“See?” he said with a rumbling chuckle. “Ye love a good fight, Ava.”
“Hmm.” She backed up toward the horse again as his laughter faded into sudden seriousness.
“Nay more messing around.” Kai held up his hands in the position of surrender. “As tempted as I am tae play rough and tumble with ye all night.”
“Kai!” she spat angrily. There was the briefest of smiles that faded fast.
“I can read ye better than any other, Ava.” His words made her hand on the basilard drop an inch. What did he mean by that?“I can see ye’re anxious, and most of all, I can see ye are scared.” Those stormy eyes looked more intense than ever, only just visible thanks to the one lonely candle that was lit in the stable. “What kind of friend would I be tae ye if I let ye ride off into the night, in the middle of the snow, scared about something?” He stepped toward her. “I am nae that kind of man. Ye ken that. So, tell me now.”
He took her wrist holding the basilard, his fingers surprisingly soft, then removed the blade from her fingers. Even slower still, he flicked her cloak to the side and put the basilard back in her scabbard. The movement brought him so close she held her breath.
“What are ye scared of?” he whispered, his voice deadly serious as he faced her.
“I’m nae scared.” Her words made him raise his eyebrows once again. “I’m determined.”
“Oh, I can see ye are that.” He nodded slowly, tilting his head to the side. It was hardly the first time in her life that Ava felt as if Kai was looking into her very soul. It was one of the reasons they had become such good friends from a young age. He knew her feelings without her even having to confide, and she also knew she could trust him with her life. “Ava,” he whispered, his voice deepening once again. “Dae ye think there’s a secret in this world ye couldnae trust me with?”
She looked down at the minimal space between them as he was now standing so close. He was right. He had always kept any secret she had told him.
“I came fer help,” she whispered.
“Who’s help?”
“Nae yers!” She snapped her head up again.
“Then who’s?” He waited patiently.
“A seer told me I’d find a man here who could help me, a man wearing an ugly hat.” She nodded at the ungainly thing on his head. As if angered by it, he snapped it off and tossed it away. It landed somewhere amongst the straw, as he ruffled his dark chestnut hair with his long fingers. Ava had to snap her gaze back to his eyes fast.
“And what was this man supposed tae help ye with?”
“He was supposed tae teach me things.” She chose to now stare into the middle of his chest, at the tartan and the clan brooch that he had reversed in order to hide his allegiance, the pin only just visible to her in the amber candlelight. “Ye ken me sister’s woes. Ye must have seen the man who wants her, the man who…”
“I’ve heard the stories.” Kai nodded fast. “Me braithers and I have talked about it, how he covets yer sister. He willnae get her, Ava. Yer sister is too good of heart –”
“Me faither may nae be in a position tae refuse his offer of marriage,” she cut him off, watching as his jaw dropped. “We need money, Kai. We dinnae have it. And this man is offering a large sum fer Lyla’s hand. So, me faither has another solution.” Suddenly feeling sick at the thought of telling Kai this secret, she placed her hands on her hips, finding comfort in her fingers being so near to her weapons, as if they gave her unseen strength. “If I can marry a man like Blair Grant –”
“Laird Grant!?” Kai suddenly spluttered, taking a step back.
“His fortunes are so vast, me faither could refuse Lyla’s suitor in an instant. It is a good plan, Kai.”
“Is it?” There was something abruptly wild in Kai’s character. He turned on the spot, maddeningly pulling at his hair, then turning back to face her again. “Ye’re going tae marry Laird Grant?”
“If I can.” She fidgeted, well aware that her nerves were palpable in the air between them, without needing the penetrating glance he shot her way as he marched up and down the stable. “The problem is, catching the eye of a laird like Blair Grant isnae something that I…” She trailed off. Her sudden silence made Kai pause in his pacing. He turned to look at her again, just waiting for her to go on. When she didn’t, he held his arms out wide.
“Shall I point out that ye nae only look terrified but look frankly murderous?” His words made him sigh. “Go on, Ava,” he pleaded, his voice so deep that she fidgeted once more.
“I dinnae ken how tae seduce a man,” the words fell from her so quietly, he clearly didn’t hear it.
“What?” He marched back toward her. “Ava, what did ye say?”
“I said…” She cleared her throat, lifting her chin to look him in the eye. “I dinnae ken how tae seduce a man. If I am tae marry Blair Grant, then it’s something I must learn tae dae.” She was down the rabbit warren now, and suddenly the whole truth came out of her. “I went tae see the seer in the forest outside me faither’s castle, and she told me that tae seduce Blair Grant, I should come and meet a man who kenned the art of seduction. He would be inThe Stag’s Resttonight, sitting alone, wearing an ugly hat. I had nay idea she meant ye.”
She abruptly stopped, aware that Kai was looking at her in a way that she found completely unreadable. His lips were parted, his stubbled jaw dropped, his hands loose at his sides.
Silence extended between them. It became awkward in its length, with Ava wondering if Kai would ever speak to her again. She shifted her weight between her feet, and in the end the mare behind her whinnied, clearly sensing the awkward air too.
“Ye came tae find me, tae coach ye on seducing a man, Ava? Is that what ye are telling me?” He took another step toward her.“I’ll dae it only when hell is covered in snow as thick as is outside tonight.”
