Page 28 of A Dangerous Highland Affair

“Och, hoots mon!” said the smithy, his friendly tones damping down the surprise registering in his face. It was clear he was shocked, and Teasag felt her cheeks redden.

“Guid day to ye, sir,” said Neacal, pressing his palm into the man’s hand and shaking it. “It’s nae fash if ye want to go wi’ yer pal,” he said, gently to Teasag. “In fact, it may be a good idea…”

Teasag felt her heart pound. But deep inside, an irritation was building.

Although the man’s offer was kind, she couldn’t help feeling resentful. Yes, traveling with the smithy might make sense, but she wanted to be with Neacal.

“But…,” said Teasag, all the feelings she had for Neacal trapped within her head. Then, she remembered something. “I… I would do, but there’s someone who needs yer help mair!”

The smithy looked at her unsurely. “Aye?”

“Aye, the cartman I traveled up here wi’ he’s still stuck on the road, down yonder,” she indicated over the distance. “He could really do wi’ the help from someone like ye to fix his wheel…”

Teasag glanced at Neacal, who had come to stand beside her. She noticed that while the man was watching him, he didn’t hold her hand and kept in the background.

The smithy hesitated, his chafed red features locked into a frown, then he broke into a grin. “Aye, o’ course, Miss. How could I refuse such a pretty smile! Ye truly are yer mother’s daughter…” he winked. Then he paused, his face changing expression dramatically. “An’ I was truly sorry to learn o’ her passing,” he added.

A cold feeling ran through Teasag’s stomach. Just the memory of her mother was enough to dampen down her heart.

“Here, though, lassie,” said the smithy, going back to his cart. “Have Lillibet, she’s a bonnie wee thing an’ a muckle lot stronger than she looks - it will help ye get there a wee bit more quickly… ye can give her back when ye get there…”

He proffered the stocky brown mare towards them. “Maybe yer friend can follow on behind,” he winked.

For some reason, this caused Teasag even more embarrassment, but all the same, she took the pretty mare and thanked him. Just as he was about to get back in his cart, she looked uncertainly at him.

“Thank ye sir, but, well, I dinnae hope ye think I’m rude, but, could I ask for a small piece o’ charcoal from yer cart…?” she asked, shifting about nervously from foot to foot. She stepped away from Neacal, hoping that he would not hear her bizarre request.

“Aye, of course,” said the smithy, handing her a piece quizzically, but fortunately for Teasag, did not stop to question her further. Then he sat back up in the driving seat of the cart and whipped the horses, bidding them a cheery goodbye.

Within seconds he had gone, the laden trap weaving uncertainly through the bumpy tracks in the opposite direction, to where the cartman was waiting.

Finally, Neacal and Teasag were left, staring at each other, face to face, with only the sulky face of an abandoned mare to come between them.

“At last!” said Neacal, ungratefully. “I thought he’d nae tak’ the hint an’ leave!”

Teasag studied him curiously. “What made ye hide like that? Surely ye couldnae have thought he was a bandit?” she asked.

“Nae,” said Neacal, reluctantly. Immediately, he glanced down, as if he didn’t want to get drawn into talking about this, but the look on Teasag’s face was adamant. This time she wanted an explanation.

“Aye, o’ course, I wouldnae ha’ let ye by yourself if I thought he was gonna harm ye, just, ye ken, that it’s best nae to attract attention..,” he said somewhat unconvincingly. “I mean, ye nae ken if it might ha’ been the husband o’ one of them women... full o’ vengeance!”

The wink he gave her was full of mischief, and Teasag knew that he was just playing with her again.

Giving a sigh, Teasag led the pretty brown mare along the dirt road. She didn’t want to ride her just yet, until they had established an understanding, having had some bad experiences with unready horses in the past.

As they walked, she petted the mare and watched Neacal as he meandered along the path.

It was clear he wasn’t going to give her the real reason for hiding from the smithy, and, as much as she didn’t want to, her mind leaped back to the encounter with the group of women.

The nosy part of her wanted to ask him all sorts of questions; about what he was doing and why they were accusing him. But with his laughing eyes, he had already deflected all her probing and done it smoothly.

And of course, there had been his bravery yesterday. How could she be suspicious of someone who had jumped in the way of trouble just to protect her?

Glancing at Neacal, Teasag had to conclude he was too smart for her and decided to set aside her doubts for now. Questioning his motives made her feel bad.

Besides, when she gazed into his tender eyes, it was impossible to do anything other than believe every word he said.

CHAPTER TEN