Page 8 of A Highland Lass for the English Duke

"Mistress Duncan!"

A voice from the back of her made Lissie recoil. With a sigh, she turned around. From behind, the earnest face of Malcolm pressed forward.

Frustrated, Lissie held a groan and composed herself. Malcolm's sandy eyebrows locked together in a frown. It was clear he was not happy about her absenting herself like this.

Watching him, Lissie mused. Since leaving Scotland, he had grown hairier. Already sheep-like to begin with, he now more resembled a wooly mammoth, his thick hair looping over his shoulders crazily. A gray beard engulfed his gnarled features, springing from nowhere to reach the length of his torso.

All told, it was an improvement.

"Guid morning, Malcolm," said Lissie, as graciously as she could manage while being physically compressed by a battalion of sheep.

And now pigs.

And then, Lord knew what. For a moment, the world began spinning. All the sounds and sights—not to mention smells—overwhelmed the young Scots lass. It took a moment or two for her to catch her bearings.

When she did, she found a sturdy arm steadying her.

"What ho, madam!"

The crispness of the man's voice instantly stalled her. From inside her reverie, Lissie fought to get free. Gradually emerging from the darkness, she glanced around.

"Malcolm?" she called. Deep down, she knew it was not Malcolm, her sister's trusty guard. But everything was going too fast. Events had overtaken her, and she was struggling to make sense.

"Alas, no, madam." The man's voice sounded oddly twinkly. She wondered if he looked the same. Gradually, Lissie's eyes pierced the darkness and broke through to the daylight.

Finally, she was back to her senses.

Lissie was not sure if she had been in her right mind since departing the Highlands. Since then, the cold, the rain, the fighting, and the sheer grind of the ride had taken their toll.

Everything had taken her by surprise, not least the ongoing battles between the English nobles. Navigating their way through the country had been perilous, although all of that had faded on contact with the city.

She may only be at the gate of London, but already it was hitting her hard. The sounds, the smells, the noise. Stench from the tanneries choked her, silencing her words.

Lissie attempted to speak, but could only retch. It was not a good look. And all the time, the man's azure eyes leaned in, making it harder still for her to concentrate.

"Mistress?"

Fetching a handkerchief from his tunic, the gentleman proffered it toward her. Hesitantly, Lissie accepted it.

By now, she was fully awake and beginning to feel self-conscious. Quickly, she dabbed at her face, then straightened her hair.

"Thank ye, kindly," she said, bringing herself into some sort of order before finally tidying herself with it. She noted its rich lacing, marking its owner as a man of distinction.

She made to give the handkerchief back, but the man gestured that she should keep it. Smiling, she tucked it away, feeling somewhat awkward.

Watching her as she folded it down, the gentleman smiled, his eyes meeting hers and lingering awhile there.

Uncomfortable.

Lissie gave a small cough. She had to do something to stop his eyes from smothering her. A rapid heart rate developed at the same time as a dry throat.

The man's eyes would not stop following her. Embarrassed, she dropped her gaze and struggled with her errant caul. She was aware of not looking her best, her loose hair billowing in the side-wind. And yet, he gazed on with an expression of unerring fascination.

Och, he thinks I'm a muckle slattern for sure! thought Lissie, but the glow of the early morning sun buzzed and shone right through her, dazzling her hair.

Lissie found herself cupping her eyes to see through the hazy sunshine as both she and the tall stranger stepped back to allow the irate sheep to pass.

There, in the mélange of bodies, she glimpsed the man's outline. It was hard to pick out the details; both dizziness and surprise got the better of her. But as the fog cleared, she saw a rugged face gazing quizzically at her.