“Will ye meet me here again?”
“Aye, I will try, but I canna promise ye.” Elayne glanced up to judge the sun’s position. “I must get back.”
Groaning, Cailean said, “Surely it is too early. Ye have more time. Where is yer horse?”
Elayne hung her head in embarrassment, averting her eyes. “My father’s horse became lame and had to be put down. We nae longer have a horse.”
“Ye mean to say ye walked all this way to the loch?”
“Aye, I did. I wanted to talk to ye and learn about what ye have done while away.”
“Ye will ride back on my horse, then. I will take ye to yer home.”
Elayne put her hand on his chest, startled by his insistence on taking her home. Cailean put his hand over hers, holding her to him, not wanting to let her go.
“Nae, ye must not. If ye do, ye will jeopardize my being able to visit ye again. Papa will stand and glare at ye and will glower and look stern. He may even pick up a sword and look menacing. Then he will say, ‘Elayne doesna have time for the likes of ye, and neither do I. Be gone from here. Lass, get back to work.’ And he would forbid me from going to the loch or anywhere else. I will ride with ye to the gate and nae farther.”
“Then we must meet so ye can ride with me here later this week. Where can we meet?”
“By the well? I could see ye walk out the gate, while ye get yer horse. So nae one would see us. It is best to meet on the road outside the village.”
“Aye, that would work. When can ye get away?”
“Not until after lunchtime at the earliest.”
“Ye come when ye can. I will be waiting for ye.” Cailean leaned over and sealed their meeting with a soft kiss on her lips. After he stood up, he helped her to stand. Picking up the blanket, he shook it free of pine needles and rolled it up behind his saddle. While he led his horse, Night, to the loch, Elayne took care of her personal needs, out of sight in the forest. Upon her return, she gathered her sack and gave it to Cailean, who tied it to the pommel of his horse.
Leaning over Elayne, he tilted her chin and kissed her again. “I canna wait until we can be together again.” Cailean lifted her effortlessly up into the saddle, his hands spanning her narrow waist, and he leaped up behind her, taking the reins. When he put his arms around Elayne, he felt her relax against his chest as the horse cantered. She felt the hard wall of muscles behind her and breathed Cailean’s scent of fir, pine, and leather.
Cailean heard her sigh in his arms and leaned down to her ear. “I will take ye riding with me. I ken ye miss riding yer horse.” His voice was a sweet seduction as she felt his warm breath on her neck. The pine branches of the forest stirred above their heads, and they heard the birds chattering in the trees.
The sun felt warm on their skin, but it was nothing like the heat that saturated Cailean as Elayne’s arse rubbed his legs and groin. He rode leisurely, as he was in no hurry to take Elayne home and wanted to prolong their time together. When they made it to the outskirts of the village, he stopped the horse, dismounted, and lifted Elayne from his saddle. “Ye ken I would prefer to ride ye to yer home."
“I ken and thank ye. We dinna want to cause gossip in the village. I dinna want to risk my father’s ire. Keep well, Cailean.”
Elayne sauntered into the village. Cailean wanted to linger and follow her home, but it would look odd and cause unwanted comments. He had nae worries for himself but was concerned about Elayne.
As she walked into the village, Elayne gathered wildflowers, hoping to catch the widow at home. Mrs. Logan stood, taking down the linen blowing in the spring breezes on the clothesline. Elayne gave the flowers to Mrs. Logan, who hugged her and was delighted with the bouquet.
“Come inside, Elayne, and join me for tea. This is a wonderful surprise. Are ye coming from the loch?”
“Aye, such a lovely day. Papa let me go. I canna tell ye how wonderful it is to be here. Out of the forge, in the forest. I rarely get to leave. As ye ken, I am always working. Many days, I feel I’m chained to the forge. I have nae friends to talk to except ye.
“It is such a beautiful day. Even for a few hours, I canna wait to go again. Ye ken, I work extra hours after dinner every night to help Papa. I long to be in the sunshine and hear the birds sing.” Elayne called on Mrs. Logan’s pity in hopes she would come to her defense as an ally against her father when she next asked to go to the loch.
“I ken, Elayne. It is not fair for us women to labor for so many hours. But at least ye ken yer father loves ye dearly and works for yer benefit. Yer father would change things if he could.”
“Papa needs to train another apprentice. I have recommended it to him, but he wasna ready to listen. Papa wouldna have to work as long. I could train the apprentice. Papa would spend more time with ye, and we would fashion more weapons and tools with three people working.”
Mrs. Logan poured the steeped tea into pretty teacups and gave Elayne a sweet cake with her tea.
“Mmm, this is delicious. It is nice to sit and talk.”
“I enjoy yer company, Elayne. I hope ye will come visit me again. I will speak with yer father to persuade him to let ye have more free time. Hopefully I can change his mind about an apprentice. It may help save his eyesight. Yer father is worried about his eyesight, for it greatly impacts his work.”
“Thank ye, Mrs. Logan. I appreciate it. I ken ye care about my father as I do.”
Mrs. Logan blushed. “Yer father is a kind and caring man. I appreciate being able to care for ye and him, prepare yer dinner, and do yer laundry. Now stay as long as ye like. But I must work more on our dinner and finish washing more clothes.”
