Page 64 of A Dangerous Highland Affair

Neacal stood there for so long that he quite forgot himself, lost in the picture that Teasag was making. Her expression was so earnest, Neacal had to work hard at restraining himself from merely going over and kissing her.

Inside his head, emotions clouded his thoughts. All his plans for the morning lay in ruins, and he was powerless to do anything other than stand there and watch.

Slowly Neacal’s resolve was draining. All he could think about was the look on her face as she had left him; all that hurt etched up into one glance. And immediately, a dart of cold came over him.

That look had been like a kick in the guts. She didn’t even have to say anything, her eyes said it all. That she was massively disappointed in him and suddenly, just couldn’t put the distance between them fast enough.

She had taken off, just like that. And despite the fact, it was almost the dead of night, and in bandit country as well, nothing could persuade her to stay around.

A sick cold sank into Neacal’s heart, landing in the pit of his stomach. He had done that. He had been the one to cause her to run off like that, potentially putting herself at risk.

Of course, he had begged her to stay, at least, until it was daylight. But she had been so horrified by him that she just couldn’t listen.

Neacal tried, as hard as he could, to explain that she was mistaken. That there was no way he’d done the things that it had said on the poster she was holding. Well, at least, not the worst of them.

But it hadn’t mattered because she had just taken off before he could explain. Even now, as Neacal stood breathlessly watching Teasag in the field, he had no idea how he was going to do it.

Helplessness rinsed through Neacal. What could he do? He was stuck. He could never explain to her about his life.

The best thing he could do was walk away.

So, he tried, turning his back on Teasag, putting one foot in front of the other and made for his horse.

Except, he couldn’t. The cold, sick feeling inside him swelled up into something unbearable. The thought of never seeing her again made him literally shake. Neacal made it as far as the side of the road before ice-cold bile rose up his throat.

All the same, he kept going. But he couldn’t help himself from having one last pain-filled glance at her before he mounted his horse to ride off.

Slowly, as if his joints were aching, Neacal pulled himself onto the tall black stallion. He was just about to pull away and go back down the winding road when a voice stopped him.

“Neacal!”

“Neacal?”

It was more of a question, but the sound of her voice flooded his senses, making it impossible for him to do anything other than to stare.

“Neacal, is it ye?” Teasag asked, shielding the sun from her eyes. Now Neacal could see her properly, stepping uncertainly from behind a clump of trees in the lea.

In the morning light, she looked even more beautiful than he could have possibly imagined, the yellow of the sun’s rays picking an outline through her loosed hair.

“Aye,” said Neacal, a little gingerly. He hadn’t planned on going over to talk to her. But as much as he had tried to play it safe and keep her out of this, it seemed impossible to stay away.

And anyway, she was right in front of him, ready and waiting for what he had to say.

Slowly, Neacal walked forwards, out to where Teasag was standing.

“Wh-where did ye come from?” Teasag asked him, surprised. She gathered the shawl around her arms more tightly.

“I was just coming back to the village…I saw ye from the road…an’… well, lassie, what are ye doing oot here all on yer ane?” he came closer, but when he was within a couple of feet, he stopped, uncertain. Another thought had suddenly occurred to him. “I mean, ye are on yer ane, aren’t ye?”

Teasag smiled. It was a brief moment of light that flickered across her cheeks but barely lasted as long as it took for her to speak.

“Aye, or, at least, I thought I was…,” her words trailed off as her intense blue eyes met with his.

Neacal couldn’t help lowering his gaze. The way she watched him, it was like she could see straight through him.

A cold burst of wind circled through the air, gliding off the surface of the lake like a lick of ice. Neacal shivered. It might be technically summer, but no one had reminded the volatile Highlands weather.

“Ye dinnae want to be out here on yer own, ye nae ken who’s aboot around these parts!” said Neacal, offering her his hand. His voice had become chiding, but inside he was on tenterhooks, tensely waiting for what she would say.