“But even if it’s true, I still want you to stay.”
“I can’t. Don’t you understand I can’t?”
“But you’ve done so much for my castle. Don’t you want to see it finished?”
“Is that what you care about? The castle?”
“No, that isnae it at all.”
She noticed his hand gripping her tighter. He pulled her towards him through the water, his face inches from hers. “What is it then?” she asked, holding her breath as he leaned ever closer.
“I want you to stay because I want you,” he said, kissing her a second later.
His lips brushed over hers and he almost moved away but then he pressed more firmly, embracing her with his eyes closed.
Beth was too shocked to move at first but then the tingling from her lips moved through her body and she knew at once this was right. She could never have described how she knew to anyone but she knew.
It was a kiss like none she’d ever experienced, bringing her to life, her heart thudding even as she felt more relaxed than she ever had before. She melted into his arms as he threw his hands around her back, drawing her closer.
She could feel his body against her as their embrace grew stronger. Then all of a sudden he pulled his head away, her lips feeling his absence almost as strongly as they’d felt the kiss. “What?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?” she asked.
“Hush,” he whispered, swimming quickly to the far side of the pool. All she could hear were a few rocks rolling down the mountainside far away.
He stuck his head out, peering into the distance before returning to her, the smile gone from his face as if it had never been there. “We must hide,” he said. “There is a band coming this way.”
“Hide? Hide where?”
“Behind the trees. There’s a gap just there. Come, quiet as you can. They’re wearing our tartan but I recognize none of their faces. There is something about this I dinnae like.” He helped her out of the pool and she shivered in the cold as together they squeezed between the thick tree trunks.
Andrew glanced out before ducking back, his face pale. “I’ve an awful bad feeling about this,” he whispered. “We must just hope they haven’t seen us.”
“Our clothes,” she hissed but it was too late. From the ravine a voice called out. “Down there.”
“I must go for my sword,” Andrew said, darting out from between the trees. “Stay hidden no matter what happens.”
Then he was gone and she was alone.
