She looked at him from under those wet lashes, and his gut shriveled in a mess of butterflies and yearning. “He was great, Duncan.” She said his name softly, adding to the swirl in his belly.
“Was he?” Duncan prompted.
“Aye. After Maither died… I was five. They tell me I take after her, I dinnae really remember her. It… it was from a fever. When it happened, me faither covered for her. Teachin’, lovin’… he did everythin’.” Her voice quivered. “He went on one his travels an’ ne’er came home. People brought back his body. Shortly after that, our home was destroyed by the English. I dinnae ken why, I dinnae–” her voice faded.
When it was apparent she could not say more, Duncan put his arms around her shoulders and brought her to his chest. He comforted her, by patting her back. “Let me give ye a new home, Jo.”
His chest burned with an anger he could never quench. The fact that this woman, who had had her mother snatched at a young age, then suffered the loss of her father, still had to live under the rampage of those dogs.
“Ye want tae take me tae ye clan?”
Hearing her say it, Duncan’s pulse quickened. He really did want that. The notion of waking every day to her sharp tongue, twinkling eyes, kind hands. It sounded damn good. He nodded, then answered when he realized she could not see him.
“Aye. I want ye tae make a new home. Dinnae worry, me people are welcomin’.”
“That sounds nice. Does that mean I’m nae longer under suspicion?”
“I untied the rope, I think I can trust ye.”
A moment later, Duncan resumed his wish to bite his tongue. Through her silence, she must’ve felt that he was being foolish.
“Ye’re kind. What’s the name of yer clan?”
The flap of the tent lifted and Craig stuck his head in, “the meat is ready. We should–” He broke off, noting the closeness of the man and woman. His clicked his tongue, “Uh, I can come back.”
Jo’s belly chose that moment to rumble quite loud and long. The sound filled the tent’s small space, eliciting a chuckle from Duncan. She jumped from his arms, a flush reddening her cheeks. She flashed an angry, embarrassed glance at him. “What, ye’ve ne’er been hungry?”
She stormed out of the tent, head high and hungry. Craig looked at him and Duncan laughed out loud. Shewasentertaining. “Uh, sir?” Craig started. “What are ye doin’?”
“Mind yer business, Craig.”
He pulled himself up and followed Craig out. The men were in good spirits, as they were close to home. The songs this night weren’t about depressing lore and plundering brigands. Theywere about laying their filthy heads in the bouncing bosoms of their enchanting women.
He searched the crowd for Jo. She was seated next to Bryce. She held a plate in her lap and had a smile on her lips as she nodded along to the explicit song. The light played with the golden warmth of her skin. He could still feel the softness from their hug. He crossed his arms and watched her, reflecting her smile. Looking at her, it was difficult to tell that she’d crumbled a few minutes ago, crying for her lost family.
Little wonder she had to be strong all the time. “Damn, sir, she is your ruin,” Craig commented sarcastically beside him. Duncan had forgotten about him. He glared at the man, who raised his hands, which were now out of the sling, an image of innocence.
Duncan made an annoyed sound and walked toward them. She wasnothis ruin. He was not a fool who invested feelings for a woman he just met. He did not even have the slightest clue about her.
She laughed out loud as she reached them and his thoughts crashed to a shuddering halt. Lust? Yes, he wanted her. It did not go beyond that. Grumpy and hungry, he collected the plate held out by Craig, was piled high with meat, and there was wine in the pitcher in front of him. He would get drunk and forget the night. Craig settled beside her. She beamed at him, turning Duncan’s meat stale in his mouth.
“Ye ne’er told me how ye got wounded,” she started, pointing at the hand Craig favored.
“This? I was ambushed. Likely by those same three men that attacked Archie’s grandparents.”
She gasped, “Really? Is… is that the norm? Can they dae that?”
“I certainly hope not. This is a war, Jo. But there are still some rules we dare not break, otherwise, we fall into chaos.”
“Ye’re a wise man. A rare breed,” she said. Craig shot her a grin. “If they werenae with the main army, they might’ve been the same ones that came to me house after the battle.”
“When was that?” Bryce asked, piping up for the first time. He gazed at her intently. Jo must’ve have felt the chill, because she shrunk backwards. A small movement, but Duncan saw it.
She told them when it happened but added that she may have been mistaken. Duncan could read Bryce’s line of thought like a book. He was wondering how she knew about the battle as it had occurred before she set out. Then again, if she lived within the Highlands, she might have heard of the battle.
Subtly, he shook his head and Bryce backed out. Whichever was the truth, Duncan would find out when they arrived at his clan. Try as he might, he could not see how she could cause much danger.
Jo drained her wine and ate the last of her meat. Warriors close to her had been offering to refill her pitcher. It would have been funny, if Duncan wasn’t feeling particularly antsy. They’d beenout on this mission for weeks. Most of the people were men. One pretty face and they were acting like blistering idiots.
