Chapter Ten
Beth wondered if he could tell she was trembling. It was the morning after Andrew’s return to the castle and the first thing he’d done was send for her to join him in the courtyard.
She’d found him there on the back of his horse, holding out his hand to lift her up. A moment later she was sitting in front of him and they were riding out, the light of the dawn barely breaking over the horizon.
She had tried to tell him about the future as they rode, about how she would need to get back there sooner or later and find her mother. He had said nothing in response.
They turned off the main track about a mile from the castle slowly descending through a ravine, mountain peaks towering over them on both sides. The journey went on for a long time until they were far from the castle, the mountains shifting behind them, new ranges appearing on the horizon.
She told herself it was just the shade and the breeze making her cold but each time his hand moved on the reins of the horse, his arm brushed her side and her trembling intensified. Could he tell?
He still hadn’t told her where they were going, only that it was a surprise. He had a slight smile on his face when he said it, a smile that she rarely saw. Most of the time he looked stern, angry even, and she could guess why.
He had a castle that needed rebuilding and he needed to find the money to pay for it. He had other clans constantly testing his defenses and he had the winter coming. She could imagine his worries. Was there enough food to feed everyone? Could they survive a siege? Would her work on the castle be done in time?
The ravine finally widened out as they reached the bottom of the slope, turning into a broad expanse of pasture. Sheep grazed on the grass around them as they made their way toward a wide expanse of water.
“How are we going to cross that?” she asked. “I see no bridge nor boat.”
“We are not crossing it. We are going to swim in it.”
“Swim? In that?”
“Aye. You sound surprised. Can you not swim?”
“I can swim but it’ll be freezing.”
“You’ll see.” He turned the horse and they followed the edge of the loch, coming out of the shadow of the mountain into sunlight once more.
The spot he had chosen was completely hidden from view. Only when they were on top of it did she realize what she was looking at. A tiny stream of water led from the loch to a circular pool of water that was a mere fairy pond, no more than twenty feet from side to side.
It was surrounded by broad armed trees and through their leaves, the sunlight sparkled on the water. To the far side were tall rocks that looked as if they’d fallen from the mountain many years before. They were covered in moss and between them a rivulet of water trickled down into the pool.
“What do you think?” Andrew asked, climbing down from the horse and holding a hand out to her.
“I think it looks beautiful,” she replied, accepting his offer of help.
As she slid from the horse, he took her by the waist, lifting her down gently to the ground. His hands remained on her for a brief moment before he stepped away, dipping his hand into the water of the pool, sending ripples across the surface. “Doesn’t feel too cold to me.”
He stood up and undid the tartan baldric across his shoulder, pulling it free and folding it neatly before laying it across a rock. “Coming in?” he asked, diving straight into the pool and disappearing from view.
Beth winced on his behalf, laughing when his head emerged a moment later. “Isn’t it cold?”
“See for yourself.”
“You expect me to jump in just like that?”
“Or you could sit on that rock and do nothing if you prefer.”
She looked at him and then at the water. “All right but turn the other way. I don’t want you watching me undress.”
He nodded before swimming away from her. She glanced around her, suddenly feeling she was being watched from the mountains. She shook the feeling away, untying the barbette under her chin before pulling her hair free from under the filet.
She slid off her shoes, enjoying the feel of the soft grass under her feet as she lifted the dress up and over her head.
She stopped for a moment, trying to decide whether to keep the kirtle on. Then she reasoned that her bra and panties were no more revealing than a bikini on the beach. With a shrug and a whispered, “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she pulled the kirtle off and lay it down next to the dress.
Seeing he’d reached the far end of the pool and was about to turn she ran to jump in, ducking under the water before he caught sight of her body.
