Page 25 of A Dangerous Highland Affair

Panicking, he looked around. It was much too late to outrun them. The only thing was to hide.

Without waiting a moment longer, he grabbed the lass’s hand and dived into the bushes by the dirt trackside.

However, he had reckoned without the resistance of Teasag. Almost instantly, her head turned around, and she had him fixed with a hotly accusing glare.

“Neacal?”

CHAPTER NINE

“N eacal? What in the devil’s name are ye doin’?”

It was a fair question, and by the look on Teasag’s astonished face, Neacal was going to have his work cut out explaining.

Which was perhaps why he didn’t even try. Instead of offering a reason for his impromptu actions, Neacal put his finger to his lips and pulled her further behind the prickling gorse bush.

“Hush,” he said, giving her a little wink.

“But,” argued Teasag, as the backdrop of hooves grew closer. But there was something in the look in his eye, which made her take him seriously.

“Please,” Neacal pleaded, his almond-shaped blue eyes competed with hers for ascendency. For a moment, it looked as if he had got his way and that Teasag was prepared to step aside and allow the rider to pass uninterrupted.

The horse and its rider came closer, as the pair sat tensely behind the rustling leaves. As it rounded the bend, it seemed as if they might get away unseen, although all the time, Teasag could hear Neacal’s heart beating so hard she wondered if that alone might give them away.

But then Teasag gave him a shake, “Listen, I need to get help for the cartman, I promised him…,” she said, trying to get free of Neacal’s grip. She wasn’t scared of him, just angry that he was letting them pass up the opportunity of help.

But she was surprised to see Neacal’s face meeting hers, with an insistent line. “Nae lassie, ye dinnae ken who it might be. Oot here in the countryside there’s naught but braggarts an’ thieves. Trust me, I ken!”

Teasag didn’t ask him how he knew, but he did sound awfully convinced. She was on the verge of letting him slink back into the surrounding hedge and join him in hiding when the heavy hooves grew louder.

“Quick!” urged Neacal, pulling her in once more, his hand grabbing at her, and far from her better judgment, Teasag followed him. For a moment or two, it sounded as if the hooves would pass them by, but without warning, they came to a halt.

Neacal grabbed Teasag near, as the sound of the rider dismounting and coming towards them grew closer.

Another tense few seconds passed, where the only sound was their breathing, coming hard and fast as the stranger looked around.

Through the thick prickly gorse, Teasag could barely see. She certainly couldn’t make out the face of the man on the horse.

Then, she got a shock. Just when she thought that he’d moved on, and it appeared that he was going back to his horse, a voice cut through the hedgerow.

“Hi there? Is someone there?”

Teasag froze, glancing up at Neacal from behind the prickly bush. The voice sounded friendly enough, and clearly was no vagabond. All the same, Neacal did not move.

“What ye doin’ there, lass?” the man said again. Teasag caught the amusement in his voice, mingled with some confusion.

Anxiously, she looked to Neacal. He gave a slight nod and indicated that she went forward, although she noted he remained where he was.

Unsurely, Teasag ventured forward, with some trepidation. When she emerged, bedraggled from the thick hedge, it was to see a large set man wearing a quizzical smile.

“So, there is someone doon there?” he said, with a tone of recognition. “What are ye doin’ there, are ye hurt?”

The man’s wide brown eyes gazed at her plaintively, his expression wavering from concerned to embarrassed and then back again.

Teasag looked at him. He seemed vaguely familiar, but she was not sure from where.

“I’m alricht, thank ye kindly, sir,” said Teasag, her mind racing fast. She knew this man, but where from, she just could not place. “Please dinnae let me hold ye up on yer way!”

The man laughed. “Yer nae any bother lassie, I was just a wee bit worried to see a lassie oot here on her own!”