Margaret bounced and Bethoc fought to keep her balance. She fought with the child for a moment to loosen the bag from her little hands. Then she had a good look around and saw no one, nor did she hear their horses. Deciding she needed to move quickly, she grabbed her basket, hurried up the path, and moved just enough brush to slip into the cave, yanking the brush back in place.
“Greetings, Mistress Matheson,” Callum said, biting back a smile, but he quickly grew serious when he saw her face more clearly. There was the hint of fear there. “Is anything wrong?”
She unhooked Margaret and set her down then kissed her on the forehead again. “Smart lass.” She looked at Callum and felt something inside her ease a little. “I believe I just met your attackers.” A shiver went through her even though the men had not threatened her.
He sat up quickly. “Are ye all right?”
“Oh, aye. They asked about ye. Said they were looking for a lost friend and feared he may have been hurt. Wanted to look in my bag.”
Margaret walked over to Callum, bent over a little, and shoved her forehead close to his mouth, pointing at it. “What is this?” he asked.
“Ah, I think she expects ye to say ‘smart lass’ and kiss her forehead.” She laughed when he did so and Margaret walked away looking very pleased with herself only to grab the bag and drag it with her when she went to sit and watch the horse.
“Why did I just do that?” he asked.
“Because when he tried to grab the bag, she would nay let him have it. Screeched at him. Held on tight, too. Ye see, I called it Margaret’s bag. No one was going to get hold of it after that.” Bethoc sat down next to him and began to unpack the food. “It wasnae until he tried to get the bag that I feared I might have put Margaret in danger but they really were nay interested in us once I couldnae tell them anything about ye.”
“That was it? Ye said it was hers?”
“All it needed. If Margaret hears ye say something is hers, she grabs it and ’tis verra, verra hard to get it back. She is a wee bit possessive about what is hers. I think I shall have to do something about that. ’Tis nay a good thing but it was useful this time.”
Callum could not help it, he started to laugh. “Defeated by a two-year-old?”
“I suspicion a lot of people have been,” said Bethoc, smiling faintly.
He laughed even harder. “Och aye.”
It was a few minutes before he could calm down. “Did they nay ask about the food?”
“Nay, I had put the basket down behind a bush for I needed to cover the bushes with netting and it was getting in the way. It was nicely out of sight. But it does mean they are still lurking about the place. That cannae be safe for ye.”
“I am as safe here as I would be anywhere. Dinnae worry on it.”
“There are five of them and none of them have a broken leg.”
“True but they have to find the cave.”
“I ken it. I will be sure to hide my trail when I leave.”
He put his arm around her and tugged her close, kissing her forehead. She blushed but also smiled. “Are ye going to call me ‘smart lass’ now?”
“And so ye are.” He tipped her face up to his. “Ye also worry far too much about what happens to everyone but ye.” Keeping an eye out for any sign of rejection, he gave in to the temptation he had fought for days and kissed her.
Bethoc felt the warmth of his mouth on hers flood her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tightly. Although she had gained a tiny bit of knowledge about kisses, she had never known they could make one feel so warm and needy. When he nudged his tongue into her mouth, she was startled but that surprise lasted only a moment. The feel of his tongue stroking inside her mouth caused a delicious tightening in her belly. Her heart pounded and she had the urge to crawl up in his lap, to get as close to him as she could possibly get.
She also smelled cinnamon. It was a heady smell that filled her lungs and warmed her. She realized it came from his desire and that was a heady knowledge. When he left her, his mouth moving to her neck, she sighed for that smell began to fade.
“That was, mayhap, nay the smartest thing I have done,” he said as he lifted his head to look at her, catching a look of embarrassment suddenly sweep over her. “Because,” he said quickly, “I have a broken leg.” He was relieved when she suddenly looked confused.
“I am nay touching it,” she murmured.
“Lass, kissing leads to more and I am in no state to do anything more.” He grinned when she blushed.
Bethoc pulled away from him. “I ne’er, I mean I wasnae expecting . . .” She shut up when he gave her a quick hard kiss.
“I rather suspicioned that. I was but referring to me and what I was feeling.”
She was not entirely sure what he meant but did not want to say so. It would also explain his scent. What occurred between men and women was a bit of a mystery to her. She knew of desire but not of what it entailed or what was done about it. It was enough to know the ending of the kiss was nothing to do with her, or, worse, how she kissed. She rather hoped she did well enough that he would wish to do it again soon.
