Page 45 of A Dangerous Highland Affair

“Nae, I’ve nae family here noo, lassie,” he added wistfully, as Teasag brought her pale face to his.

“I’m awfu’ sorry,” she said. Hesitantly, she brought her slim fingers up to his cheeks and made to caress them gently, but changed her mind at the last minute. “So, there isnae no-one who ye can stay wi’ then?”

“Dinnae ye fash yer head aboot me,” said Neacal. “An’ anyway, there’s a pal o’ mine that I like to stay wi’ from time to time, oot here…”

His words trickled out into the air and stayed where they were, hanging visibly between them. He’d already said more than he wanted to, and now, from the animated look on her face, Teasag wanted to know more.

“An’ where does he live?” she asked, innocently. “Back in the village that isnae really there?” she added, mockingly.

“Aye,” added Neacal swiftly. He was wondering why it was so hard not to answer her questions. But when he turned to look at her, Teasag’s eyes seemed to bewitch him into telling the truth.

“That’s nice,” said Teasag, approvingly, as the pair of them trotted along at a slow speed through the turbulent wind and beginnings of rain. “An’ how long ha’ ye kent him?”

It was a stilted attempt at a conversation, and although it was harmless, something inside warned Neacal against giving out too much information about his private affairs.

“Since we were bairns. We’ve always been together, as thick as thieves!” he flashed her a smile, before returning his attention to the road ahead.

Neacal was about to turn to her again when something flashed across his field of vision. It was a face - from a distance, the features blurred, yet familiar, wavy brown waist-length hair flailing in the winds. Thinking it was the friend he was on the way to meet, Neacal’s heart gave a start. And then, just like that, they were gone.

Neacal blinked. Someone had been there and now vanished. Feverishly, he scanned the plain, but there was nothing and no-one except for the green grass and the raging wind.

“What is it?” asked Teasag, following his eyes with her gaze. “What did ye see?”

“Well, it’s naething…,” Neacal said, his eyes shifting about the landscape wildly. “…nae, I must be daydreaming. But I could have sworn I saw a face, in the middle of that lea!” Neacal pointed out into the hazy green vista beyond, now visibly empty.

Inside, Neacal felt the pace of his heart rate increase. He knew it was stupid because there was no way it could really be his friend. But deep down, he started to worry. What if he were still being chased? And what would he find in Blackness? Was his friend even there?

Neacal had hated having to leave like he did, but it hadn’t been safe for any of them after his last contract had ended badly.

And he hadn’t had a word for so long that he was no longer sure what to expect when he arrived back.

Still trying to look for something out in the fields, Teasag paused a while and brought her shining blue eyes to where he was pointing. “Nae, I cannae see naething, are ye sure it’s nae ye who needs a wee rest somewhere, laddie?” she teased, as Neacal struggled to keep his eyes on the road ahead and his mind on what he was doing.

The section of track they were traveling on was particularly treacherous, the twists and turns of which took some firm handling. He really shouldn’t be looking for phantom faces in the wilds, and yet his eyes couldn’t help probing the dismal green.

It had been so clear; it would be impossible for anyone to vanish so entirely. Telling himself he must be mistaken, Neacal laughed and continued pushing on through the thick mud of the winding dirt track.

On a patch of road like this, it was all too easy to lose your footing. Worse still, there were potholes at the side, waiting to upturn the unwary rider. Sometimes brigands liked to hide there, in wait for their prey.

Mindful of this, Neacal cracked the whip and made the stout little mare gallop for her life.

“Hang on tight, lassie,” he called as they swerved a bend at speed.

“Scrivens, ye are nae messing are ye?” cried Teasag, digging her long fingers in tightly and piercing his brat with her sharp nails.

Neacal turned towards her and was just about to open his mouth and tell her not to worry when a voice stopped him in his tracks.

“In a hurry, Neacal? What are ye running for? We’d love to stop an’ banter wi’ ye!”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Before he could even gasp, Teasag let out a scream from behind him.

Her voice, high and piercing, circled in the air above them. And when Neacal looked up, it was to see a slender red-haired man, grinning from ear to ear.

But his face was anything but friendly.

“Marcas!” Neacal hurried the little horse as fast as she would go, in a desperate bid to pull away from the smirking rider. But it was to no avail. He was hot on their heels and coming up sharp behind them on the narrow country road.