Page 33 of Highland Spy

“Bridget, wait,” called Caleb, never seeming to be able to do the right thing around this lass. If he wasn’t making her angry, he was making her cry, and he didn’t even know what he had done wrong.

She stopped, holding on to the side of the saddle, placing her forehead against it, whimpering softly.

“I’m sorry, Bridget,” he said, his hand resting on her shoulder. “I was only playin’. I didna mean to make ye cry. I was tryin’ to make ye laugh, but I can see I failed.”

“Nay,” she said with a sniff, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Slowly she turned to look at him. “It’s no’ yer fault, Caleb. I never should have gone in the water to begin with.”

“But the river isna even that deep,” he told her. “Ye were never in any real danger.”

“Can we talk?” she asked in a mere whisper. “I’d like to tell ye about somethin’ of my past.”

“Aye, lass. Of course, we can. But let’s sit in the sun so our clothes will dry.”

“All right, but please no’ by the water.”

Caleb put on his leine and picked up his wet plaid. Slink was exploring the area around them, sticking its head in a log, looking for something to eat. “Dinna go far, Slink. We’re no’ stayin’ long,” he told his pet before taking Bridget’s hand and leading her to a clearing in the grass where the sun shone down brightly.

“Here, we can sit on my plaid even though it is wet,” he told her, spreading it out on the ground. He gave her a second to collect herself, sitting next to her and gently rubbing his fingers over her back, trying to calm her.

“I told ye how my mathair died by drownin’,” she finally spoke.

“Aye. And I’m sorry, lass. It must have been horrible.”

“It was. I was only a young child at the time, but I still have nightmares about it. My faither has always kept me away from the water after that.”

“So that is why ye never learned to swim?”

She bit her lip and nodded, looking up at him with sad, blue eyes. “I fear the water more than ye ken.”

“I’ll teach ye to swim, Bridget. Ye shouldna be afraid of the water.”

“Mayhap someday, but no’ anytime soon. I’d like to go back to the castle now and check on my faither.”

“Lass, is there somethin’ else ye are no’ tellin’ me that has to do with yer da?”

“Like what?” she asked, looking at the ground.

“Like why my sister and Lady Wren were givin’ ye herbs? What was it for? Is he ill?”

She didn’t respond, and Caleb didn’t want to push her. So he stood up, preparing to leave. “Slink, we’re goin’,” he called out, and his pine marten came running.

“Wait, Caleb,” said Bridget, standing up next to him. “I want to say thank ye. For savin’ my life today.”

“It was nothin’.” He chuckled and waved his hand through the air. Then he bent over and picked up his plaid to don it.

“Ye were brave to risk yer life to do it.”

“Bridget, stop it. No one was in danger and we were only goin’ for a swim. Dinna make it sound like I’m some kind of hero.”

“But ye are, and I am thankful. I’m goin’ to put it in the Highland Chronicles.”

“Och,” he spat, tying his plaid and picking up Slink. He held the animal up to his face and gave it a quick kiss. “If ye’re goin’ to put me in the Highland Chronicles, then make it about somethin’ more impressive than just bringin’ ye from the water.”

“All right, I will,” she said with definition. “But please, Caleb, dinna tell my secret to anyone that I am writin’ in my faither’s stead.”

“We had a deal, lass. I told ye I wouldna say a thing, and I willna. That is, as long as ye keep yer part of the deal as well.”

“I promise ye, I will. I’ll write ye into the chronicles and I swear it will never be anythin’ bad about ye again.”