Page 46 of The Lady of Her Highland Clan

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"Ye were talking tae someone."

Fiona arched her eyes back to Clyde and flashed them pertinently. Now seated on their horses, Clyde looked as if he might topple off in surprise.

"Nay," he said, somewhat unsurely. He grasped the reins of his dark gray horse as if trying not to fall off. "Nay, I told ye, I washed in a burn—"

"I thought it was a loch," said Fiona, quick as a flash. She stared at Clyde head-on. She thought she saw him flinch, but he regained his composure quickly.

"Loch, burn, it's the same thing."

Fiona did not say anything but tossed her head backward, letting the cool summer breeze ripple through it. She was still getting over the shock of her abduction. Suddenly, she did not really have the stomach for a silly fight.

And besides, she was grateful. The way Clyde had ridden to her rescue and single-handedly taken on the three bandits was genuinely impressive.

Letting the issue slide, for the time being, Fiona turned to Clyde and grinned. The expanse of the valley reached out at them. There was still a long way to go before they reached the hopeful spot where they were to start searching.

Trying to take the bandits off her mind, Fiona grinned.

"See that boulder over there?" she said, pointing to the side of the valley.

Clyde nodded, his black hair shining in the midday light. Fiona wondered how it had gotten to be noon already.

"Aye," said Clyde, turning to look at it. He smiled at her unsurely. The way he looked at her made Fiona sweat. She could not look into his jade-green eyes and not get hot.

She grinned. "Race ye tae it." And before he had a chance to properly accept her challenge or even think about it, she was off cantering across the rugged glen and speeding toward the steep ravine in the midst of it.

"Fiona, uh, listen," Clyde said.

But by then, Fiona could barely hear him; she was racing at top speed, heading toward the valley.

Fiona rode and rode, her hands grabbing the reins of Lizzie May as tight as she could and urging the dainty horse to go faster. Behind her, she could hear Clyde call, but he did not catch up.

Laughing, Fiona paid him no heed. The wind was billowing and pushing her further. For once, it seemed she was going to beat him!

Turning to look at Clyde, Fiona grinned. Finally, things were picking up. With the memory of the brigands fading fast, she embraced the wind, getting wilder and faster by the minute.

Clyde was struggling to keep up. Since her tumble yesterday, Lizzie May had recovered and was in fine fettle. And Fiona was in no mood to stop.

She ignored Clyde's pleas until they were halfway across the valley, and both her and her horse were beginning to tire.

"Fiona!" Clyde called across the open glen toward her. He had been trailing her with no luck for what felt like hours. Lost in the thrill of the chase, Fiona had no sense of time. However, it seemed Lizzie May did.

Out of nowhere, the tired mare harrumphed and showed the first signs of wobbling. Seeing that, Clyde shouted louder.

"Fiona, for the love of God, stop! I dinnae want ye falling again!" he called.

For the first time, Fiona stopped and looked at him. Slowing to trot, she patted Lizzie May. She did not want to cause the mare to have another tumble.

"Alright," she said reluctantly. Now they were riding slowly, approaching the ravine ahead of them. Water flowed quickly through the fast burn.

"First water since yesterday," said Clyde absently. He looked ahead to the stream on the horizon. "We should be able to refill an' give the horses a wee dram."

Fiona fastened her green eyes upon him. "Funny," she said, with a strange expression, "I thought ye said ye washed in a loch...or a burn..."

Her eyes locked with his. It was obvious she knew he was lying.

Unsure, Clyde tilted his head.