“Chief,” one of the older men stood with the rest. “Hear us on this matter at the next council. We—”
“Nae. I have declared my judgment. Do ye contest me?”
“Nae, Lochiel. I just—”
“We are done.” He pushed his chair aside, and reaching for Ismay’s wrist, pulled her to his side and out of the Hall.
“Have ye truly been hearing their complaints on the marriage fer two months?”
“Aye,” he breathed, sounding weary of it.
“Did I sway yer decision?” she asked, peeking up at him.
He let go of her wrist and headed through another short corridor with doors.
“What ye said made good sense to my ears,” headmitted. “We usually think in terms of fighting. Considerin’ my”—he stopped walking and turned to look at her and then at the ground—“our”—he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw before trying again—“their sons made me see things differently.”
“I’m pleased to hear that ye would admit a woman’s decision was the correct one.”
He gave her one last stare then continued on toward a door at the end of the hall.
“What is next?”
“Can ye ride?” he asked, opening the door and surprising Ismay with a view of the back of the castle. And the stable.
“Aye,” she told him, stepping outside.
“Why did ye walk here then,” he asked her, leading the way down the narrow stone steps to the stable.
“If I had taken a horse, they would have overtaken me. My journey consisted mostly of hiding rather than riding. ’Tis more difficult to hide on a horse.”
He thought about it and nodded. “Ye can ride today. If anyone has followed ye, I will keep them from ye.”
“Where are we going?”
“To inspect the herds. Geoffry and Lachlan will accompany us.”
Did he actually want her tagging along? She didn’t want to overthink it. She wanted to be outside, riding freely and without worries weighing her down. So she followed him. She was beginning to think she might follow him anywhere.
He had an almond-colored mare called Radiance saddled for her and when the others joined them, they set out for the vast grazing glens, with the chief keeping up a steady trot beside Ismay and Radiance. When they reached the massive herd, there were more heads than Ismay could count.
“I must get closer and move within the herd,” he told her at the gated edge of the glen. “’Tis much more dangerous than ye canimagine. Stay here.”
She didn’t want to stand and watch, but she didn’t disobey him.
Even atop his horse, he looked small within the pulsating herd. Still, he commanded authority over the beasts, weaving in and out of their giant bodies, the Highland wind blowing his hair off his shoulders.
His eyes found hers more than once, eclipsed by strands of dark hair when the wind settled down.
Finally, he broke through the herd and rode his horse close to the gate where she waited. He motioned for her to leave her mount and climb the wooden fence. When she did, he lifted his arms to her and caught her easily when she stepped off and into his safe embrace.
He set her atop his thighs and closed his sinewy arms around her.
For a moment, terror gripped her at his touch. What did he mean to do? Her heart told her he meant no harm—but how could she be sure? Her head told her to jump down and run.
“Dinna make any loud noises or sudden wide movements,” he said, as if sensing her thoughts—or mayhap it was the way she turned as stiff as a board in his lap that made him suspect she might try to flee.
He lowered his head and dipped his lips to her ear. “Though they are used to us bein’ here by now, caution is safer.”
