Page 74 of A Dangerous Highland Affair

She smiled as politely as she could, as her mind worked overtime. When Neacal had told her about the friend he was going to find, she had automatically assumed he meant Robbie—or at least one of the gang that she had already met yesterday. It had never occurred to her that he meant a female friend, and now she felt stupid.

A million thoughts flashed through Teasag’s mind. Who was this woman? Was she only a friend, or was there something more?

Watching Gaie kiss Neacal, she didn’t get the impression that there was any deep passion, but the teasing glances that she gave to him made Teasag unsure.

However, it wouldn’t do to let on, so instead, Teasag swallowed her feelings and smiled at Gaie.

“How do ye…,” began Teasag, meaning to ask her how she knew Neacal. But before she could get the words out, she was interrupted. Overhead, a raincloud that had appeared out of nowhere suddenly drenched them in cold hard shards of hail.

“Och, lassie, let’s get oot o’ here afore we’re all drenched!” cried Gaie, grabbing her by the hand and running across the field with Teasag.

“That one can follow us if he wants to!” she said, indicating Neacal, who was left standing in the middle of the lea, briefly alone.

From the side of the field, Teasag watched as Neacal glanced about momentarily, looking up at the sky, before swiftly deciding to make a run for it.

Despite the drubbing she was getting from overhead, Teasag could not help but take a few minutes and gawp at his beauty. Even through the hail, Neacal still managed to look fantastic. His shoulder-length hair was flailing in the breeze and whipping around his handsome features. The sudden rush of cool air had brought color to his cheeks, offsetting his sculpted cheekbones to perfection.

Gaie ushered them to the roadside, where a dumpy little pony stood kicking its heels. She patted it down thoughtfully.

“So, ye got a place to lay?” she asked Neacal.

A little jolt went through Teasag. What was that supposed to mean? However, Neacal’s smile did not suggest a deeper meaning.

“Well, Robbie put me up last night, but…,” he said, as Teasag listened, intrigued. By now, they were all walking up together to the horses.

“But nothing, ye shall stay wi’ me!” said Gaie, with a flourish. She patted Neacal on the shoulder and leaped onto her horse.

For a minute, Neacal hesitated, glancing at Teasag, uncertainly.

“Och, she can come over too,” said Gaie, with a quick wave of her hand. “But whatever she does, can she make up her mind fast, because we’re standing out here like sore thumbs!”

“Yer in trouble, am I right?”

Gaie said, from inside her cottage, as Neacal and Teasag waited to be invited in.

Seeing Teasag’s face, Neacal hesitated from going straight into Gaie’s house. Ever since Gaie’s appearance she had been unsure of the situation.

“Well, ye ken me, Gaie, when am I nae in trouble?” he quipped, making light of a very dark situation.

“Aye, but noo it’s serious,” said Gaie, a little more gravely. Her bright face clouded over, becoming furrowed and taut. But it was only momentary, and in an instant, had passed.

“Come in, ye pair o’ doorstops!” Gaie laughed, beckoning them in.

Neacal stooped through the narrow doorway, tentatively. “It’s different here since last time,” he said.

His eyes alighted on Teasag’s; she looked less than pleased. Without thinking, Neacal placed his arms around her softly, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

“Nae fash,” he whispered quietly in her ear. He could tell how unsettled she felt but mistakenly attributed her unease to the fact she was amongst strangers.

“Aye, tis,” said Gaie, pouring the three of them a drink.

“But then, it’s been some time since ye were here last,” she added, busying herself. When her back was turned, he saw Teasag looking about the ramshackle cottage.

Things were strewn about pell-mell, and as Gaie busied herself cooking, he followed Teasag’s gaze across the room.

A sheep’s skull, a tinder box, a pair of silver candlesticks, as well as a new broom lay at various intervals around the room.

“Been casting spells?” Teased Neacal, only half-jokingly, as a thick cloud of black smoke came over from whatever Gaie was making. “I see yer cooking is every bit as fine as ever!”