She still could not believe she had allowed him to manhandle her, and now she was forced to endure this arduous journey to the castle so he could marry her off. The entire ordeal left her even more furious than she had been before.
She turned away from him to watch the passing scenery. In truth, she was thankful for the adventure, for she had been sheltered for the twenty-three summers of her existence. She had not even realized just how large the clan lands were or how much beauty there was to see outside the village.
“‘Tis beautiful, is it nae?” he asked suddenly.
She turned to him and noticed that he was watching the scenery as well. She turned back to look out the window and was inclined to agree.
Purple heather dotted a wide field, and in the light of the spring sun, she wished she could paint or at least frolic about to her heart’s content.
“Aye, it is,” she said after a long minute. “I havenae been this far out of the village.”
It was true.
She had been filled with even more sorrow as she watched the roads she knew like the back of her palm blur past, but the sorrow had quickly been replaced by wonder as she saw the vast fields and woods that called to her.
“Jonathan never took ye?” Darragh asked, drawing her eyes back to him.
She shook her head. “Nay. He was away more often than he was home, and I didnae feel the need to travel alone.”
She had never felt aggrieved by Jonathan’s travels once she was old enough to read. While his presence was comforting, she had always had the feeling that he was looking forward to his next adventure.
He was much like her in his inability to keep still or stay on land. She knew he loved her, but his greatest love had always been the adventures he embarked on, and she had learned to comfort herself with the little bits of time she had with him.
“Which is a wise thing to do.” Darragh nodded. “Try as I might to keep the clan safe, a young lass traveling alone could be attacked by bandits.”
“Ye keep calling me a young lass,” she pointed out. “But I daenae think ye’re much older than I am.”
He raised an eyebrow at her, and she wondered if she had struck a nerve.
Good. Because she had intended to.
He had been treating her like a young lass he was burdened to care for, and if he was not going to treat her like a grown woman, then she would not do the same with him. She could choose to ignore him, but she knew it would be no easy feat.
They were only a few hours into the journey, and from what he had told her, they had to travel for eight more days until they arrived at their destination. She could choose to stay silent, but she had never been able to keep still. And seeing how she would lose her mind if she ignored him until they met other people, she did not need much convincing to at least attempt to remain civil.
“Ye didnae bridle yer tongue, do ye?” he asked.
She eyed him, searching for mockery in his eyes, but there was only pure curiosity. She looked away from his intense gaze.
His green eyes unsettled her; the vibrant shade nearly matched the grassy hills rolling past them. She avoided staring into them for long, or else she would feel as though he was baring her.
“I daenae see the need to,” she answered. “Things get settled faster when we speak the truth.”
“Aye. But without wisdom, ye could upset a lot of people or get in trouble.”
“Are ye lecturing me, Laird McGhee?” she asked, folding her arms across her chest. “Because many tutors have tried and failed in this endeavor.”
And it was true.
Jonathan had hired governesses and tutors to make her into a lady of etiquette and manners, and while she could indeed fit in with high society, she had never quite put aside her need to voice her thoughts, which had upset them many times.
“Nay,” Darragh uttered. “But if it seems that way, then perhaps ye should heed me words.”
She frowned at him. “I understand Jonathan tasked ye with finding me a husband, but I assure ye, I daenae need it, and I daenae need yer words of wisdom.”
“Would ye rather I entertain ye with folly?”
She sat back, wondering if that was a joke or a serious inquiry. When she saw the corner of his lips quirk up, she laughed.
