“This reminds me of when I was a lad,” he suddenly remarked, happy memories returning from the past. “Me maither and faither used tae sit like this at mealtimes. They didnae talk much, but they always seemed content in each other’s company. I miss those carefree days.”
Something he could not name flashed across Annie’s eyes as she looked across at him. He put it down to curiosity when she said,“’Tis the first time ye’ve mentioned yer family tae me. Dae ye have any siblings?”
“Aye, I have a sister, Deidra,” he told her.
“Are ye close?” Isla asked.
“Yes, very. Me parents are both dead and she is the only family I have left She was kidnapped by Allan, nae that long ago… possibly with the help of Laird Galbraith. I immediately went after her and was lucky to find her in Allan’s dungeons and bring her home safely. I saw Galbraith leavin’ the castle when I went tae get her. Those were some of the worst days of me life and ‘tis why I cannae ignore the fact that Galbraith’s sister has been kidnapped. Nay matter that he is me enemy, he must be crazy with worry and nay one deserves that.”
Isla had listened to his confession with utter shock and disbelief, so when he looked at her, she lowered her head abruptly, feeling a great pang of guilt followed by a wave of affection for Ewan. She could not let him see her expression.
“I’m so sorry, Ewan,” she said sympathetically. “And I am sorry both yer parents have left this earth."
“Nay need tae be. It was a long time ago. I still miss me maither, of course, but I suppose I miss me faither the most because he only died a few months before Allan stole me lands and started this bloody war.”
“Were ye very close tae yer faither then?”
“Aye, I was,” he replied, feeling the familiar pang of heartache over losing the loving father who had taught him everything he knew. “He taught me how tae be a good man and a good laird, like he was. D’ye ken, when we were at the village last night, it took me back tae when him and me often used tae visit a particular village on the western border of our lands.
“There was a huge loch there, and he would take me down tae the waterside and teach me how tae fight. He’d make me train fer hours, but it was always fun. I loved bein’ with him, just us two.” The wound of losing his father was still as raw as ever when he pictured those precious times in his mind. Which was why he tried not to think about it too much. He sighed, and when he looked at Annie, he saw she was watching him with rapt attention, her gray-green eyes shining.
“Ye really miss him, I can see,” she said softly.
“Aye, I miss him. Nae a day goes by that I dinnae wish he was still with us. It hurts tae think about him, but I dinnae suppose I’ll ever stop feelin’ that way.”
“Aye, I doubt ye will. And even though such memories bring pain, ye wouldnae wish tae lose them altogether, would ye? I can understand how ye feel, though. I lost both me parents when I was five. I still remember things about them though, the memories are like pictures in me head. I see them in me dreams sometimes. I can remember Maither singin’ tae me and Faither laughin’, carryin’ me about on his shoulders, things like that.”
Ewan stared at her, shocked by her admission, especially since she never spoke about her past. He remained silent for a moment, watching her face. Her expression had become faraway, a mixture of sorrow and affection. “Why, that’s terrible, Annie,” he said at last, his heart going out to her. “It seems like we both ken what it is tae lose those we love, eh?” he added, feeling the connection between them deepening.
“Aye, it would seem so.” She came out of her reminiscence and smiled at him, her eyes luminous. He guessed she was holding back tears. But he was now even more curious about her past and what she was hiding.
“So, who brought ye up, if ye’re parents were gone?” he asked.
“Me grandmaither. She was a wonderful woman, but she was also quite strict. It was because of her that I’ve never traveled much. She was always fearful of the dangers of the outside world, so I was never allowed tae go very far from our home,” she explained a little wistfully.
“And where was that exactly, yer home? Ye described yersel’ as a village lass. Where did ye grow up?” he asked, growing increasingly curious about her background, hoping she might tell him the truth about herself at last. But he realized he had hit a nerve when her expression turned slightly wary, and his heart sank a little. He knew she was about to lie to him again.
“I-I grew up in a village near a town about ten miles or so from here called… Dunham,” she finally told him.
Inwardly, Ewan smiled. “Dunham? Och, I’ve been there a few times. I ken it quite well,” he said, thinking that if she was going to keep lying to him, he might as well have some fun. “I remember takin’ a wee walk by the lake. D’ye ken the one I mean? Near the monastery?”
“Mmm, I ken it.” She tried to sound convincing, but there was something shifty in her eyes.
He continued to test her, wishing she would give up and be honest with him. “And then there’s that pretty stone bridge that goes over the river in the middle of town. What’s the name of that river? Ach, ye must ken it well, Annie, what’s it called?”
When she did not answer, he decided to call her out on it. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word, she suddenly stood up and did something he never would have expected and certainly was not prepared for. She leaned across the table and kissed him, smack on the lips.
A shockwave ran through him at the touch of her lips on his, and he only just had time to realize what was happening and start to return the kiss when she broke it off and abruptly withdrew. Her cheeks flared crimson, and she looked horrified as they stared at each other across the table for a few long, silent moments. Ewan felt stupefied, stunned even.
“I must go,” she murmured, her voice shaking. Clearly flustered, she grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair and fled from the tent.
Ewan stared after her, his fingers going to his lips, which were still tingling where hers had touched them.
Did that really just happen? Am I dreamin’, or did she just actually kiss me?
He waited for a few minutes to see if she would return, and when she did not, he grew worried about her, concerned she would try to leave the camp and run away. He could not let that happen, so he put on his boots and went outside to find her. After walking a few hundred yards he spotted her sitting with his men. He watched unseen for a while, but she seemed happy enough, talking and laughing with the others.
She seems safe enough, and she hasnae tried tae leave the camp, soI suppose I can trust her tae stay where she is for the time bein’.
