Bryan sighed and furrowed his brow, giving the matter serious thought. At last, he said, “I’ve always admired smiths. Working a forge is good, honest work, and it keeps a man’s arms and back strong. What’s more, a smith provides the weapons and armor that guardsmen wield tae protect their lairds and homelands. A smith must know his business well, in order tae ensure that such noble purposes are bolstered by blades and shields that willnae break against those of the enemy.”
“Ah, but ye might just as easily end up arming those whose intentions are less honorable, is that not so?” she pointed out. “For a sword can change hands easily, and cares not who swings it. Yer marvelous works might turn out tae be used for terrible deeds.”
Bryan stroked his chin. “I had not thought of that, but I suppose ye are right. ‘Tis a difficult question for me tae answer, my lady. In truth, I never considered other paths, for I’ve always felt so fortunate tae have been allowed tae walkthisone.” He paused, then added, “Especially now that the path has led me here, tae this lovely glen, with the most radiant woman I’ve ever known.”
He felt light-headed, and nothing before him seemed to remain in focus, save for Katherine. His words had clearlytouched her deeply, and she drew closer to him, her lips parting. For a fleeting moment, he believed she was leaning forward to confide some secret.
“I’ve always liked blacksmiths. The very first lad I fancied was a blacksmith’s apprentice.”
Then her mouth met his, and a thousand wildflowers bloomed within his soul all at once.
Her breath mingled with his, as sweet and warm as a summer breeze over a field of daffodils. He felt her hands upon his chest, and briefly thought she regretted her decision and meant to push him away, perhaps even admonish him for not pulling back from her advances in the first place.
Instead, her fingernails raked the front of his tunic slowly and deliberately, relishing the solid and muscular contours of his body. He felt her body shiver with delight, and her kiss intensified. He cupped a hand behind her neck, pulling her even closer to him, embracing her tightly until they both ached from it. Still, it did not feel like enough, still they both wanted to keep squeezing each other until their two forms merged into one.
For that shimmering and all-too-short time, it felt as though all the rest of creation fell away, and the two of them were suspended in some joyful and infinite void where no worries could ever find them.
Then Alex’s disapproving visage appeared in Bryan’s mind, and his breath caught in his throat.
He was betraying his mission. He was allowing his feelings for this lass to overtake his duty to his laird and clan.
And after all they had done for him, he did not dare treat them so shamefully in return.
Bryan pulled away sharply then, and Katherine’s eyelids fluttered open. They were startled, and filled with dismay.
“I cannae do this,” Bryan told her gruffly.
“Ye want to,” she protested. “Just as I do.”
“Aye,” he confessed, “perhaps more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. I find myself wishing that we might remain in this glade forever. And when we do leave it, it shall take every bit of discipline within me tae keep us moving steadily in the direction of yer homeland, rather than taking any excuse tae lengthen the journey and enjoy yer company all the longer.” He sighed. “But there is only one outcome before us now, and we both know it well. Ye shall return tae yer home, I shall return tae mine. Then the clans shall go tae war against each other, and like as not, we’ll never see each other again. I cannae bear tae let things between us go any further, knowing I will only lose ye.”
“That need not be the case,” she insisted. “When I tell my father of how kindly the Oliphants treated me; how ye chose tae release me, rather than keep me in captivity without any good purpose?—”
“Ye have told us how unreasonable and stubborn the man can be,” Bryan observed. “Tell me, Katherine, Do ye truly believe he will put any stock in yer account of things?”
She hung her head, discouraged. “Nay,” she admitted in a small voice. “‘Tis far more likely he will believe I freed myself by conspiring against ye in some way. Indeed, I would not be surprised if he makes a prisoner of me for it.” She shuddered miserably. “And even if he does believe my version of events, no doubt he’ll choose tae punish me anyway, merely because I returned without my sister.”
These words hurt Bryan’s heart bitterly, and he was seized by the urge to do as he had done days before; to grab Katherine, sweep her onto his horse, and ride hard for Castle Oliphant. To his mind, she had no business returning to the monster who would treat her so hideously, whether he was her father or not.
But she had made her choice. He could not rob her of it, no matter how greatly it pained him to help her see it through.
“There ye have it, then.” His voice sounded oddly strangled, and he tried to clear his throat. “The end of this is certain, and as such, we cannae afford tae indulge in silly fantasies that it might be otherwise. Come.” He began to return their provisions to the basket he’d brought them in. “We have paused in our travels long enough. We must continue onward, in order tae cover as much ground as possible before night falls.”
Katherine looked hurt, but followed his lead, helping him to clear away the picnic and retrieve the horses. Within minutes, they were riding side by side again, in silence, as each of them woefully contemplated a future without the other.
Suddenly, Bryan brought his horse to a stop, his eyes raised fretfully toward the sky.
Katherine likewise pulled on Bluebell’s reins. “What is it?”
He pointed upward, and when she followed his gaze, she saw what had caught his attention so suddenly; a column of thick black smoke, rising above the tree line from a few miles away.
“There’s a village in that direction,” Bryan said in a choked voice.
And without another word, he rode hard toward the smoke.
Katherine followed closely. She did not know for certain what sight would await them when they got to the source of the smoke, but based on all she knew of her father’s tactics and processes, she supposed she could probably guess.
15
