Page 18 of Highlander’s Dangerous Gambler

"Ah," said Scott, nodding. "Yer wee horse, och, o' course. Well, um, he's doing fine, the wee fella."

"I want to see him," said Aileen insistently before finally adding, "please."

Scott looked at her dubiously. "I-I ken, but..." His eyes moved shiftily to the door as if he was thinking about something. Aileen followed his gaze watchfully. She got the impression he was trying to make sure he would not be seen.

"Och, alright, but dinnae try anything daft, will ye?" he said, with a strange glance to her. "I dinnae want ye passing oot on me again!"

Again, Scott waited, carefully, for a flurry of footsteps that went through the corridor to go past before nodding to her. Cautiously, Aileen began moving. It was not easy. Despite her keenness, her body was less willing to play ball. Everything still hurt. A lot.

Propped up on Scott's solid arm, she limped along the gray corridors and down to the castle gates. Blinking, she prepared her eyes for sunlight, but when it finally came, there was not as much of it as she had thought. All the same, the sharp light pierced her eyes, making her squint as she passed through the heavy gates and over to the stables.

"Here," said Scott, ushering her through the wooden doors. She felt his hand guide her along, warm and strong. Despite her reservations, she was comfortable in his presence.

But a look at Scott's face revealed he was anything but comfortable. At the slightest sound, he leaped around, looking watchfully. His nerves were showing, and as she greeted White Star, it was evident he was less than happy.

"We cannae stay long," said Scott, as she patted the white horse's head. For a moment or two, Aileen was lost. So pleased was she to reunite with White Star that the anxiety on Scott's face did not really register with her.

Then, she looked and saw his face. He was watching keenly as she attended to the horse, his eyes glancing from side to side, making sure no one was coming. Aileen got the distinct impression he was not meant to bring her there.

Just as she was about to ask him some questions about the estate—she barely knew anything about his mysterious laird or his castle—Scott looked at her.

"He was the fastest horse in the race. Ye should have won," he said, looking at her evenly.

A little taken aback, Aileen faltered.

"I, I, was he?" She was not sure what to say. Of course, she liked White Star being praised, but she had been very far from sure whether he had been the fastest horse that day. After all, she had lost, even if it was only by a hair.

A welcome wind rippled around the castle and into the stables, blowing a little freshness into the fetid air. Fall was coming, and a chill was settling over the glenside around the McLeod castle.

In curiosity, Aileen peeked through the gaps in the stable door to the hills beyond. The McLeod estate was not somewhere she knew well, and it was dawning on her that she was stuck here, a long way from home.

Worse still, Scott appeared to be acting shiftily, as if she should not even be out here. Once again, he checked around before answering her.

"Aye," he said, with an odd smile wrapped around his lips. Despite her reservations, Aileen felt herself warm to him. He was ruggedly handsome but with a strange edge to him. And he had a smile like nothing she had ever seen before.

"Aye, yer wee horse was the fastest one there, an' I'm one who kens," said Scott, grinning. Just as Aileen was beginning to fathom the smile on his face, it vanished as quickly as it came. "An' I thought to mysel', he can win...but, och, then I looked at ye...an' it was just as clear that ye also could!"

He winked, then looked away, leaving Aileen reeling. For a minute, her heart pounded. She nearly forgot all about her broken ribs.

In pure fury, she stared at Scott.

"Och, couldnae I?" she fumed. She managed to keep her tone civil, just about, but nothing could put out the smoldering heat from her eyes. She was livid.

"No," said Scott briskly. He shook his head. "We have to go. Come on."

But Aileen just stood there. "Nay," she said, although deep down, she longed for her bed. Just coming out here had done her good, but it had also tired her out more than she was prepared to admit. And she definitely was not letting him get away with putting her down like this!

"Nae until ye tell me why ye think I cannae win!" she demanded, her blue eyes flaring. She turned the full force of her stare upon Scott, who looked amused.

"Och, ye were the right size an' weight to win, wee lassie," he said smoothly. He was looking more than averagely cocky today, the early morning rays catching his sun-kissed complexion and illuminating his eyes. Aileen noticed how they contrasted with the rich darkness of his hair, which fell thickly around his eyes. "But ye couldnae, and I kent it. Ye lack the instinct for a winner."

Aileen was incredulous. "I lack the instinct?"

"Aye," said Scott, silently bidding her to return to the castle. Dissatisfied, Aileen patted White Star goodbye and prepared to follow Scott. She didn't know why she submitted so meekly. Maybe because she was tired and wanted her bed. Or perhaps because she needed to hear why he thought she could not win.

"Aye, an' lucky for me too," quipped Scott. Now they were heading back up to the castle, he seemed more talkative. Aileen followed on behind as they snuck back inside the wooden doors and painfully up the stairs. "I won some top coin because ye lost!"

Getting back up to the bedchamber was a whole lot harder than getting out was. Climbing the stairs proved too much, and Aileen was forced to rely on Scott to help her up.

Fiercely, her heart beat hard. Pressed up against him, it pained Aileen to be so reliant on the man who was mocking her.

"Ye-ye bet on me losing?" she asked, genuinely hurt. By now, they had reached the door to the bedchamber. Aileen was in abject pain, but she was not about to show it. He already thought her a loser, so she was not going to compound it by showing her pain.

"Aye, I did too, wee lassie, an' just as well I did too!" Scott smirked. He was back to looking smug, a mile-wide grin wrapped around his infuriating face. "I can spot weakness a mile off...an' because o' ye being small an' quick, a good many bet against me...an' lost big time!"

Scott really did look too pleased with himself. Despite her pallor, Aileen was ready to knock the smile clean off his face. Instead, she flung open the door to the bedchamber and marched in.

"So, Mr. McFadden," she said, icily pushing past him. "Ye’re a betting man then? Well, what are the odds on this?"

And before Scott could say another word, the door slammed shut in his face with a resounding bang!