Page 29 of Highland Spy

“Ye canna say a word about this,” she warned him. “Ye keep yer mouth shut about this, Caleb MacKeefe, do ye hear me?”

Suddenly, Caleb realized he was in a very powerful position. He chuckled to himself for ending up in this position. He could ask for anything right now, and she would have to give it.

“What’s so funny?” she snapped.

“If ye want me to remain quiet, it’s goin’ to cost ye.”

“Cost me?” Her eyes opened wide in surprise and then those beautiful, blue orbs became dark and cloudy. “What is it ye want?” she ground out.

“Well, first off, we’ll start with the entry about me in the book.”

“I’ll cut that page out. I swear I will,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Guid,” he said, rubbing his chin in thought. “And then ye’ll write somethin’ about me in the book, but it’ll be guid, kind, and heroic. It’ll make me revered in the king’s eyes, and it will bring honor to the MacKeefe name.”

“Oh, so ye want me to lie again?” She raised her chin and waited for his answer.

“No’ lie. Just say . . . guid things about me. Things that will put my name on the tongues of people for years to come. Things that will make me a legend and cause my name to go down in history.”

“Nay. I refuse to do that!”

“Then I’ll tell everyone yer dirty little secret.”

“Ye will no’!” She lowered her chin. “If ye do that, my faither will be killed and I’ll be imprisoned or possibly executed as well. Ye ken that no lassie can ever hold such a position. It is no’ allowed.”

“Now is a fine time to think of that.”

“Caleb, I beg ye. Keep this a secret. Please.” The turmoil on her face softened a spot in his heart. Caleb would never want harm to come to Bridget or her father. He wouldn’t expose her secret for anything, but she didn’t need to know that right now.

“I will keep yer secret if ye redeem yerself by writin’ somethin’ guid about me in the book.”

“Ye’re no’ goin’ to drop this bluidy idea, are ye?”

“It’s a few simple phrases added to the book about me, and the auld ones removed. Ye do that and I’ll keep yer secret. Is it a deal or no’?” He held out his hand to shake hers. Her eyes dropped down to look at it.

“Ye’d really let my faither die, and risk that I might be imprisoned or possibly tortured or even killed?”

“Ye’d really let everyone think I’m a fool, just because I wrote in that book?” He answered her question with one of his own.

“A fool?” she asked. “Ye did that all by yerself. Ye didna need my help for it.”

“Do we have a deal or no’?” He continued to hold out his hand.

“Fine!” she slapped her hand in his, intending to shake it. But instead, he pulled her close and pressed his mouth up against hers in a passionate kiss. She pulled away and held her hand to her mouth, staring at him. “What was that for?”

“I thought the deal was important enough to be sealed with a kiss.”

Her face seemed flushed and she looked to the ground shyly.

“Caleb? Caleb are ye in there?” came Logan’s voice from the edge of the graveyard. “The king is arrivin’ soon and Storm wants all the MacKeefes there to greet him.”

“I’ll be right there,” Caleb called over his shoulder. Once more, he looked back at Bridget. “Dinna forget . . . we have a deal.”

“Oh, I willna forget,” she promised him. Her tongue shot out and touched her lips, making him think she enjoyed the kiss. He certainly did.

“Slink, where are ye? We need to go,” Caleb called out, anxious to read Bridget’s next words about him, because he was sure now that they were going to be good.

Chapter 10