CHAPTERFIFTEEN
“What a beautiful day,” Lorna sighed as she and Kyla marched across the green fields toward the low, thatched roofs of the village. Looking up at the sky, she could see that it was a clear, perfect blue, and she was reminded of the lovely, clear blue of Bryce’s eyes when he looked at her.
She looked down, blushing at her own thoughts with Kyla so close. Kyla said, “So it is, lass. Now, will ye tell me more about why Bryce is now filling yer mind and why ye have now forgotten all about Watt? We have a bit until we get tae the village.”
They were linking arms as they walked across the thick, grassy field. Lorna was glad there had been no rains the night before, so that her boots didn’t squelch into the soft ground.
Once again, I am reminded of Bryce. Will I never stop thinking of him?
“Lorna?” Kyla asked with a knowing grin. “Are ye even listening?”
“Aye,” Lorna hastened to respond. “I’m listening. I was just thinking about the answer a little bit.” She bit her lip, embarrassed about what had happened with Bryce in the library, but also very proud of herself that she had let her body go enough to be able to do that. Kyla should know. She would be able to see it in Lorna’s face anyway, that something had happened.
With a deep breath of the fresh summer air, Lorna plunged into her story. “Yesterday, Athol was being controlling and a terrible older brother. Just like me father, he was treating me like an object, and he and Bryce nearly came tae blows over protecting me. It was all nonsense.”
Kyla chuckled. “What I wouldnae give tae be fought over,” she said in a dreamy voice, making Lorna roll her eyes.
Lorna kicked a stone with her boot and watched it disappear into the long grasses. “Nae, nae like this. When they were talking about me as they stood face tae face, ready tae fight, it was like they pretended that I wasnae even there in the room. Like I had nae opinion, and they could talk about me fate and what I wanted without me input!” She was growing red and angry again, and Kyla tapped her arm.
“I didnae mean tae make ye angry, lass, by asking ye tae tell me the story, but I can understand yer rage. What a terrible thing. Men have nae understanding of the trials of a woman.” Her expression was grim, and Lorna again wondered what had occurred in Kyla’s past that had affected her so. She had asked in the past, but Kyla never revealed anything, keeping her own secrets tightly locked away.
“Aye, true enough. Well, I went tae the library tae escape them, as ye so well ken that it is me place tae escape. While I was there, Bryce came in, and we argued. And then,” she took a breath, “we kissed.”
“Ye what?” Kyla asked, incredulous, her voice high and her eyes wide. “Ye kissed?”
“Aye, we kissed,” Lorna repeated, wondering if saying it over again would make it seem more real. “I ken that it is foolish, but I couldnae help it. Really, Kyla, it was like something came over me. Like the man put me under a spell. Watt is nae even in my thoughts. I mean I wish him well and want him tae be happy, but me thoughts are nae of him.”
She stared ahead as they were nearing the outskirts of the village. Kyla breathed out and gave a low whistle. “I cannae believe it. I mean I ken that Bryce is a lady’s man and a womanizer, but I never dreamed that he would do such a thing and nae in the library of yer family’s castle! Especially now that he has been warned by both yer father and yer brother.”
“Aye, I suppose it was rather bold of him,” she said with a tiny tingle of pleasure in her belly. She liked the way he had taken initiative to kiss her at long last, but once the kiss had descended into passion she’d never experienced before, she had pushed him away, fearful that it would take over her body and her good sense. That she would fall into his charms and start to think more of him than she ought.
“Well? What do ye think about it? Are ye happy? Or are ye distressed?” Kyla’s tone was not censorious, and Lorna thanked her for that. She had had quite enough of being scolded lately.
“I fear that I donnae ken exactly what tae think about it all.” She toyed with a lock of hair that had come loose and then pushed it behind her ear, her mind growing dreamy again at the memory of his fevered kiss.
“Well, surely ye must be thinking something. Watt is gone from yer mind, and ye are smiling like an idiot.”
“Am I?” Lorna asked aghast, and then she burst into laughter. It felt so good to laugh finally after so much time being sad and angry.
Once she recovered, Kyla nodded. “Aye, ye are.”
“Well, I suppose I am happy about it, but I cannae think anything more of it than a kiss. I mean, it is Bryce MacDowell! His brother was always the one who wanted tae be married, who wanted and needed the stability of a life as Laird. Bryce, as ye have told me so often, is quite the womanizer, and he was used tae wandering about for years on his own. He has nae Lairdship tae take over, and he has nae responsibilities.”
She realized that she was talking fast, and she paused for a few seconds to catch her breath. They were nearing the village, almost there. “And nae only that, but he was always making fun of me and teasing me as a child. He thought I was ridiculous for loving Watt, and he is the most infuriating man! He was close tae a bully when I was younger, and now here I am, kissing him, and letting him charm me intae thinking that he is someone different!”
Kyla squeezed her arm. “Have ye nae considered that he might find ye desirable, lass? That he might want tae kiss ye for the sake of it?”
“But why?” Lorna asked, befuddled.
“Let me ask ye something. Did he force the kiss upon ye? When ye pushed him away tae leave, did he get angry? Did he try tae pull ye back?”
“Nae. He let me leave. And he didnae force me. After he kissed me first, he seemed tae regret it, and he pulled away.” Lorna cleared her throat. “And it was I who pulled him back tae me again.” She blushed.
“Well, well, well, Lorna,” Kyla said in a teasing tone. “It seems that he might have put a spell on ye, so ye say. Other than Watt, I have never seen ye be so bold with a man or blush so much when discussing him.”
“Aye, well, I would rather that it was a spell and nae me own heart falling down again intae such a dangerous chasm.” She sighed. It felt good to feel this way, but it always felt awful, and it brought with it so much longing that could not easily be sated.
“Perhaps we can find a way tae break the spell here while we are in the village? Plenty of ways tae find suggestions about village medicine. Nae doubt there are plenty of people here searching for love potions.”
