Chapter Four
It was raining again as they set out for Clan Sinclair’s keep. The rain started light enough. Ellie barely noticed it as she hugged Evander in farewell, ignoring her awkwardly stiff, cold mother. Laird Sinclair rode on ahead as they left Clan MacAskill lands and entered the countryside proper. Ellie rode her own horse in the middle of the procession. She had to leave behind any hope of sneaking off into the forest to disappear into the countryside. Sinclair’s men surrounded her. Not that she decided to change her plan. She knew her best chance was still to convince the Laird they did not suit. Still, escape was never far from her mind. What would her father have her do, were he here, she wondered. Letting out a sigh of resignation, she realized that she would not be in this position if her father were alive. He would have never expected her to marry for anything less than love.
For the first hour,the ride was quiet except for the whinny of horses and the gentle sprinkling of light rain on the heavy woolen plaids worn by the Sinclair men. However, the wind soon turned, and as they headed through the deep forest, the storm awakened. A sudden downpour along with chaotic crashes of thunder caused the horses to rear and cry out in alarm. It took all of the men together to ensure nobody was hurt in the resulting melee.
Ellie’s horse fared better than many of the others’. The gelding, Abel, stomped his hooves nervously but did not try to buck her off. She rode him forward to where Laird Sinclair was shouting to be heard over the wind.
“We cannae go any further in this,” Lachlan called to any man within earshot. “Unroll the drop sheets and unload the horses. We’re getting out of this storm.”
Ellie slipped down from Abel, petting his nose once before running to help. The winds howled and only blew heavier, making it difficult to follow the Laird’s orders, but Ellie helped grab the ropes of the drop rolls as best as she could. The rain lashed against her, soaking her and the rest of them as they headed deeper into the shelter of the forest to set up the makeshift tents as well as they could manage.
Thankfully, there was a clearing surrounded by high, gnarled trees that sheltered them from the worst of the passing storm. They could still hear the rattling through the branches, but the horses calmed considerably and allowed the men to tie their reins to the trees. The drop sheet tents kept out what rainwater managed to get through the thick canopy, and someone even started a sheltered fire.
Ellie closed her eyes as she huddled near it, enjoying the warmth on her face and the feeling of her uncomfortably wet clothes losing some of their saturation. She tried not to shiver—after all, the men were managing—but the dress she wore was built for appearance, not traveling through Spring storms.
A warm blanket slipped around her shoulders, thick with soft fur and miraculously dry. Perhaps her mother had been right, and the Laird would be kind to her. She had to admit that giving her a blanket he must have kept in his pack to avoid the worst of the rain—and given its obvious expense, she could not describe it as anything other than kind.
“My laird,” she said in reverence without opening her eyes as she felt his weight settle down next to her. “Thank ye. I didnae realize how cold I was.”
“Ye were shivering like a leaf in on one of these storm-ravaged trees, ye daft woman. And I’m nae laird of anything,” came Aidam’s reply.
Ellie stiffened, opening her eyes and turning to see him smiling wryly at her. “Ye, shouldnae sneak up on people like that Aidam Sinclair,” she said—suddenly feeling much, much warmer—horribly embarrassed.
“Och, ye stubborn lass, I would dae it again to avoid ye freezing to death,” Aidam told her, leaning back. “And, we’re gonnae have to camp for the night. My uncle is in th’ big tent, and they’re setting up another for ye. He asked me to keep an eye on ye.”
Ellie hesitated. Keep an eye on her? Why ever would she need to be kept watch over? Did Sinclair suspect she thought to run? “Ye…ye’re to guard me? Whatever for?”
Aidam shrugged. “I suppose he doesnae trust these young men around hislovelynew bride tae be,” he said. His tone light, but Ellie sensed an undercurrent. Perhaps he resented her after their shared kiss; she had not seen him at all, going out of her way to avoid him. In order for her plan to work, no one could suspect she did not want to truly marry the Laird. And her attraction to Aidam was a complication she did not need. If he was angry that he had to guard her, so be it. It wasn’t her choice. None of this was her choice.
He handed her some food, and they ate in silence, and then he led her to the tent that had been set up for her. She crawled inside, suddenly exhausted. Ellie, still wrapped in Aidam’s fur blanket, could think no more of anything. Night had fallen, and the travel had been hard on her body. All she wanted was to allow dreamless sleep to take over. She settled her head on the pile of straw wrapped in wool that would serve as a travel pillow, closing her eyes. She had almost given way completely to slumber when a grunt from outside the tent gave her pause. Opening her eyes, she saw a shadow outside.
Is that…Is Aidam taking his guard duty so seriously that he’s sleeping out there?
Suddenly, she felt ashamed. Aidam kissed her, riled her in ways no other man had, frustrated her, but in his own way, he’d been trying to help, hadn’t he? It was misguided, yes, and rude, but Ellie realized she hadn’t yet given him a chance to apologize. Hadn’t they been friends once? Hadn’t she cared for him?
No, she shook her head and wrapped the fur tighter around herself. She couldn’t soften now. Ellie would be cordial to Aidam, and perhaps in time, they could be friends again—but first, he would have to prove himself more than the immature, arrogant boy who thought his kiss would change her mind. She had to focus on her own happiness and escape from her unwanted betrothal to his uncle. She did not want to lie any more than she had to, and she did not have time for Aidam’s nonsense.
And yet, when she fell asleep, she dreamed of a pair of familiar soft lips, soothing blue eyes, and a wry grin.
* * *
Most of the camp was still asleep when Aidam’s stiff and sore aching woke him from his night on the hard ground in half-dried clothes. At least the storm seemed to have ended; the early morning birds had begun their song, the leaves were rustling in a gentle morning wind, and dawn light filtered through the tree canopy like little dancing fairy lights. Just the type of magical dawn that he loved when holding tight to a curvaceous lass. Perhaps one with long chestnut locks and piercing green eyes.
Och, where did that thought come from…
Aidam stretched, considering going back to sleep. Just as he was about to close his eyes, the sheet making up Heloise’s tent moved, and the young woman walked out, holding a bundle of something in her arms. He lay still, not wanting to startle her as she walked past.
Damn it! I’m supposed to be guarding her. I cannae just let her wander off into the woods.
Though he didn’t want to admit it. Hewantedto be close to her. Hewantedto…what?
Grumbling, Aidam pulled himself to his feet and followed where Ellie had gone. He would keep his distance—he didn’t want to scare her— he supposed she’d gone to the little loch they passed in their hurry the previous night. It would be a good place to wash her face and start her morning rituals.
Ellie skirted between the trees so naturally that Aidam thought she could easily be a fae princess from the stories of their youth. Something deep inside him stirred awake as she gracefully moved through the filtered early morning light as it came through the trees. It was impossible not to imagine the mystical.
What was she thinking agreeing to marry his uncle? He’d asked the question so many times, and he would ask it a thousand more. This young, beautiful woman, so full of life, so full of fire. What did she hope to gain?
The pathway ahead opened up, and Ellie approached the little loch. Aidam hung back hidden in the trees, not wanting to disturb her. He’d just watch from where he was while she washed her face, and then—
