She turned to him finally, and he could see the acceptance in her lovely, gold-flecked brown eyes. “Fine, then. Ye will accompany us. I would be happy for the added safety.”
Bryce grinned, and he finished the rest of his wine in one swig.
* * *
Lorna’s eyes were closed, and she was in the middle of a dream. Kind of. There was a warm body next to her, and it smelled of wine and wet earth. It made her think of the forest, and she smiled to herself. The forest was comforting. It was a beautiful place where she could be completely at rest and forget everything else. She moved a hand on the warm form and smiled again at the feeling of comfort she got from the touch.
But she stopped when she heard a man’s voice. A man’s voice that was all too familiar. “Will she be all right, do ye think?” he asked, and Lorna was fully awake now. Bryce was asking Kyla about her, and they were in the carriage home to her own castle. But she had no desire to open her eyes and let them know that she was aware of what was going on.
She could feel herself touching Bryce, and in fact, her head was laying on his shoulder, her arm clasped around his strong arm. Now that she was awake and cognizant of things around her, she could feel the muscles shifting underneath his clothes. She stayed completely still, almost holding her breath.
“Aye. It is good that the wedding is finished now,” Kyla replied. “Now she can finally give up on that love of hers. So why did ye come with us?”
At the same time Lorna felt anger at her friend for revealing her feelings for Watt so openly, but she also was proud of Kyla being defensive and protective of her.
“I was told tae escort her home. Tae make sure that she was safe, rather,” he corrected, and Lorna felt even angrier. Her fingers unconsciously tightened on his arm, wishing she could wrap them around his neck instead. “She needed it,” he added.
Lorna’s face colored, but she kept her eyes closed. She was impressed at her own skills of pretense, and yet, when the time came, she knew that she would batter Bryce MacDowell within an inch of his life.
“What do ye mean, sir?” Kyla asked, and Lorna almost smirked at the way she could sense her friend’s eyebrow lifting just by the tone of her angry voice. “Lorna needs nae one tae protect her. She is a strong lass, and she is good at fighting too.”
“Is that so?” Bryce’s voice sounded amused, and Lorna’s desire to beat him grew even stronger. “I should like tae see that sometime.”
Lorna kept her mouth in a thin line. The sound of Bryce’s voice was smooth and charming, and she had to remind himself that he was insulting her, not giving her a sort of compliment. Even so, the thought of him wanting to see her fight sent warmth to every part of her body.
“Ye should stay away from her lad,” Kyla said coldly, making Lorna stiffen, as if her friend had seen her prickle of misplaced attraction for the man.
“What do ye mean?” Bryce asked, laughing.
Kyla was still raising that brow, Lorna knew, and she wanted to sing the praises of her best friend and companion. “I have heard tell of ye, lad. I ken that I am nae of yer station and have nae place tae say anything against ye. But I want tae protect me friend’s heart. Donnae treat her as ye would any of yer other woman.”
For a few seconds, silence reigned. Lorna was frozen, waiting for someone to speak. She didn’t know now if she wanted to hit or kiss Kyla because she had been embarrassed so many times throughout the conversation.
“Aye, lass, I will nae hurt her. Although, I take offense at yer meaning. As if ye think I am just one tae toss women aside.”
“Those are the rumors,” Kyla replied, not backing down. “I have seen me friend be shown as a fool in her love for Watt, and I donnae want tae see it again.”
Lorna scrunched her nose, and it was perfect timing because the carriage slowed. She was home. Yawning, she sat up, reluctantly letting go of the large, muscled arm of the Highlander next to her.
“We are here,” she said, avoiding his eyes.
“Aye,” Kyla said.
The carriage stopped, and the door opened. Lorna fled outside, eager to get out of the confines of the carriage and through the gates of her home. She could hear their screeching and groaning, and her heart lightened at the thought that she would soon be back in her own chamber. She could call for a bath and sit before the fire and think no more of the loss of Watt nor the intrigue of Bryce.
She closed her eyes, thinking about it until she felt a hand on her elbow. “I will take ye inside, lass,” Bryce said, and she instinctively pulled away.
“Nae,” she said, but then she realized it was late, and Bryce would need to be fed and kept overnight.
Damn it.
“Fine,” she said, eliciting a chuckle from Bryce. “Ye will come in.” They strode through the gates with Kyla at their back, but they were stopped by her parents in the entrance hall. Lorna smiled, expecting a lovely warm welcome, but she saw that was not to be had by the angry looks on their faces.
“Lorna! What in God’s name are ye doin’?”
Lorna shrank back in reluctance and fear, but she could feel Bryce at her side, still holding onto her arm.
