Her friend grasped her hands tightly, her eyes sparkling. “How could ye not come directly tae me when they arrived?”
“Who?” Bridget asked.
“Why, the Scots in the barn!” Merdia clucked. “They are positively lovely tae look at, Bridget! The tenants have been trying tae catch a glimpse of them all morning, and now they are in there without their tunics! Ye have tae come see.”
“Nay, wait,” Bridget protested as Merdia drug her toward the barn. She didn’t want to see Bruce without his shirt on. After all, she had already pictured it in her mind’s eye far too many times since they had arrived.
But Merdia was relentless, and Bridget found herself at the entrance of the barn, staring at Bruce’s broad back regardless. When he turned, she forgot to breathe, her eyes traveling down his muscular chest to his flat stomach sprinkled with the same dark hairs on his head. When her eyes reached the waistband of his breeks, Bridget snapped her eyes to his face, finding that he was silently laughing at her perusal of his naked form.
“I’ve come tae call ye for luncheon,” she croaked as Merdia clutched her arm tightly. “And introduce ye tae Merdia.”
“Welcome,” her friend said excitedly. “We hope ye both stay for a long while, dinnae we, Bridget?”
“Long enough tae find yer way,” Bridget added as she watched Marcus wink at Merdia, causing her friend to tittle with laughter. “Err...luncheon is on the other side of the wheat field. ’Tis a simple fare but filling enough.”
“Aye, I’m certain it is,” Bruce finally said, placing his pitchfork aside. “And ye will accompany us?”
“Only if ye put yer tunics back on,” she blurted out, her mouth rounding as she realized what she said.
He chuckled and reached for the piece of cloth draped over one of the stalls. “Aye, lass, if that is wot ye want.”
“Nay,” Merdia whispered, “’tis not wotanyonewants!”
Bridget ignored her and pushed her to the doors. “We will wait outside.”
Merdia nearly squealed with laughter as they hurried back out of the barn, clutching Bridget’s arm. “’Tis obvious he’s infatuated with ye. I get the fair-headed one then!”
“He’s not infatuated with me,” Bridget answered stubbornly, shaking off her friend’s grasp. “Besides, we would be warranted tae stay far away from them. They are passing through, Merdia. Dinnae do something stupid and end up regretting it.”
Merdia rolled her eyes. “There are ways tae enjoy yerself without a bairn being planted in yer belly, Bridget. Really, ye need tae pull yerself away from the farm work every once in a while.”
Bridget’s cheeks bloomed with embarrassment. She had no idea what her friend was talking about, but now she wished she did. She was nothing but a simple farm girl who hadn’t given any Scot a passing glance until now. Surely Bruce and Malcolm both had come upon many a lass in their travels, and it was impossible that he could be interested in her.
Right?
When the two men exited the barn, the rest of the women scurried away, giggling, and Bridget rolled her eyes at the sight. Many of those women were already wed to begin with, yet here they were, ogling another Scot.
Even if he was far too handsome for his own good.
“Marcus will escort yer friend,” Bruce was saying as they reached them. “If ye will do me the pleasure of walking with me, Bridget.”
“Yes,” Merdia breathed before Bridget could answer. “She would be delighted tae show ye where luncheon is.”
Bridget could have strangled her friend with her bare hands, but she barely had time to ready herself before Bruce was at her side, the scent of hay clinging to his skin. She had naught to do other than start down the path and pretend he wasn’t matching her step for step.
“Ye said something aboot watch,” he said after a few moments of silence. “Marcus and I would be happy tae take watch this evening.”
Bridget loosened a breath. Tonight was her watch night, her and her father’s. They could get some additional rest after working so hard this morning.
“Aye, that would be welcome, thank ye.” Her father would be happy to hear that she had procured the additional help so that he wouldn’t have to do it himself.
“Aye, ye’re welcome, lass,” Bruce replied as they spied the gathered tenants ahead. Luncheon was always done as a group since many of the tenants were always in the fields, except during the harshest of winter. Dinner was sometimes done together as well, though the days were getting shorter as winter approached, and soon the tenants would be confined to their own huts for warmth. Bridget would miss the time that was shared until the first thaw.
Which Bruce would not be part of.
Bridget cleared her throat. The only reason he was intrigued by her was that she was the only one that he knew here at the farm. Once luncheon was over, he would learn other names and be enthralled with those tenants as well.
But as she glanced over at the handsome Scot, she caught him staring at her.
