Page 192 of Tales of Highland Loyalty

Malcolm's question surprised even himself. Was he doing this? Apparently, he was.

Ainslee looked at him like she had been struck.

"Ye whit?" she said. Malcolm stammered out his question, again.

"How fare ye, lass?" he asked, but genuinely, and this time looking right at her in the eyes.

Maybe it was his gaze, but it was harder for her to unpin herself from his question this time.

"Fare?" snapped Ainslee, but under her breath. "Ye make it sound like naething... it was ten years, Malcolm, ten years? How do ye think it's gone?"

Marisse turned around, swishing her white blonde hair as she did. She delivered a dirty stare at Malcolm, before calmly turning back. Malcolm did not let it distract him. He focused ahead and on Ainslee.

"I dinnae ken," said Malcolm, simply, his green eyes refusing to let her go. But Ainslee was retreating. If he was not quick, she would ride ahead, removing the chance for them to speak.

"I dinnae ken how it's been for ye, Ainslee, but I would like to ken, however, I can tell ye about what happened to me," Malcolm took a deep breath. He could feel he was losing her. All the same, a quick glance from her to him proved she was listening.

Good.

"An' the truth is, I couldnae stop thinking aboot ye, these last ten years. I was snatched away, Ainslee. Ye think I went off to sea for the fun o' it?"

Malcolm's eyes were widening. It was as if he could not comprehend the thought that anyone could believe this. "Ye think I went away because I liked the sea? Wheesht! Do ye have any idea how hard it is?"

Malcolm's incredulity almost dripped. He was alight with passion. "Ye couldnae be more wrong if ye do...Nae lass, I mean it. I didnae want to be there, an' couldnae wait to be back wi' ye...!"

Blood rose in Malcolm's cheeks. He had not expected to feel so strongly. But a decade’s worth of pain just reappeared, and he felt strangely overwhelmed.

It didn't seem to affect Ainslee though.

"Couldnae wait to be in some strumpet's bed, more likely," she snipped. Malcolm was stunned.

Flashing her dark eyes around to him, Ainslee finally delivered a snippet of emotion. Just for a moment, she was glassy eyed. It did not last, and soon she reverted to her steely gaze.

"I heard whit he said to ye... remember Dublin... aye, I ken what he meant. Malcolm, yer a sailor... an' have a lass in every port... maybe even two!"

Ainslee had worked herself into quite a rage, and Malcolm felt pricked.

"I, I," he began. A combination of guilt and indignation burned within him. "I mean, aye, there were lasses," he conceded, finally.

Ainslee shot him a look.

"I... I am a man, Ainslee, ye ken what that is... but, there was naething... no one special. I never had a sweetheart, nae once. Never..."

His face pressed to her, but she pulled away. In front of them, he was aware of the others - Marisse and James listening in, but it did not matter. None if it did. The only thing was making her understand.

But she did not. From the hard, truculent look on Ainslee's face, she was not having any of it. Straining to get further away, Ainslee nudged her horse on. Quickly, Malcolm followed suit, and soon they were engaged in almost a race, to be side by side.

Pulling up alongside the dappled mare, he winked at her. "There's nae use lass, I can easily outrun yer wee mare... why dinnae ye just concede defeat?"

This did not have the desired effect, but maybe Malcolm knew that anyway. Of course, Ainslee pulled away in a huff, which set Malcolm further galloping after her. Maybe he was even enjoying it a bit. Who knows, perhaps she was?

Faster and faster, he followed her, until the road became so bumpy that it was impossible for her little horse to go any further. Reluctantly, she stopped, getting her bearings, and settling her flummoxed horse.

As she comforted the poor mite - the petite dappled mare really was not used to going fast - Ainslee shot daggers to Malcolm.

"See what ye've done!" she said, her dark eyes flashing. Malcolm just shook his head.

"There was nae any need to run, darling," he said, and Ainslee stared like she hated him. Dismounting from her horse, she walked over to him.