeth and claws?” Ben asked as he came back into the clearing.
“Someone is attackin’ Amelie, and they came into our camp last night to do it.” Damien said, showing Ben the mound of ripped clothes.
Looking alarmed, Ben picked up a ripped piece. “Good Lord. What would have happened if they had aimed the knife at ye instead of yer clothes?”
Grimacing, Amelie looked at the pile. “And what did I do to deserve this?”
12
Utterly disturbed by the direct threat from that morning, Amelie was able to ready herself for travel and soon they alighted the cart.
Damien mounted the saddle and drove further into the village. The whole time, Amelie’s eyes were down on the sack of threaded cloth in her lap and she wondered what would have happened if she, or Damien, had woken up in the middle of the night to see this person ripping her clothes apart.
Would have someone died? Who is doin’ this?
They went to the same place where Damien had purchased the stew, only this time, Amelie went with him, holding her water skins and hoping she could buy some milk as well.
The woman opened the door, her smile transforming to fury. “Daenae ye ever come back to my home, ye red-haired strumpet!” and nearly slammed it in their faces.
“Wait!” Damein grabbed the door. “What right have ye to insult an innocent woman?”
“Innocent me arse,” the older woman sneered. “It’s all over town that a red-haired harlot it tryin’ to seduce men. Now, let go of me door and leave me property before I come back with me hatchet!”
Damien let go and the force of the slam had Amelie rocking back on her heels. She almost fell, but Damien caught her. She shot a bewildered look to Damien who looked just as clueless.
Finally, he shrugged. “Daenae ye worry about it, lass. We’ll just move on.”
Back in the cart, she folded her legs to the side and despite Damien’s assurance, did try to piece through the strange encounter with the woman. What struck her were the words,come back to me home. She had never seen the woman before, so how could it be that the woman had seenher? And what could she have possibly done to be called a strumpet?
