Page 39 of Reviving Her Highland Spirit

“Thank ye, Callum. I’m glad ye are here.”

“I’m glad I’m here, too. And don’t worry if ye can’t do everything, all at once, Maggie. Sometimes these things take time, and that’s okay. We’ll take it one step at a time, ye and me. For now, let’s just sit back and enjoy the ride, eh?”

Maggie’s smile widened. “Aye, I’d like that.”

16

Maggie felt a familiar spike of excitement at the sight of the pool. They tethered Stardust to her usual spot, and the horse immediately began to tuck into a patch of succulent greens. Maggie and Callum didn’t speak as they shuffled their way down to the stony beach.

Callum cleared his throat awkwardly, holding out a pile of clothes to Maggie.

“These ones are for ye. I didn’t… I didn’t think about us changing, though…”

“Not to worry,” Maggie said hastily. “I’ll go behind that clump of trees over there, and ye can change out here.”

“Oh, alright,” Callum said, looking a little relieved.

Maggie gathered up her things and hurried over to the clump of trees she’d pointed out. It was going to be a reasonably warm day today, but the warmth of the sun hadn’t quite permeated the pool. The air was crisp and chill, and Maggie’s skin broke out in goosebumps as she quickly stripped off. She pulled on the thin breeches Callum had picked out - they’d certainly be easier to swim in than her leather riding breeches - and tugged the linen shirt over her head.

She was ready. Maggie glanced around the clump of trees and froze.

Callum was standing, stripped to the waist, staring down at the rippling water. He had a similar shirt to the one Maggie was wearing clutched in his hand, although he made no move to pull it on. She could see his profile, his brows scrunched in thought.

What was more, Maggie could see the scars on his back. They crisscrossed across his shoulders, raised strips of scar tissue, white and ugly. What had happened to him? They looked like flogging scars.

The scars didn’t seem to bother Callum. The muscles on his back rippled smoothly under his skin, and he rolled his shoulders, still staring down at the water. Sensing eyes on him, Callum glanced over his shoulder, and Maggie was just able to duck back in time.

She cleared her throat.

“Are ye ready yet, Callum?” she called, willing her face to go back to its normal color. She shouldn’t have been peeping on him.

There was a hasty rustle of fabric. “I’m ready, ye can come out now.”

Maggie stepped around the trees, face still beet-red, and saw that Callum had pulled his shirt over his head.

“Ready to swim?” she said, and he winced.

“Not exactly.”

Callum didn’t need so much coaxing to get into the water this time. He stepped in boldly, water rising up past his knees, around his strong, muscled thighs, and up to his waist. He shivered a little at the cold, but there was no fear in his face this time.

“Remember what I said about floating?” Maggie said. “Can ye try it again?”

Callum drew in a breath. “Aye, I can. Ye will be here though, won’t ye? Ye won’t let me sink?”

“No.”

He rolled back in the water again, clumsy but determined, and this time Maggie barely needed to touch his shoulders to keep him floating on the surface. Somehow, she didn’t want to touch his back, even though she knew that the scars wouldn’t hurt anymore.

“Where did ye get those scars?” Maggie asked without thinking, then immediately blushed at the amused, knowing look that Callum shot her.

“Lady Maggie, did ye go peeping?”

“No! I just… that is… I didn’t mean to.”

“Mm-hm. Well, if ye must know, I was caught stealing food when I was fifteen, and I was flogged for it.”

Maggie winced. “Oh. I’m sorry tae hear that. I shouldn’t have pried.”