Nat’s gaze roamed his face. “No regrets?”
“None.”
A groove formed between the captain’s eyebrows.
Craeg inclined his head. “Ye disapprove, Nat?”
“No,” he replied quickly. “I just don’t understand why ye are doing this.”
The two men locked gazes for an instant.
They were of a similar age, but Craeg felt older. There was genuine confusion in Nat’s eyes. He really was mystified by his behavior.
But Craeg had matured. He didn’t care about proving himself to the world anymore. All he needed was Hazel.
“Because I’ve found something precious,” Craeg replied. “And I’ll not lose it.”
Nat’s frown deepened. Then, with a bemused shake of his head, he cut his gaze away.
They’d reached the crest of a hill now. Southern Mull rolled before them. In the distance, Craeg caught sight of the road that would take them home.
Another smile tugged at his lips.
Nat didn’t understand because, just like Greig or Ailean, he hadn’t met the woman who’d change his life. And when he did, he wouldn’t know what hit him.
“Finally.” A man stepped forward, lean and hard-muscled, with silver threading his short grey hair. “We meet.”
Hazel stared into sharp blue eyes, and her already thundering heart jolted against her breastbone.
No introductions were needed.
She knew who he was.
Hazel knew her own features well enough to recognize some of herself in the man before her.
She had his eyes.
A dark, deep blue.
And the stubborn set of his jaw was hers too.
To recognize such things was distracting, but she had to stay focused.
If Hamish Macquarie had hunted her down, his intentions weren’t noble. He didn’t want a heartfelt reunion with his lost daughter.
He wanted her dealt with.
Slowly, she drew the knife tucked into her belt. She then slashed it before her, warning them off.
One of the men flanking the chieftain snorted at this. “Look, lads … we’ve a fierce one here.”
Some of the others laughed, while Hamish smirked. However, one of the band, a tall young man with a mop of dark hair, didn’t share their mirth. He swallowed, his fingers flexing around the bone handle of his dirk.
Hazel’s gaze glanced off him.
Heat rolled over her, anger throttling the fear that curled under her ribs.
Aye, she was outnumbered and didn’t stand a chance in a fight against these warriors. But she’d stick a few of them given the opportunity.
