Page 30 of His Secret Highland Bride

He tilted his head and winced. “It’s not much to speak of.”

She laughed and nodded in agreement. There was no defense of the tattered garment that showed her stocking-clad ankles. It was most indecent.

“I was off to the village to purchase cheese. Come with me so ye can pick out some fabric to make new gowns,” he said as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

“I couldn’t ask you to do that,” she said quickly while shaking her head. It was one thing to marry a man she wouldn’t be allowed to keep; to allow him to spend his money on things for her was another matter altogether.

“Am I your husband, Lindsay?”

“Aye.” She couldn’t help the bit of sadness that colored the word. He was her husband for now.

“As your husband, it is my responsibility to keep ye fed and clothed, is it not?”

This would have been the perfect opportunity to tell him everything. Spare him from this grave mistake she’d gotten them into. Tell him he was destined to lose another wife. But when he smiled at her in that way, she was unable to speak. He had only begun to smile; she wouldn’t steal his happiness. She was weak. She was selfish. She was falling for this man.

He selected a blue fabric as well as green. “I can’t decide which will look better on you, so you’ll have them both,” he said as he paid the merchant.

She opened her mouth to protest, but he pressed his finger to her lips.

“Unless the words out of your mouth are a simple thank-you, you’d do better to keep them to yourself. I’ll not argue with you again over this.”

“Very well. Thank you.”

He bought them a bit of cheese and led them back to the cottage. She set the beautiful fabric on the chair where she would start working on the gowns after the evening meal.

“I planned to see about catching us some fish for supper. Would you like to go with me?”

“You don’t wish to be alone to visit the stone?” she asked in surprise. He’d gone every day since she’d painted it.

He shook his head. “Not today.”

She fairly beamed at him. It was silly to think he had chosen her over Maria, but she couldn’t help but feel she had won some precious gift. Every second she spent with him made it easier to forget about her future. The letter was gone as if it had never existed. She wished the butcher’s wife hadn’t found her to deliver it. She would’ve been free to go on not knowing what fate awaited her.

She smiled at her husband. “Aye. I would like to join you.”

Tre followed along and hopped up on a log with her as they looked out at the river. Shane caught three trout, and she went about fixing them after he cleaned them.

What they didn’t finish became a nice meal for the dog after she’d made sure there were no bones. She began working on her gowns, cutting the first pieces of fabric and sewing them together. Shane read from the book while she worked, and though it was a nice way to spend the evening, she knew what waited for her at bedtime. Or rather what did not.

He’d said nothing else about the kisses they’d shared. He’d apologized for leaving so abruptly. She knew he must feel a great amount of guilt in being able to move on when his wife could not. While Lindsay didn’t agree that he was to blame for what happened, his opinion was what mattered.

He’d asked her for time, and for as long as she could, she’d give it to him. She did hope it wouldn’t take too long, for she wanted whatever happened after kissing.

Sometime later, Lindsay blinked hard, trying to get her tired eyes to focus on the small stitches, but she could barely keep her eyes open. “I believe I’m done for tonight. I should be able to finish tomorrow,” she announced as she stood and stretched her stiff back.

“Aye. We shouldn’t do such things in the low light.” He stood as well, and as they moved to pass each other, they ended up getting in each other’s way instead. They laughed and moved only to find their paths blocked once again.

“I’ll just go this way.” She announced her plan to end their bumbling. But this time he stood in her way with intent green eyes studying her face. She reached up as he bent to kiss her, and like the night before, he placed his hands on her hips, guiding her body toward his.

They kissed for what felt like hours before he set her away from him.

“Pardon me.” And with that, he moved around her toward the door. “I must take the dog out,” he said.

When the door shut, she turned to the little dog by her feet. Treun looked up at her, blinking.

“It seems he forgot ye in his mad dash to escape me.”

The door opened again.